Based on the data provided by the State of California [1], the following tables have been produced to show the PE Exam pass rates for the Civil test, including the state specific surveying and seismic tests. The state of CA was used in lieu of the NCEES[2] website because it provides more detailed information (and in my opinion the sample size is large enough to assume these numbers are similar across the US).
Civil PE Exam
| Table 1: Principles & Practices Pass Rates[1]
|
| Year
| Test
| Tested
| Pass
| Pass %
| Fail %
| Cutscore
| Possible Pts
| % Correct Req'd
|
|
|
| 2010
| Oct
| 1973
| 718
| 36%
| 64%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2010
| Apr
| 1863
| 730
| 39%
| 61%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2009
| Oct
| 2204
| 842
| 38%
| 62%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2009
| Apr
| 2187
| 811
| 37%
| 63%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2008
| Oct
| 2151
| 755
| 35%
| 65%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2008
| Apr
| 1991
| 744
| 37%
| 63%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2007
| Oct
| 2015
| 810
| 40%
| 60%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2007
| Apr
| 1820
| 743
| 41%
| 59%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2006
| Oct
| 1771
| 685
| 39%
| 61%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2006
| Apr
| 1781
| 732
| 41%
| 59%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2005
| Oct
| 1937
| 669
| 35%
| 65%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2005
| Apr
| 1842
| 743
| 40%
| 60%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2004
| Oct
| 1912
| 715
| 37%
| 63%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2004
| Apr
| 1951
| 847
| 43%
| 57%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2003
| Oct
| 2188
| 620
| 28%
| 72%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2003
| Apr
| 2075
| 817
| 39%
| 61%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2002
| Oct
| 2417
| 841
| 35%
| 65%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2002
| Apr
| 2084
| 724
| 35%
| 65%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2001
| Oct
| 2177
| 699
| 32%
| 68%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2001
| Apr
| 1962
| 755
| 38%
| 62%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2000
| Oct
| 1936
| 687
| 35%
| 65%
| 70
| 100
| 70%
|
| 2000
| Apr
| 1812
| 662
| 37%
| 63%
| 48
| 80
| 60%
|
| Averages:
|
|
| 37%
|
|
|
| 70%
|
| Table 2: Seismic Pass Rates (CA Specific)[1]
|
| Year
| Test
| Tested
| Pass
| Pass %
| Fail %
| Cutscore
| Possible Pts
| % Correct Req'd
|
|
|
| 2010
| Oct
| 2172
| 841
| 39%
| 61%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2010
| Apr
| 2080
| 803
| 39%
| 61%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2009
| Oct
| 2433
| 953
| 39%
| 61%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2009
| Apr
| 2419
| 956
| 40%
| 60%
| 25
| 50
| 50%
|
| 2008
| Oct
| 2429
| 888
| 37%
| 63%
| 151
| 285
| 53%
|
| 2008
| Apr
| 2191
| 795
| 36%
| 64%
| 153
| 295
| 52%
|
| 2007
| Oct
| 2357
| 940
| 40%
| 60%
| 177
| 292
| 61%
|
| 2007
| Apr
| 2006
| 736
| 37%
| 63%
| 156
| 292
| 53%
|
| 2006
| Oct
| 1913
| 712
| 37%
| 63%
| 142
| 263
| 54%
|
| 2006
| Apr
| 1889
| 707
| 37%
| 63%
| 152
| 300
| 51%
|
| 2005
| Oct
| 2073
| 928
| 45%
| 55%
| 164
| 295
| 56%
|
| 2005
| Apr
| 1986
| 791
| 40%
| 60%
| 159
| 292
| 54%
|
| 2004
| Oct
| 2069
| 797
| 39%
| 61%
| 154
| 300
| 51%
|
| 2004
| Apr
| 1884
| 670
| 36%
| 64%
| 125
| 263
| 48%
|
| 2003
| Oct
| 2220
| 897
| 40%
| 60%
| 136
| 281
| 48%
|
| 2003
| Apr
| 2062
| 765
| 37%
| 63%
| 155
| 300
| 52%
|
| 2002
| Oct
| 2453
| 1083
| 44%
| 56%
| 136
| 287
| 47%
|
| 2002
| Apr
| 2129
| 844
| 40%
| 60%
| 138
| 276
| 50%
|
| 2001
| Oct
| 2337
| 941
| 40%
| 60%
| 150
| 294
| 51%
|
| 2001
| Apr
| 1951
| 28
| 37%
| 63%
| 121
| 268
| 45%
|
| 2000
| Oct
| 1979
| 779
| 39%
| 61%
| 148
| 288
| 51%
|
| 2000
| Apr
| 1732
| 649
| 37%
| 63%
| 127
| 261
| 49%
|
| Averages:
|
|
| 39%
|
|
|
| 51%
|
| Table 3: Surveying Pass Rates (CA Specific)[1]
|
| Year
| Test
| Tested
| Pass
| Pass %
| Fail %
| Cutscore
| Possible Pts
| % Correct Req'd
|
|
|
| 2010
| Oct
| 2223
| 897
| 40%
| 60%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2010
| Apr
| 2089
| 795
| 38%
| 62%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2009
| Oct
| 2418
| 893
| 37%
| 63%
| -
| -
| -
|
| 2009
| Apr
| 2592
| 1143
| 44%
| 56%
| 30
| 46
| 65%
|
| 2008
| Oct
| 2555
| 833
| 33%
| 67%
| 183
| 294
| 62%
|
| 2008
| Apr
| 2326
| 868
| 37%
| 63%
| 183
| 300
| 61%
|
| 2007
| Oct
| 2480
| 974
| 39%
| 61%
| 193
| 300
| 64%
|
| 2007
| Apr
| 2136
| 777
| 36%
| 64%
| 176
| 289
| 61%
|
| 2006
| Oct
| 2109
| 768
| 36%
| 64%
| 171
| 293
| 58%
|
| 2006
| Apr
| 2110
| 748
| 35%
| 65%
| 171
| 300
| 57%
|
| 2005
| Oct
| 2256
| 859
| 38%
| 62%
| 185
| 300
| 62%
|
| 2005
| Apr
| 2218
| 874
| 39%
| 61%
| 180
| 300
| 60%
|
| 2004
| Oct
| 2268
| 736
| 32%
| 68%
| 168
| 300
| 56%
|
| 2004
| Apr
| 2053
| 708
| 34%
| 66%
| 157
| 275
| 57%
|
| 2003
| Oct
| 2386
| 822
| 34%
| 66%
| 162
| 287
| 56%
|
| 2003
| Apr
| 2104
| 682
| 32%
| 68%
| 162
| 294
| 55%
|
| 2002
| Oct
| 2392
| 972
| 41%
| 59%
| 176
| 294
| 60%
|
| 2002
| Apr
| 2148
| 937
| 44%
| 56%
| 165
| 294
| 56%
|
| 2001
| Oct
| 2271
| 882
| 39%
| 61%
| 164
| 287
| 57%
|
| 2001
| Apr
| 1942
| 777
| 40%
| 60%
| 138
| 290
| 48%
|
| 2000
| Oct
| 1929
| 756
| 39%
| 61%
| 152
| 275
| 55%
|
| 2000
| Apr
| 1633
| 636
| 39%
| 61%
| 158
| 290
| 54%
|
| Averages:
|
|
| 38%
|
|
|
| 58%
|
First Time vs Repeat Test Takers
| Table 4: 1st Time vs. Repeat Test Takers[2]
|
|
| April 2010
| Oct. 2010
| April 2011
| Oct. 2011
|
| Exam
| 1st Time
| Repeat
| 1st Time
| Repeat
| 1st Time
| Repeat
| 1st Time
| Repeat
|
| Civil
| 64%
| 35%
| 62%
| 27%
|
|
|
|
|
| Chemical
| 72%
| 46%
| 82%
| 36%
|
|
|
|
|
| Electrical & Cpu
| 66%
| 29%
| 66%
| 35%
|
|
|
|
|
| Environmental
| 73%
| 23%
| 77%
| 48%
|
|
|
|
|
| Mechanical
| 69%
| 41%
| 73%
| 37%
|
|
|
|
|
| Structural I
| 46%
| 25%
| 47%
| 21%
|
|
|
|
|
| Structural II
| 63%
| 29%
| 54%
| 24%
|
|
|
|
|
References
- PE Information pulled from http://www.pels.ca.gov/applicants/ap00stats.shtml to http://www.pels.ca.gov/applicants/oct10stats.shtml
- http://www.ncees.org/Exams/PE_exam.php