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Key Facts: PE Nuclear Exam
85
Exam Questions
NCEES
8.5 hrs
Exam Time
NCEES
9.5 hrs
Total Appointment
NCEES
$400
Exam Fee
NCEES
48%
1st-Time Pass Rate
NCEES Jan 2026
Oct 27, 2026
Next Test Date
NCEES
The PE Nuclear exam is an 85-question NCEES CBT with a 9.5-hour appointment, a $400 exam fee, and a single-day annual administration. As of March 12, 2026, NCEES lists the next PE Nuclear test date as October 27, 2026 and reports January 2026 pass rates of 48% for first-time takers and 60% for repeat takers. NCEES opened a PE Nuclear PAKS update study on March 6, 2026, but no new exam blueprint has been published yet; the current public specification remains the version effective October 1, 2021.
About the PE Nuclear Exam
The NCEES PE Nuclear exam is a once-yearly computer-based licensure exam for engineers practicing in reactor systems, radiological engineering, fuel-cycle work, reactor physics, and nuclear safety analysis. The blueprint emphasizes reactor physics and criticality safety plus radiological analysis, and candidates should expect a mix of conceptual, analytical, and calculation-driven questions using both SI and U.S. Customary units with only the NCEES electronic reference materials provided on-screen.
Questions
85 scored questions
Time Limit
8.5 hours of exam time (9.5-hour appointment)
Passing Score
NCEES does not publish a fixed passing score
Exam Fee
$400 (NCEES (Pearson VUE))
PE Nuclear Exam Content Outline
Radiological Analysis and Consequences
Radiation principles, interaction with matter, shielding, dose and dosimetry, detector behavior, bioeffects, ALARA, and emergency/public protection.
Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Front-end fuel-cycle analysis, enrichment, materials accountability, transport packaging, spent fuel storage and disposal, and fuel/cladding performance.
Nuclear Systems and Components
Reactor concepts, NSSS and power-conversion systems, ECCS and containment, I&C, software QA and cyber security, reliability, and plant performance.
Reactor Physics and Criticality Safety
Cross sections, neutron transport and diffusion, multiplication, reactivity control, kinetics, xenon and samarium behavior, steady-state analysis, and criticality safety.
Safety Analysis
Design-basis accidents, thermal-hydraulic and fuel-performance limits, LOCA and non-LOCA transients, PRA, severe accident phenomena, and licensing/regulatory compliance.
How to Pass the PE Nuclear Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: NCEES does not publish a fixed passing score
- Exam length: 85 questions
- Time limit: 8.5 hours of exam time (9.5-hour appointment)
- Exam fee: $400
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
PE Nuclear Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on the PE Nuclear exam?
NCEES lists 85 questions on the PE Nuclear exam. The exam includes multiple-choice items as well as alternative item types, and candidates work all questions during a 9.5-hour appointment.
How long is the PE Nuclear exam?
NCEES gives candidates a 9.5-hour appointment for PE Nuclear. That appointment includes tutorial and break time, with 8.5 hours of actual exam time available for solving problems.
Which PE Nuclear domains matter most?
Reactor Physics and Criticality Safety carries the largest official range at 19-29 questions, followed by Radiological Analysis and Consequences at 18-27 questions. Nuclear Systems and Components is the next largest section, while Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Safety Analysis are smaller but still material enough to require deliberate study.
Does NCEES publish the PE Nuclear passing score?
No. NCEES states that exam results are based on the total number of correct answers, converted to a scaled score that accounts for minor form difficulty differences, and compared to a minimum ability level set through psychometric methods. Results are reported only as pass or fail.
What references are available during the exam?
NCEES provides an electronic reference handbook and the specified codes and standards listed in the official PE Nuclear specifications. Personal reference materials are not allowed in the exam room, so efficient PDF search and familiarity with the official references are part of test-day readiness.
Were there any 2026 changes to the PE Nuclear exam?
As of March 12, 2026, NCEES has not published a new PE Nuclear blueprint or new effective specification. The notable 2026 update is that NCEES opened a PE Nuclear Professional Activities and Knowledge Study on March 6, 2026, which signals future blueprint review but does not change the current public exam specification.