This page is for cost engineers preparing for AACE International's cost certification exam. It lists the exam facts we could check against AACE's own pages, including the 5-hour limit, the 70% passing average and the fees. It also links to our free practice sets by topic, explains 3 sample questions in full and gives a study plan. We write our questions with AI tools, and they are not real exam items. Practice with the free CCE - Certified Cost Engineer practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (9 questions with answer explanations).

Free CCE - Certified Cost Engineer Study Tools

Interactive CCE - Certified Cost Engineer resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• CCE - Certified Cost Engineer flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• CCE - Certified Cost Engineer study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• CCE - Certified Cost Engineer cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

CCE Exam at a Glance

What changed for CCE in 2026

• Jun 22, 2026: AACE International published Revision 4 of the Certified Cost Professional (CCP) Certification Exam Handbook, governing Cost Engineering and Total Cost Management certifications.^[3]

What the CCE is and how it works

According to AACE International, “An overall average score of 70% or higher is needed to pass the exam”^[1]

The Certified Cost Engineer credential is awarded by AACE International. AACE now publishes the exam details on its Certified Cost Professional (CCP) page, and the figures below come from that page and from AACE's certification FAQs. Terms can change, so check both pages before you register.

Eligibility. You need 8 years of industry-related experience, or 4 years of industry-related experience plus a 4-year industry-related college degree.

Delivery and timing. The exam is taken on a computer. You can sit it at a Kryterion-designated testing center (AACE says there are over 900 worldwide) or take it with an online proctor. You have a maximum of 5 hours.

Fees and scoring. The fee is US$525 for AACE members and US$690 for non-members. To pass, you need an overall average score of 70% or higher. Memos and essays are graded in monthly cycles, on or around the 15th, and results come approximately 2-3 weeks later.

Retakes. Once you receive your clearance email, you have 6 months to take the exam up to 3 times. Retakes cost US$260, the same for members and non-members. AACE recommends scheduling your exam soon after you are cleared.

Renewal. Certification is valid for 3 years. To renew, you earn 12 CEUs in at least 2 categories or take the exam again.

Worked examples: how to reason through CCE questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: In Certified Cost Engineer, what role does continuous improvement play in design analysis & review?

1. It ensures practices evolve to meet changing requirements and improve outcomes
2. It is only necessary when problems are identified
3. It applies only to new professionals entering the field
4. It is a theoretical concept with limited practical application

Answer: A. It ensures practices evolve to meet changing requirements and improve outcomes

Explanation:

A is correct. Design analysis and review is an ongoing practice, not a fixed checklist. Requirements, methods and available knowledge keep changing, so review practices need regular updates if they are to keep producing better results.

• B is wrong. If you only improve after something goes wrong, improvement is purely reactive. The aim is to find gains before failures happen.
• C is wrong. Continuous improvement applies to everyone on the team, including experienced staff, not just new professionals.
• D is wrong. It is a practical tool, used through lessons-learned reviews, feedback loops and updated procedures.

Rule to remember: an option that describes improvement as ongoing and focused on outcomes usually beats options that tie it to a trigger, to one group of people or to theory.

Example 2

Question: In the SAVE International VE Job Plan, which phase involves generating creative ideas without criticism?

1. Function Analysis phase
2. Information phase
3. Creative phase
4. Evaluation phase

Answer: C. Creative phase

Explanation:

C is correct. In the SAVE International VE Job Plan, the Creative phase is where the team brainstorms as many ways as possible to perform each function. Criticism is held back on purpose so that unusual ideas are not thrown out too early.

• A is wrong. The Function Analysis phase defines and classifies what the item or project must do. That happens before ideas are generated.
• B is wrong. The Information phase gathers data about the project, its costs and its constraints.
• D is wrong. The Evaluation phase is where ideas are judged, screened and ranked. That judgment is exactly what the Creative phase puts off.

Rule to remember: keep generating ideas separate from judging them. Collect ideas first and critique them later.

Example 3

Question: In LCCA, a 'study period' is BEST described as:

1. The manufacturer's stated warranty period
2. The time required to recover the initial investment through savings
3. The time span over which alternatives are compared, encompassing the planning horizon
4. The period between major overhauls or capital replacements

Answer: C. The time span over which alternatives are compared, encompassing the planning horizon

Explanation:

C is correct. In life cycle cost analysis, the study period is the span of time over which you compare the alternatives. The analyst chooses it to match the planning horizon of the decision. It must be the same for every alternative so the totals can be compared fairly.

• A is wrong. A warranty period is a contract term set by the manufacturer. It has nothing to do with the analysis horizon.
• B is wrong. This describes the payback period, which is a separate measure of how fast savings recover the initial investment.
• D is wrong. The time between overhauls is a maintenance or replacement cycle. It is an input that falls inside the study period, not the study period itself.

Rule to remember: the study period is the shared comparison horizon. Payback, warranty and service intervals are different things.

How to use these practice tests

1. Start with the official requirements. Read AACE's CCP details page and certification FAQs. Confirm that you meet the experience requirement, check the current fee and note your 6-month window once clearance arrives.
2. Take a baseline test. Do the main practice test without notes and write down which topics you got wrong.
3. Work on core estimating and control. Practise with Cost Estimation & Budgeting, Cost Control & Performance Measurement and Project Scheduling & Risk Management. For every miss, read the explanation and write down the rule in your own words.
4. Add the economics sets. Move on to Financial Analysis & Economic Evaluation, Life Cycle Costing and Value Engineering & Analysis.
5. Practise writing. Memos and essays are graded by people, so practise writing short, structured answers that explain your reasoning, not just the result.
6. Simulate the real exam. Before test day, do a timed session that runs close to the 5-hour limit to build stamina, then go back over every set where you are still weak.

Sources & last verified

1. AACE International — time limit, exam fee, passing score, retake fee (official source). “5 hours maximum” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 25, 2026.
2. AACE International — retake policy, delivery, score release, testing window (official source). “Once you receive your clearance email, you have six months to take your exam up to three times—twice at a reduced fee.” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 22, 2026.
3. AACE International — other (official source). “Certified Cost Professional (CCP) Certification Exam Handbook Revised June 22 2026” Verified Oct 27, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.