- What PE-NA&M Actually Is
- Who Administers It and How Testing Works
- Exam Format and Question Types
- The 13 Official Exam Objectives
- Eligibility and the Licensure Pathway
- Fees and Cost Mechanics
- Scoring and Pass-Rate Data
- Who Hires Licensed Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
- Sequencing Your Preparation by Domain
- Frequently Asked Questions
- PE-NA&M is the NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering exam in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, a licensure exam rather than a renewable...
- The exam has 85 questions, 8 hours 30 minutes of testing time, and is delivered at Pearson VUE centers.
- The NCEES exam fee is US$400 per attempt; your state board may charge separate application fees.
- Domain 1, Hydrostatics and Stability, carries the largest question range at 10 to 15 questions.
What PE-NA&M Actually Is
PE-NA&M stands for the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. NCEES, the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, writes and administers it, and it is the final examination step on the path to becoming a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in this discipline. The official NCEES exam label is "PE Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering."
One distinction matters from the start: this is a licensure examination, not a standalone certification you hold and renew with a certifying body. Passing the exam does not by itself make you a PE. Your state or territorial licensing board grants the license, and that same board sets renewal periods and continuing-professional-competency requirements. If you have seen the abbreviation used in other contexts, set those aside; everything in this article concerns the NCEES licensure exam. For quick definitional reads, see our short explainers on what PE-NA&M is and what PE-NA&M stands for.
The exam is built to confirm that an engineer with several years of practice can apply naval architecture and marine engineering principles to real design and regulatory problems. That means vessel stability calculations, structural scantling decisions, piping and power system design, and rules compliance, not just textbook recall.
Who Administers It and How Testing Works
NCEES sets the exam content, scoring standard, and exam policies. The exam is delivered as a computer-based test (CBT) at approved Pearson VUE test centers. It is given in person; there is no remote option described in the NCEES materials we reviewed.
Some structural facts about the administration:
- Annual, single-day testing. The exam is offered once per year on a single day, which makes the calendar unforgiving. The upcoming sitting is scheduled for October 27, 2026. Details on windows and deadlines are in our PE-NA&M exam dates guide.
- Same question set for everyone. All examinees in an administration receive the same question set.
- Closed book with a supplied handbook. You may not bring personal reference materials. NCEES supplies a searchable electronic reference handbook during the exam.
- One approved calculator. Only an NCEES-approved calculator is allowed.
- Units. Problems use both SI and USCS units, so unit fluency is an exam skill in itself.
Exam Format and Question Types
The exam contains 85 questions, which include unidentified unscored pretest items. You cannot tell which questions are pretest, so treat every question as if it counts.
| Format Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 85, including unscored pretest items |
| Testing time | 8 hours 30 minutes |
| Total appointment | 9 hours 30 minutes |
| Included in appointment | 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, 8-minute tutorial, 50-minute scheduled break |
| Reference material | Supplied searchable electronic handbook; no personal references |
| Calculator | One NCEES-approved calculator |
| Partial credit | None; scored items are correct or incorrect |
| Wrong-answer penalty | None |
Item types you will see
Beyond standard multiple choice, the exam uses alternative item types: multiple-correct (select all that apply), point-and-click, drag-and-drop, and numerical fill-in. Because there is no partial credit, a multiple-correct item with one missed option is scored the same as a completely wrong answer. Numerical fill-in items also reward clean, careful arithmetic and attention to units, since there are no answer choices to sanity-check against.
Two sections, one clock
The exam is divided into two sections that share the testing clock. Once you submit a section, you cannot reopen it. Budget your time across both sections before you start, and do not submit a section until you are finished reviewing it. Your 50-minute scheduled break is part of the appointment, not the testing time.
Key Takeaway
Because wrong answers are not penalized, never leave an item blank. Mark hard items for review, make your best engineering-judgment guess, and return if time allows before submitting the section.
The 13 Official Exam Objectives
The NCEES specification, effective beginning October 2025, organizes the exam into 13 numbered objectives. NCEES publishes question-count ranges for each, not fixed percentage weights, so we report the ranges as published and do not convert them into percentages. The illustrative subtopics under each objective in the specification are not exhaustive. For a deeper walkthrough, read our complete guide to all 13 content areas.
| Domain | Name | 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 |
Domain 1: Naval Architecture: Hydrostatics and Stability
The single largest block on the exam, at 10 to 15 questions. This is where a naval architecture background pays off most directly.
- Hull form properties, displacement, and buoyancy calculations
- Intact stability, metacentric height, and righting arm behavior
- Effects of loading, free surface, and weight changes on trim and stability
- Damage-condition reasoning and how criteria are applied
Domain 4: Naval Architecture: Structural Design
The second-largest range at 7 to 11 questions. Expect problems that connect hull girder loads, local scantlings, and classification-society or regulatory rules.
- Longitudinal strength and bending moment reasoning
- Plate, stiffener, and framing checks
- Load definition and applying design criteria correctly
Domains 6 through 10: Marine Engineering Core
Together these five domains span propulsion and power generation, piping system design, auxiliary equipment selection, electrical systems, and environmental considerations. Candidates from a pure naval architecture background should expect to invest real time here, and marine engineers should do the reverse for Domains 1 through 5.
- Matching propulsion plant and power generation to vessel requirements
- Sizing and routing piping systems and selecting auxiliary equipment
- Shipboard electrical system design and protection concepts
- Environmental performance and emissions-related considerations
Domains 11 through 13: The Common Block
Hull outfitting, materials/corrosion/welds/connections, and rules and regulations apply to both naval architects and marine engineers. Rules and Regulations (5 to 8 questions) rewards candidates who can navigate regulatory frameworks quickly under time pressure rather than memorize them.
Note that the SNAME study guide groups material into its own preparation categories and carries its own percentage statements. Those are a useful secondary resource, but they are not NCEES domain weights. The NCEES specification is the controlling blueprint.
Eligibility and the Licensure Pathway
Exam eligibility is controlled by the licensing board you apply through, so requirements can differ by state or territory. A common licensure pathway looks like this:
- Earn an engineering bachelor's degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program.
- Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam.
- Accumulate four years of acceptable engineering experience.
- Pass the PE exam.
This is a common route, not a universal prerequisite for sitting the exam. Some boards allow variations, and some approve candidates to sit before completing all experience. Always confirm with your specific board before you plan your timeline. We cover this in more detail in our PE-NA&M requirements guide.
If you use an NCEES Record to manage your application, note that Records applications for engineering use five U.S.-licensed engineer references. That is an NCEES Records feature, not a universal exam-sitting requirement, and your board's application requirements control.
Fees and Cost Mechanics
The NCEES exam fee is US$400 per attempt. Separately, state boards may charge their own application or licensing fees, which vary and are not set by NCEES. Add the cost of preparation materials, and the full budget depends on what your board requires and how much prep you buy.
For practice, NCEES sells an official e-book practice exam for $59.95. It contains 85 questions with solutions, includes alternative item types, is based on the October 2025 specifications, and runs 123 pages. Because it mirrors the real exam's structure, it is a good calibration tool for pacing and item-type familiarity. A full pricing breakdown is in our PE-NA&M certification cost guide.
Scoring and Pass-Rate Data
NCEES reports results as pass or fail. Your result is based on a scaled score that must meet the NCEES minimum-competence standard. NCEES does not publish a numerical passing score, so beware of any source that claims a specific number of questions you must answer correctly. Our passing score explainer covers what is and is not known.
The most recent NCEES table (updated January 2026) shows a 63% pass rate for first-time examinees (46 examinees) and a 38% pass rate for repeat examinees (8 examinees). Two cautions apply. First, these figures come from the prior October administration, not the upcoming October 2026 sitting. Second, the examinee counts are small, so a few people moving either way would shift the percentages noticeably. Treat them as directional rather than precise. For more context, see our PE-NA&M pass rate analysis and our difficulty guide.
Who Hires Licensed Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
A PE license in this field is relevant across the maritime sector. Typical employer types include:
- Shipyards and shipbuilders that design and build commercial and government vessels
- Naval architecture and marine engineering consultancies that perform design, analysis, and surveys
- Government and defense organizations that acquire, maintain, and modernize naval and civilian fleets
- Classification societies and regulatory bodies that review designs against rules
- Offshore and ocean engineering firms working on platforms and marine structures
- Vessel owners and operators with technical and newbuild oversight teams
Whether a license is required depends on the role, and in many positions it is valued rather than mandatory, though it is often important for signing and sealing work, taking responsible charge, or advancing into senior technical positions. Browse our notes on PE-NA&M jobs for more.
On compensation, the 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 entire occupation; it is not a PE-specific salary and does not measure a licensure premium. It also excludes ship engineers who operate machinery aboard vessels, which is a different occupation. See our salary guide and ROI analysis for how to think about the value of licensure without overclaiming.
Sequencing Your Preparation by Domain
This is not a generic study-plan template; it is a way to order the 13 objectives so your effort tracks the exam's question ranges. Adjust the length to your own timeline, and see our full PE-NA&M study guide for deeper planning.
Anchor on the heaviest naval architecture domains
- Start with Domain 1 (Hydrostatics and Stability, 10-15 questions) because it is the largest and its concepts feed other domains.
- Move to Domain 4 (Structural Design, 7-11 questions) while stability reasoning is fresh.
Close your discipline gap
- Naval architects: work through Domains 6 to 9 (propulsion, piping, auxiliary equipment, electrical).
- Marine engineers: work through Domains 2, 3, and 5 (hydrodynamics, ocean engineering, general arrangements).
Layer in the common block
- Domains 11, 12, and 13 cut across both disciplines; rules and regulations in particular benefit from repeated practice navigating the supplied handbook.
- Cover Domain 10 (Environmental Considerations) here as well.
Simulate the real exam
- Take the NCEES practice exam under timed, closed-book conditions with only the approved calculator.
- Practice all alternative item types, especially numerical fill-in and multiple-correct.
For a compact reference to review near exam day, our one-page cheat sheet distills the key facts. When you are ready to test yourself under realistic conditions, try the PE-NA&M practice tests to find weak domains before the exam does.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a licensure examination administered by NCEES, not a separately renewable NCEES certification. After you pass, your state or territorial board issues the PE license and sets renewal and continuing-professional-competency rules.
The exam has 85 questions, including unidentified unscored pretest items, with 8 hours 30 minutes of testing time. The full appointment is 9 hours 30 minutes, including an NDA, tutorial, and a 50-minute scheduled break.
Domain 1, Naval Architecture: Hydrostatics and Stability, has the largest range at 10 to 15 questions. Domain 4, Structural Design, follows at 7 to 11. NCEES publishes ranges rather than fixed percentage weights.
NCEES charges US$400 per attempt. Your licensing board may add separate application fees, so check your board's requirements before budgeting.
No. The exam is closed book. You use a supplied searchable electronic reference handbook and one NCEES-approved calculator. Personal reference materials are prohibited.
For a broader look at how this credential fits into your career, you can also review our overview pages on PE-NA&M certification and PE-NA&M training. Always verify current dates, fees, and policies directly with NCEES and your licensing board before you register, since these details can change between administrations.