NCEES · FE
FE Environmental Exam practice exams
The NCEES FE Environmental exam — practice all 15 knowledge areas with worked solutions, from water and wastewater treatment to hydrology, air quality and hazardous waste.
Or read 15 sample questions with answers.
About the FE exam
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Environmental exam is usually the first step toward a PE license. It covers the core of an environmental engineering degree: environmental chemistry, hydraulics, hydrology, groundwater, water and wastewater treatment, air quality, solid and hazardous waste, and risk assessment.
Our practice bank follows the NCEES knowledge areas and their question ranges. Every calculation question supplies its own data and shows the worked result, using the standard relationships in the FE Reference Handbook.
The real exam
Public information published by NCEES. A ExamWize practice exam matches this format — it is not a copy of the exam's contents.
- Format
- 110 multiple-choice and alternative-item questions, taken by computer at a Pearson VUE center. The appointment is 6 hours, including a tutorial and a scheduled break; exam time is 5 hours 20 minutes.
- Cost
- NCEES lists the FE exam fee as $225 (NCEES Exam Guide, July 2025). Check NCEES for current pricing.
- Scoring
- Pass/fail. NCEES does not publish a cut score, so practice scores here use a 70% line as an estimate, not a prediction.
- Validity
- Passing the FE is typically required to become an Engineer Intern (EI or EIT). Licensing requirements are set by each state board.
Practice by exam topic
ExamWize practice exams draw questions in these same proportions, from a bank of 596 FE questions. Open a topic for what it covers and free questions with answers.
- Mathematics· 30 questions5%
- Probability and Statistics· 24 questions4%
- Ethics and Professional Practice· 29 questions5%
- Engineering Economics· 30 questions5%
- Fundamental Principles· 42 questions7%
- Environmental Chemistry· 40 questions7%
- Health Hazards and Risk Assessment· 24 questions4%
- Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics· 72 questions12%
- Thermodynamics· 18 questions3%
- Surface Water Resources and Hydrology· 52 questions9%
- Groundwater, Soils, and Sediments· 49 questions8%
- Water and Wastewater· 73 questions12%
- Air Quality and Control· 48 questions8%
- Solid and Hazardous Waste· 41 questions7%
- Energy and Environment· 24 questions4%
Who it's for
- Environmental and civil engineering seniors and recent graduates
- Engineers in training preparing for the EIT designation
- Working engineers returning to take the FE
How to prepare
- Fluid mechanics and water/wastewater are the largest areas at 12 to 18 questions each — master hydraulics and treatment process design.
- Practice BOD, activated-sludge and detention-time calculations until they're routine.
- Know Darcy's law, the rational method and Gaussian plume basics for groundwater, hydrology and air.
- Use the searchable FE Reference Handbook during practice so you can find formulas fast.
See the free FE cheat sheet for a one-page domain summary, and the content policy for how these questions are written.
Free FE practice resources
- 15 free FE practice questionsSpread across the exam's topics, each with the answer and an explanation for every option.
- Free 10-question diagnosticA quick, scored check of where you stand, with no account needed.
- FE cheat sheetThe topics and the facts that come up most, on one page.
- FE study guideHow to plan your preparation.
FE exam FAQ
- What is the format of the FE exam?
- 110 multiple-choice and alternative-item questions, taken by computer at a Pearson VUE center. The appointment is 6 hours, including a tutorial and a scheduled break; exam time is 5 hours 20 minutes.
- How much does the FE exam cost?
- NCEES lists the FE exam fee as $225 (NCEES Exam Guide, July 2025). Check NCEES for current pricing.
- How is the FE exam scored?
- Pass/fail. NCEES does not publish a cut score, so practice scores here use a 70% line as an estimate, not a prediction.
- How long is the credential valid?
- Passing the FE is typically required to become an Engineer Intern (EI or EIT). Licensing requirements are set by each state board.
- How many FE practice questions does ExamWize have?
- 596 original practice questions, drawn into full practice exams in the same format and domain proportions as the real FE. Every option has its own explanation.
- Are these real FE exam questions?
- No. Every question is original, written from NCEES's public content outline — never copied from the real exam or from exam dumps. They match the real exam's format, not its contents.
- Can I try ExamWize for free?
- Yes. The free diagnostic has 10 FE practice questions with a full explanation for every answer, and no account is needed.