Engineers

Certification or Licensing

Engineers whose work may affect the life, health, or safety of the public must be registered must be licensed in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Those who are licensed are called professional engineers (PE). To qualify for a license, one must have a bachelor's degree from a school accredited by ABET, the accrediting board for engineering and technology, four years' relevant work experience, and pass a state examination. States often recognize licenses from other states. New engineers may qualify for licensing in two stages. First, they may take the Fundamentals in Engineering examination after graduating from college. They are then considered engineers in training (EIT) or engineer interns (EI). Once they achieve the work experience requirement, and EIT or EI then takes the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam. In most states engineers must meet continuing education requirements to maintain their license. The exams are offered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (http://www.ncees.org).

There are many certification opportunities for engineers, but certification is generally not mandatory. Available certifications vary among specialties.

Other Requirements

Engineers in some specialties, such as aerospace engineering or nuclear engineering, may require security clearance from the federal government to work for defense contractors.