- The Exam at a Glance: Numbers to Memorize
- Logistics, Fees and Testing Conditions
- All 13 Official Objectives and Their Question Ranges
- High-Value Topics Inside the Big Domains
- Item Types and Scoring Mechanics
- Pass-Rate and Passing-Score Facts
- Sequencing the Domains in a Study Plan
- Career and Pay Context
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The exam has 85 questions, 8 hours 30 minutes of testing time, and is closed book with a supplied searchable electronic reference handbook.
- Hydrostatics and Stability (Domain 1) carries the largest question range: 10-15 questions. Structural Design (Domain 4) follows at 7-11.
- The NCEES exam fee is US$400 per attempt, and board application fees may be charged separately.
- NCEES publishes no numerical passing score; results are pass/fail against a minimum-competence standard, with no penalty for wrong answers.
The Exam at a Glance: Numbers to Memorize
The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering exam is written and administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). It is a licensure examination, not a separately renewable certification, so there is no "recertification" cycle tied to the exam itself. Renewal of the PE license is governed by the issuing state or territorial board. If you are still orienting yourself, our explainers What Is PE-NA&M? and What Does PE-NA&M Stand For? cover the basics.
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Administrator | NCEES |
| Questions | 85 total, including unidentified unscored pretest items |
| Testing time | 8 hours 30 minutes |
| Appointment length | 9 hours 30 minutes (includes a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, 8-minute tutorial and 50-minute scheduled break) |
| Delivery | Computer-based, in person at approved Pearson VUE test centers |
| Offering | Annual, single-day; scheduled for October 27, 2026 |
| Units | SI and USCS |
| Fee | US$400 per attempt (NCEES); board fees may be separate |
Logistics, Fees and Testing Conditions
Registration and cost mechanics
The exam fee paid to NCEES is US$400 per attempt. Separately, your licensing board may charge its own application fee, and that amount varies by jurisdiction. For a full line-item view, see PE-NA&M Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Who can sit for the exam
Eligibility and any required approval are controlled by the licensing board you select, not by NCEES alone. A common licensure pathway is an EAC/ABET-accredited engineering bachelor's degree, the FE exam, four years of acceptable engineering experience, and then the PE exam. That is a common pathway, not a universal prerequisite for sitting the exam. NCEES Record applications for engineering use five U.S.-licensed engineer references, which again is not universal. Confirm everything with your board; PE-NA&M Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify walks through the logic.
Rules inside the testing room
- Closed book with a supplied searchable electronic reference handbook.
- No personal reference materials.
- One NCEES-approved calculator.
- Shared clock: the two exam sections share the testing clock, and a submitted section cannot be reopened.
- Same question set for all examinees in the administration.
All 13 Official Objectives and Their Question Ranges
The NCEES specification effective beginning October 2025 lists 13 numbered objectives. Each has an official question-count range. NCEES does not publish fixed percentage weights, so the ranges below are counts, not percentages. For a deeper walkthrough, read PE-NA&M Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 13 Content Areas.
| # | Domain | Question Range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naval Architecture: Hydrostatics and Stability | 10-15 |
| 2 | Naval Architecture: Hydrodynamics | 6-9 |
| 3 | Naval Architecture: Ocean Engineering | 4-6 |
| 4 | Naval Architecture: Structural Design | 7-11 |
| 5 | Naval Architecture: General Arrangements | 5-8 |
| 6 | Marine Engineering: Propulsion and Power Generation | 6-9 |
| 7 | Marine Engineering: Piping System Design | 5-8 |
| 8 | Marine Engineering: Auxiliary Equipment Selection | 5-8 |
| 9 | Marine Engineering: Electrical Systems | 5-8 |
| 10 | Marine Engineering: Environmental Considerations | 4-6 |
| 11 | Common: Hull Outfitting | 4-6 |
| 12 | Common: Materials, Corrosion, Welds, and Connections | 4-6 |
| 13 | Common: Rules and Regulations | 5-8 |
Key Takeaway
Domains 1 and 4 together account for a range of 17-26 questions out of 85. The naval architecture domains (1-5) and the marine engineering domains (6-10) are both substantial, and the three "Common" domains (11-13) are not optional extras. Do not plan to skip an entire half of the blueprint.
High-Value Topics Inside the Big Domains
The official specification lists illustrative subtopics under each objective, and those lists are explicitly not exhaustive. The blocks below summarize what each heavily weighted area demands in practice. Treat them as study prompts, then check the exact specification wording at NCEES.
Domain 1: Hydrostatics and Stability
The single largest domain by question range. Expect calculation-driven problems.
- Displacement, center of buoyancy, center of gravity and metacentric relationships
- Intact stability and righting arm behavior
- Effects of weight changes, free surfaces and liquid loading on stability
- Trim, draft and floating position after loading changes
- Damage and flooding scenarios and the stability consequences
Domain 4: Structural Design
Second-largest range. Combines beam and plate mechanics with ship-specific loading.
- Hull girder bending and shear under still-water and wave loading
- Stiffened panel and plating behavior
- Local scantling checks against applicable rules
- Buckling and fatigue considerations in marine structures
Domains 2, 3 and 6: Hydrodynamics, Ocean Engineering, Propulsion
These connect resistance, motion and thrust.
- Resistance components and powering estimates
- Propeller performance concepts and matching to the hull and engine
- Seakeeping and wave-induced motion concepts
- Prime mover, shafting and power generation selection logic
Domains 7 through 10: Piping, Auxiliaries, Electrical, Environmental
System-level engineering with a strong regulatory flavor.
- Pump and piping system sizing, head loss and system curves
- Selection of auxiliary equipment against duty requirements
- Shipboard electrical load analysis and distribution
- Environmental requirements affecting emissions, discharges and waste handling
Domains 11 through 13: Hull Outfitting, Materials and Welds, Rules and Regulations
Cross-cutting knowledge that surfaces inside other domains too.
- Corrosion mechanisms and protection approaches for marine environments
- Weld and connection design and joint behavior
- Classification society and regulatory framework navigation
- Outfitting items and their interaction with arrangements and structure
Item Types and Scoring Mechanics
The exam mixes standard multiple-choice questions with alternative item types: multiple-correct, point-and-click, drag-and-drop, and numerical fill-in. Scored items receive correct or incorrect credit only. There is no partial credit, and there is no deduction for wrong answers. That combination has a direct tactical consequence: never leave an item blank, and on multiple-correct items, be precise, since a near-miss earns nothing.
- Numerical fill-in: you type an answer rather than recognizing one from a list, so unit handling and rounding conventions matter. Watch SI versus USCS carefully, since both unit systems appear.
- Point-and-click: expect to identify a location on a diagram or figure. Practice reading general arrangement drawings and structural sections quickly.
- Drag-and-drop: often sequencing or matching. Know process order and component relationships cold.
- Multiple-correct: requires evaluating every option independently rather than hunting for a single best answer.
Pass-Rate and Passing-Score Facts
NCEES reports results as pass/fail based on a scaled score that meets the minimum-competence standard. It does not publish a numerical passing score, so beware any site that quotes a specific cut percentage. The most useful discussion of this is in PE-NA&M Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
| Group | Pass Rate | Examinees |
|---|---|---|
| First-time takers | 63% | 46 |
| Repeat takers | 38% | 8 |
Sequencing the Domains in a Study Plan
This is the one place for a schedule, and it is built around the blueprint rather than generic habits. The logic: start with the domains that carry the most questions and underpin others, then move to system-level engineering, then close with regulations and mixed practice. Adjust the length to your own timeline; the full method is laid out in PE-NA&M Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
Hydrostatics and Stability (Domain 1)
- Largest question range, and the concepts feed arrangements and rules questions
- Drill calculation workflow until it is fast and unit-safe
Structural Design plus Materials and Welds (Domains 4 and 12)
- Second-largest range, and connection and corrosion topics overlap with structures
Hydrodynamics, Ocean Engineering, Propulsion (Domains 2, 3, 6)
- Resistance, motions and powering form a connected chain
Piping, Auxiliaries, Electrical, Environmental (Domains 7-10)
- System sizing and selection logic, with regulatory hooks
General Arrangements, Hull Outfitting, Rules and Regulations (Domains 5, 11, 13), then full-length practice
- Close with the official NCEES practice exam and handbook-search drills
Key Takeaway
The official NCEES e-book practice exam costs $59.95, runs 123 pages, and includes 85 questions with solutions, including alternative item types, based on the October 2025 specifications. Save it for late in your plan so it works as a calibration check. For extra volume, work through the questions on the main practice test site.
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) publishes a study guide for this exam (July 2026 edition). It is a useful secondary resource, but its categories and percentage statements are not the official NCEES domain weights. When the two conflict, the NCEES specification controls. See also PE-NA&M Training for preparation options.
Career and Pay Context
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $112,230 for marine engineers and naval architects as of May 2025. That figure covers the whole occupation. It is not a PE-specific salary and does not measure a licensure premium. It also excludes ship engineers who operate machinery, who are a different occupation. Employers in this field typically include shipbuilders, design and engineering consultancies, classification and regulatory-adjacent organizations, naval and government programs, and offshore and marine systems firms; see PE-NA&M Jobs for more on the hiring landscape.
Whether licensure pays off for you depends on your employer, your role (for example, whether you sign or seal documents) and your jurisdiction. Weigh it using Is the PE-NA&M Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and PE-NA&M Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 85 questions, including unidentified unscored pretest items. Testing time is 8 hours 30 minutes within a 9 hour 30 minute appointment that also covers the nondisclosure agreement, tutorial and a 50-minute scheduled break.
Naval Architecture: Hydrostatics and Stability (Domain 1) has the largest official range at 10-15 questions. Naval Architecture: Structural Design (Domain 4) is next at 7-11. NCEES publishes counts, not fixed percentage weights.
NCEES does not publish a numerical passing score. Results are pass/fail against a minimum-competence standard applied to a scaled score, and wrong answers are not penalized.
No. The exam is closed book. You get a supplied searchable electronic reference handbook and one NCEES-approved calculator. Personal reference materials are prohibited.
It is offered annually as a single-day computer-based exam at Pearson VUE test centers, with the next sitting scheduled for October 27, 2026. The NCEES fee is US$400 per attempt, and your board may charge separate application fees. Confirm current details at NCEES, and see PE-NA&M Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
No. It is a licensure examination, not a separately renewable NCEES certification. After you are licensed, your state or territorial board sets the renewal period and continuing-professional-competency requirements.
Use this sheet as a quick reference, then verify every dated or fee-related detail against the official NCEES pages before you register. For a broader overview of the credential, start with PE-NA&M Certification, and test your recall with practice questions at PE-NA&M Exam Prep.