The Best Calculator for FE Exam
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The FE exam only allows calculators on NCEES’s approved list, which means specific non-programmable scientific models, no graphing. The picks below are FE-approved and built for engineering work. Always double-check the current NCEES list before exam day.
At a glance
| Calculator | Best for | Type | Display | Approved | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casio fx-991CW | Best overall (FE-approved) | Scientific | High-res | SAT, ACT, AP | Check price → |
| TI-36X Pro | Best for engineering | Scientific | 4-line | SAT, ACT, AP | Check price → |
| TI-30XS MultiView | Best budget | Scientific | 4-line | SAT, ACT | Check price → |
1. Casio fx-991CW – Best overall (FE-approved)
The fx-991CW is the value champion among advanced scientific calculators. Its refreshed interface and high-resolution display make hundreds of functions easy to reach, and it’s cleared for the SAT, ACT, and AP exams.
What’s good:
- Value champion
- Refreshed interface
- Hundreds of functions
- Cleared for SAT, ACT, AP
Worth knowing:
- No graphing
- Menu relearning for upgraders
2. TI-36X Pro – Best for engineering
For engineering students and FE-exam takers, the TI-36X Pro hits a sweet spot. It packs calculus functions, conversions, and Boolean logic into a non-graphing body that’s allowed everywhere a basic scientific is, including the SAT, ACT, and AP.
What’s good:
- Ideal for engineering and the FE
- Calculus-level functions
- Widely test-approved
- Solar powered
Worth knowing:
- No graphing
- Steeper than a basic scientific
3. TI-30XS MultiView – Best budget
For algebra, geometry, and trig homework, the TI-30XS MultiView does everything most students need. Its textbook-style four-line display and rock-bottom price make it the obvious everyday pick, and it’s legal on the SAT and ACT.
What’s good:
- Covers everyday math
- Textbook-style display
- Rock-bottom price
- SAT and ACT legal
Worth knowing:
- No graphing
- Outgrown by calculus
How to choose
- Match it to your courses. More advanced classes need more functions; don’t overpay if you won’t use them.
- Display. A multi-line, textbook-style screen makes checking your work far easier.
- Power. Solar-plus-battery models almost never die on you.
- Exam rules. All of these are widely approved, but always confirm before the test.
For the FE exam, the Casio fx-991CW packs the most into the price, while the TI-30XS MultiView is the cheap, reliable classroom standard. Pick based on your courses and it’ll last you for years.
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