Licensing is necessary for an engineer to prove they maintain the expected level of professional competency. A degree alone is not enough. Practicing as an engineer involves important safety and public health issues. For this reason, licensing is required as proof that the individual understands the concepts, their applications and the code of ethics behind working as an engineer.
The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) governs the licensure of engineers. They prepare all the engineering licensing exams, regardless of the state the exam is taken in.
There are many advantages to becoming a licensed engineer. For one, only a licensed engineer may use the initials P.E. after their name (Professional Engineer). In addition, only a licensed engineer may use the title engineer to the public and become a private practitioner.
As you probably already recognize, with the uncertainties in this day and age, the more credentials you have, the better your chances of finding employment are. Therefore, becoming a licensed engineer only makes sense.
To summarize the steps to gaining your Professional Engineers License, most states...