How Many Engineers are Licensed in the United States
Written by: Jordan Ellis
Published: Nov 13, 2023 | Updated: Oct 13, 2026
As of 2025, there are approximately 1,013,670 PE licenses in the United States, based on licensing data reported for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This number includes engineers who hold licenses in more than one state. Based on the available data, the number of individual licensed Professional Engineers is estimated to be roughly 500,000.
The number of PE licenses is not the same as the number of individual licensed Professional Engineers. Engineering licensure is handled by state boards, and each board reports its license data somewhat differently. Some states identify resident and nonresident licenses separately, while others report only a total number of engineer licenses.
Where the data is reported separately, there are 358,781 resident engineer licenses and 481,149 nonresident engineer licenses. A resident license means the engineer resides in the state where the license is held. A nonresident license is held by an engineer whose primary residence is in another state.
The total number of active PE licenses is higher than the number of individual engineers because many engineers hold licenses in multiple states. For example, an engineer who lives in Ohio but is also licensed in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia may be counted once as a resident licensee and three additional times as a nonresident licensee.
Keep reading to learn more about the significance of these numbers and what they mean for the engineering profession.
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Statistics: How Many Licensed PEs Are in the U.S.?
The number of licensed Professional Engineers in the United States depends on how the data is counted. State boards report PE licenses, but many engineers hold licenses in more than one state. As a result, the total number of PE licenses is higher than the number of individual engineers who hold a PE license.
This section breaks down the 2025 data and explains the difference between total PE licenses, resident licenses, nonresident licenses, and individual licensed engineers.
Current Number of Licensed PEs
As of 2025, there is a total of 1,013,670 PE licenses across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).
- Understanding the Numbers: It’s important to note that many engineers hold licenses in multiple states. As a result, the number of licenses (1,013,670) is greater than the number of individuals who have an engineering registration. Where states report the data separately, there are 358,781 resident engineer licenses and 481,149 nonresident engineer licenses.
- Resident vs. Non-Resident Licenses: A resident license indicates the engineer lives in the state. A nonresident license is one held by an engineer who resides in another state but is licensed to practice in the reporting state.
Number of Professional Engineers by State
California stands out with the highest number of PEs, totaling 103,622, followed by Texas with 69,222 and Florida with 49,791. Other states with significant numbers of PEs include Pennsylvania (28,351), Virginia (31,965), and Ohio (27,909). Generally speaking, the states with the most licensed engineers are the states with the most people. Another indicator for greater numbers of engineers is states with larger economies compared to others.
States with lower numbers of PEs include Vermont with 4,920, South Dakota with 5,288, and Alaska with 5,952. Overall, the distribution of PEs varies widely among states, reflecting different scales of engineering activity and workforce size. Not surprisingly, the states with the fewest engineers are the states with the smallest population size and economies.
The following table lists the number of Professional Engineers in every state.
| State | Resident Engineers | Nonresident Engineers | Total PEs |
| Alabama | 5,622 | 13,312 | 18,934 |
| Alaska | 2,534 | 3,418 | 5,952 |
| Arizona | 7,048 | 15,138 | 22,186 |
| Arkansas | 2,597 | 9,163 | 11,760 |
| California | 73,374 | 30,248 | 103,622 |
| Colorado | 16,643 | 16,453 | 33,096 |
| Connecticut | 3,444 | 9,348 | 12,792 |
| Delaware | 1,263 | 7,781 | 9,044 |
| District of Columbia | 353 | 5,849 | 6,202 |
| Florida | 25,952 | 23,839 | 49,791 |
| Georgia | 8,289 | 16,408 | 24,697 |
| Hawaii | 7,665 | 3,221 | 10,886 |
| Idaho | 3,004 | 8,145 | 11,149 |
| Illinois | 12,863 | 13,337 | 26,200 |
| Indiana | 4,921 | 10,754 | 15,675 |
| Iowa | — | — | 11,565 |
| Kansas | 4,324 | 8,586 | 12,910 |
| Kentucky | 4,109 | 12,262 | 16,371 |
| Louisiana | 5,656 | 12,626 | 18,282 |
| Maine | 2,013 | 6,380 | 8,393 |
| Maryland | — | — | 22,760 |
| Massachusetts | 7,402 | 10,173 | 17,575 |
| Michigan | — | — | 22,120 |
| Minnesota | 8,167 | 8,757 | 16,924 |
| Mississippi | 2,257 | 9,893 | 12,150 |
| Missouri | — | — | 19,496 |
| Montana | — | — | 8,581 |
| Nebraska | 2,664 | 7,072 | 9,736 |
| Nevada | 3,206 | 12,677 | 15,883 |
| New Hampshire | — | — | 6,947 |
| New Jersey | 9,083 | 12,643 | 21,726 |
| New Mexico | 1,989 | 9,193 | 11,182 |
| New York | 16,068 | 19,071 | 35,139 |
| North Carolina | 13,979 | 19,731 | 33,710 |
| North Dakota | — | — | 6,437 |
| Ohio | — | — | 27,909 |
| Oklahoma | 4,067 | 9,428 | 13,495 |
| Oregon | 5,866 | 10,316 | 16,182 |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | 28,531 |
| Rhode Island | 1,001 | 6,317 | 7,318 |
| South Carolina | 5,838 | 15,310 | 21,148 |
| South Dakota | — | — | 5,288 |
| Tennessee | 6,524 | 11,845 | 18,369 |
| Texas | 41,172 | 28,050 | 69,222 |
| Utah | — | — | 14,106 |
| Vermont | 737 | 4,183 | 4,920 |
| Virginia | 12,381 | 19,584 | 31,965 |
| Washington | 14,928 | 15,038 | 29,966 |
| West Virginia | 1,605 | 8,546 | 10,151 |
| Wisconsin | 7,000 | 9,397 | 16,397 |
| Wyoming | 1,173 | 7,657 | 8,830 |
| Total | 358,781 | 481,149 | 1,013,670 |
Why PE License Counts Are Higher Than the Number of Engineers
The total number of PE licenses is greater than the number of individual Professional Engineers because many engineers are registered in more than one state. Engineering licenses are issued by state boards, not by a single national licensing agency, and each state reports the number of licenses it has issued. These agencies generally do not report whether a licensee is registered in another jurisdiction or not.
For example, an engineer who lives in Ohio but is also licensed in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia may be counted once as a PE in Ohio and three additional times as a nonresident engineer in the other states. In this example, one engineer appears as four PE licenses in the national tally.
This is why the national total of PE licenses does not match the number of individual licensed engineers. The total license count is useful for understanding how many active PE licenses exist in the country, but it overstates the number of individuals who hold a PE license.
Ratio of Licensed Engineers to Engineering Degree Holders
Not everyone with an engineering degree becomes a licensed Professional Engineer. PE licensure is most common in fields where engineers design, approve, or take legal responsibility for work that affects public health, safety, and welfare. This is especially true in civil, structural, environmental, mechanical, and electrical engineering.
In other fields, a PE license may be less common or not required for day-to-day work. Engineers working in software, manufacturing, research and development, product design, or some technology-focused industries may have engineering degrees but never pursue professional licensure.
This helps explain why the number of licensed Professional Engineers is much smaller than the number of people who hold engineering degrees. A PE license is an important credential, but it is not required for every engineering career path.
Possible Reasons for the Gap
- Industry Demands: The need for a PE license is often dictated by the nature of the work. Industries that affect public welfare directly, such as civil and structural engineering, have higher percentages of licensed professionals.
- Career Choices: Engineers may opt for career paths that do not require a PE license, such as research and development, education, or industries like software engineering, where certification is less common.
- Barriers to Licensure: The process of becoming licensed is rigorous, requiring passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, gaining relevant work experience, and passing the PE exam. These steps can be barriers to entry for some.
- Economic Factors: Economic cycles can influence an engineer’s decision to pursue licensure, with downturns possibly delaying or reducing the perceived need for a PE credential.
- Shift in Work Nature: As engineering work increasingly involves global teams and projects that may not fall under the jurisdiction of a single state’s licensure laws, the push for individual licensure might diminish.
The discrepancy between the number of engineering graduates and licensed PEs underscores a dynamic profession where the value of licensure is measured against a backdrop of evolving industry needs and individual career goals.
The Significance of PE Licensure in Engineering
Professional engineering licensure is more than a mere credential – it’s a marker of proficiency and commitment within the engineering community. We’ve identified seven advantages that a PE license has on your career, credibility, and overall standing.
- Credential of Professional Competency: A PE license is widely recognized as a symbol of technical competence. It is an outward symbol that you have achieved a minimum level of education, experience, and technical knowledge in your profession.
- Legal Requirement for Public Safety: In many cases, especially in civil, structural, electrical, and mechanical engineering, a PE license is legally required to prepare, sign, seal, and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval.
- Career Advancement: Holding a PE license often opens up advanced career opportunities. Many senior-level engineering positions and government roles require a PE license, and it is often seen as a significant advantage when it comes to promotions and leadership roles.
- Higher Salary Potential: On average, licensed engineers can expect higher salaries compared to their non-licensed counterparts. Engineers who have a PE license are generally considered to have greater expertise and often command higher compensation.
- Professional Autonomy: Licensed engineers have the autonomy to sign off on projects and take legal responsibility for their work. This autonomy also allows for the establishment of a private practice.
- Commitment to Ethics: Engineers who earn their PE license are also pledging to uphold a stringent code of ethics, emphasizing their dedication to the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
- Continued Professional Development: To maintain a PE license, engineers must fulfill continuing education requirements, which encourages lifelong learning and staying current with industry advancements.
The prevalence of PE licensure across the United States is not just a number; it’s indicative of the robust network of professionals dedicated to upholding the standards and integrity of the engineering profession.
The Future of Engineering Licensure
The trajectory of engineering licensure is at an interesting crossroads, shaped by both traditional industry standards and the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Looking ahead, several factors will likely influence the growth or decline in the number of licensed Professional Engineers (PEs).
| Influencing Factor | Potential Impact on PE Licensure | Growth or Decline? |
| Technological Innovation | Could reduce relevance of PE in fields where rapid innovation occurs outside traditional engineering sectors. | Decline in certain sectors |
| Regulatory Changes | Might expand or restrict the scope of licensure depending on adaptation to contemporary practices. | Growth or Decline depending on the changes |
| Sustainability and Public Safety | More stringent regulations for environmental projects could increase the demand for PEs. | Growth in specific sectors |
| Globalization of Engineering Services | The complexity of international projects might influence the push for universally recognized licensure. | Growth or Decline depending on global policies |
| Educational Pathways | More accessible educational models could streamline the licensure process, potentially increasing PEs. | Growth if pathways are optimized |
| Value Proposition | The PE license’s value in career advancement will strongly influence the pursuit of licensure. | Growth if value is recognized |
Ultimately, the future of PE licensure may not be a question of simple growth or decline but rather a redefinition of what it means to be a licensed engineer. As the profession continues to adapt to new challenges and opportunities, the criteria and incentives for obtaining a PE license will likely evolve in tandem, potentially reshaping the landscape of engineering licensure altogether.
Final Take
The number of licensed professional engineers reflects a profession deeply rooted in expertise and public responsibility. With 1,013,670 PE licenses and over 358,781resident licenses active in 2025, the PE credential remains a respected testament to an engineer’s dedication and skill.
Moving forward, the profession faces the tides of technological progress and evolving industry needs, suggesting a possible increase in licensure’s value and necessity. As engineering continues to shape the world around us, the significance of the PE license is set to grow, cementing its role as a benchmark of excellence and a beacon for aspiring engineers.