PE Environmental Updates - 2026

What is Changing?

The PE Environmental exam is changing on April 1, 2026. Here is what you need to know:

Sustainability Focus

Sustainability becomes a dedicated topic focus.
Designed to test your understanding of:

  • Infrastructure resilience and vulnerability
  • Climate-related impacts and redundancy
  • Life-cycle analysis and sustainable design practices

Application Based Content

Stronger emphasis on engineering applications rather than general engineering theory.

    Consolidated Topics

    Standalone topics such as Statistics, Engineering Economics, General Data Management and more removed.

      New Exam Weighting

      Changes in weighting include:
      Water: Reduced from 21-35 questions to 19-29 questions to make room for Sustainability topic.

      Air: Reduced from 14-22 questions to 13-20 questions, reflecting the shift in exam focus.

        Click Here to Learn More
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        What Is the Timing of the Change?

        NCEES is updating the PE Environmental exam effective April 1, 2026. The new format emphasizes real-world engineering challenges and sustainable practices over traditional theoretical concepts.

        This means if you have your exam scheduled prior to April 1, 2026, you will take your exam on the old specifications (found here), and if you take it on or after April 1, it will be on the new specifications (found here).

        What Has Stayed the Same?

        Format: The exam is still 80 questions, 9 hours long, and offered year-round as a computer-based test (CBT).

        Some Topics: 4 topics (Water, Air, Solid & Hazardous Waste, and Site Assessment & Remediation) are relatively unchanged, and their sub-topics are all similar to the previous exam specs.

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        What is Changing?

        • Still 6 topics, but two changes:
        • Environmental Health and Safety was changed to Environmental and Occupational Health
        • Associated Engineering Principles was replaced with Sustainability
        • Sustainability topic focuses on:
        • Resource conservation (energy conservation, renewable and nonrenewable, material conservation, life-cycle analysis)
        • Resilience (infrastructure vulnerability, climate impacts, redundancy, reliability)
        • NCEES is shifting the exam's focus toward practical application. 
        • Notable changes include a system-based reorganization of topics and the integration of project management into relevant technical areas. These changes intend to make sure test-takers are evaluated on their ability to solve complex, real-world engineering problems rather than just recalling theoretical concepts.

        To see NCEES’s exact updated spec changes, click here.

        What to Expect From School of PE:

        • Rest assured, our team and instructors are up-to-speed on all exam changes, ensuring you're learning exactly what you need to know.
        • Whether you prefer the pace of OnDemand or the interaction of Live Online, we’ve got you covered.
        • Our Live Online classes starting in February have been updated to the new exam specs. Ready to take your first step to licensure? Register now!
        • Enroll in an OnDemand course and get instant access to materials tailored to the newest specifications.
        Start Your Journey Today!
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