Cost Estimation

Certification for
Managers and Engineers
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DONALD S. REMER, PH.D., P.E.; BENJAMIN W. RYAN; AND

BRANDYN CARLSON

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a summary of the cost estimating certificates in the
United States, the professional organizations that offer them, and the requirements for
each certificate that would be of interest to managers and engineers. The number of
people who hold each certificate is presented, in addition to the number of certifications
issued in the past 2 years. Certifications offered by organizations operating in six other
countries are also listed, along with contact information. Finally, related certifications
in value engineering and other estimation fields are summarized within the context of
cost estimation. This research informs managers and engineers about the professional
certifications available in the field of cost estimation and their application requirements.

A
n increasing trend in professional and
engineering circles is to place greater
emphasis on official credentials. An
earlier paper in this Journal focused
on professional organization certifica-
tions for engineers and managers in
the areas of project and engineering management
(Remer and Martin 2009). The current paper focuses
on certifications related specifically to the cost esti-
mating profession that would be of interest to engi-
neering and project managers. These credentials
constitute documented recognition by a professional
body that an engineer or other professional has the
qualifications and technical knowledge to be a practi-
tioner in cost estimation and to support engineering
managers and project managers. Many employers and
government agencies are starting to require these cer-
tificates for cost estimation practitioners.
The underlying reason for the increasing impor-
tance of cost estimation certificates in industrial fields
is that many projects go over their original cost
and schedule estimates. While the methods that an
engineer uses to determine a project’s viability may
be sound, the financial success of a project ultimately
depends on the data used to compare economic alter-
natives. To ensure that cost estimates are accurate,
engineering and consulting firms tend to focus on
professionalism. The recognition of professionalism
is best achieved by gaining certification in one’s par-
ticular specialty, such as cost estimation or project
management.
This paper summarizes certificates offered by four
professional cost estimation societies in the United
States. The American Society of Professional Estima-
tors (ASPE) focuses specifically on the construction in-
dustry; the Society of Cost Estimating and Analysis
(SCEA) and the International Society of Parametric
Analysts (ISPA) focus on aerospace, the defense indus-
try, and government labs and agencies; and the Asso-
ciation for the Advancement of Cost Engineering
International (AACEI) certifies the most engineers
in the generic field of cost estimation. Typically, en-
gineers become certified with one or more organiza-
tions that best pertain to their field of work. This

JANUARY 2012 12 Leadership and Management in Engineering

Leadership Manage. Eng., 2012, 12(1): 12-19

 paper also summarizes some cost estimation certifi-
cates offered in other countries and some certifications
related to the field of cost estimation. This paper up-
dates and expands on an earlier study of cost estima-
tion certificates for engineers and managers (Remer
et al. 2006).
COST ESTIMATING CERTIFICATIONS OFFERED
IN THE UNITED STATES
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The Certified Cost Estimator/Analyst (CCE/A) certifi-
cate offered by SCEA has been available since 1990,
and 592 people hold this certificate (Erica Wilkening,
personal communication, November 30, 2010).
AACEI and ASPE have been offering certifications
since 1976, much longer than the other organiza-
tions. There are 1,343 total Certified Cost Engineer/
Consultant (CCE/CCC) certificate holders (Penny
Whoolery, personal communication, November 30,
2010). These numbers are relatively small compared

Table 1 provides general information regarding the
history of each certification and number of certificate
holders. The Certified Professional Estimator (CPE)
certification offered by ASPE has 1,199 holders (Tanya
Graham, personal communication, January 14, 2011).
to the more than 400,000 holders of the Project Man-
agement Professional (PMP) certificate, described
later in this paper. The newest certification, Certified
Estimating Professional (CEP), is offered by AACEI
and currently has 102 certificate holders (Penny

Table 1. General Information about the Cost Estimation Certifications

People Certifications Certifications First
with issued, issued, year Online
Organization Members Certification certification 2008 2009 offered registration?
American 2,371 Certified Professional 1,199 79 78 1976 No
Society of Estimator (CPE)
Professional
Estimators
(ASPE)
Society of Cost 2,012 Certified Cost 592 120 134 1990 No
Estimating Estimator/Analyst
and Analysis (CCE/A)
(SCEA) Professional Cost 56 23 0 2009 No
Estimator/Analyst
(PCE/A)
International 347 Certified Parametric 47 2 2 2002 No
Society of Practitioner (CPP)
Parametric
Analysts
(ISPA)
Association 7,344 Certified Cost 899 132 181 1976 Yes
for the Engineer (CCE)
Advancement Certified Cost 444 75 59 1976 Yes
of Cost Consultant (CCC)
Engineering
International Certified Estimating 102 68 21 2008 Yes
(AACEI) Professional (CEP)
Certified Cost 293 70 29 2001 Yes
Technician (CCT)

Leadership and Management in Engineering 13 JANUARY 2012

Leadership Manage. Eng., 2012, 12(1): 12-19

 Table 2. Membership and Certification Fees for Cost Estimation Certifications
Organization Certification
American Society of Certified Professional
Professional Estimators Estimator (CPE)
(ASPE)
Society of Cost Estimating Certified Cost Estimator/
and Analysis (SCEA) Analyst (CCE/A)
Professional Cost
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Estimator/Analyst (PCE/A)
International Society of Certified Parametric
Parametric Analysts (ISPA) Practitioner (CPP)
Association for the Certified Cost Engineer/
Advancement of Cost Consultant (CCE/CCC)
Engineering International Certified Estimating
(AACEI) Professional (CEP)
Whoolery, personal communication, November 30,
2010). Table 2 lists organization membership fees
and certification fees for each certification.
Tables 3 and 4 list contact information for the cost
estimating certifications in the United States and
internationally. The international organizations are
linked through the International Cost Engineering
Council. There are cost estimation certificate programs
in Holland, the United Kingdom, Italy, Mexico,
Nigeria, and China; the Chinese and Nigerian pro-
grams are new. The Association for the Advancement
of Cost Engineering International is also widely rec-
ognized internationally, and its exams are given in
15 countries: Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, India,
Korea, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, the United Arab
Emirates, and the United States.
Certified Professional Estimator (CPE)
The CPE certificate is offered by ASPE. The CPE
certificate is targeted specifically to construction
estimators and requires a rigorous course of study.
Construction estimates for government projects in
the state of California must be prepared by, or under
the direct supervision of, a Certified Professional Es-
timator. To be eligible to take the CPE certification
test, the applicant must have at least five years of ex-
perience in one discipline of professional estimating
(e.g., mechanical, electrical, landscaping). The certif-
ication process consists of attending an educational
JANUARY 2012 14
Leadership Manage. Eng., 2012, 12(1): 12-19
Membership fee Certification fee
$250–$300 $425 for members
annually $775 for nonmembers
$55 annually or $225 for members
$550 lifetime $400 for nonmembers
$55 annually or $75 for members and
$550 lifetime nonmembers
$143 annually $350 for members
$500 for nonmembers
workshop, writing a 2,500-word acceptable technical
paper on cost estimating, and completing two exami-
nations. The educational workshop can be taken either
at the ASPE chapters during November and early
December or online.
The first exam, a General Knowledge Exam, is
designed to test project management and business
knowledge. It is a 4-hour exam with more than
500 multiple-choice and true/false questions on con-
struction topics. A passing grade is 70%. The second
exam is a Discipline Specific Test, which tests a spe-
cific area of expertise. ASPE is currently offering
exams in General Estimating, Earthwork, Concrete,
Roofing, Drywall Systems, Painting, Plumbing,
HVAC Piping, HVAC Sheet Metal, and Electrical.
These are 8-hour exams and consist of true/false,
multiple-choice, and estimating problems. The exams
are given throughout the United States in March,
July, and November. Certification costs $425 for
members and $775 for nonmembers (ASPE 2010).
Certified Cost Estimator/Analyst (CCE/A)
The CCE/A certificate is offered by SCEA. The CCE/A
certificate is more general than the CPE certificate.
The body of knowledge required includes estimating
in all fields of engineering, not just construction.
SCEA, along with its partner organization ISPA, tends
to attract estimators from the aerospace and defense
industries, government agencies, national laboratories,
and high-tech government contractors. The CCE/A
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Table 3. Contact Information for Cost Estimation Certificates Offered by Professional Organizations
Organization offering
certification Certification Website Phone/fax Address E-mail
American Society Certified www.aspenational.org (515) 316-9200/ 2525 Perimeter Place Tanya@aspenational.org
of Professional Professional (615) 316-9800 Dr., Suite 103,
Estimators (ASPE) Estimator (CPE) Nashville, TN 37214

Leadership and Management in Engineering

Society of Cost Certified Cost www.sceaonline.org (703) 938-5090/ 527 Maple Avenue East, scea@sceaonline.org
Estimating and Estimator/Analyst (703) 938-5091 Suite 301,

15
Analysis (SCEA) (CCE/A) Vienna, VA 22180
International Society Certified www.ispa-cost.org (703) 938-5090/ 527 Maple Avenue East, ispa@sceaonline.net
of Parametric Parametric (703) 938-5091 Suite 301,
Analysts (ISPA) Practitioner (CPP) Vienna, VA 22180

JANUARY 2012

Leadership Manage. Eng., 2012, 12(1): 12-19

Association for the Certified Cost www.aacei.org (800) 858-2678/ 209 Prairie Ave., certification@aacei.org
Advancement of Engineer/Consultant (304) 291-5728 Suite 100,
Cost Engineering (CCE/CCC) Morgantown,
International (AACEI) WV 26501
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Table 4. Contact Information for Cost Estimation Certificates Offered Outside the United States
Organization offering
Certification certification Website Phone/Fax Address E-mail
Certified Cost Dutch Association of www.dace.nl 31 33 247 3455 P.O. Box 1058, info@dace.nl
Engineer (CCE) Cost Engineers 31 33 246 0470 3860 BB Nijkerk,
The Netherlands
Certified Cost Association of www.acoste.org.uk +44 (0)1270 764798 Lea House 5 enquiries@
Engineer (CCE) Cost Engineers +44 (0)1270 766180 Middlewich Rd., acoste.org.uk
(United Kingdom) Sandbach Cheshire
CW11 1XL,
United Kingdom

JANUARY 2012
Practicante in Associazione www.aice-it.org 39 02 5836 5936 Viale Isonzo, info@aice-it.org
Ingegneria Italiana d’Ingegneria 39 02 5836 5558 I-20135 Milano

16
Economica (PIE) Economica (Italy) Italy
Ingeniero en Sociedad Mexicana de www.smiefc.com.mx 52 56 39 54 25 Anaxagoras No. 17-101, smiefc@prodigy.net.mx
Costos (ICC) Ingeniería Económica, 52 56 39 11 45 P.B., Col. Narvarte Deleg.
Financiera y de Benito Juarez,
Costos (Mexico) 03020 Mexico DF

Leadership Manage. Eng., 2012, 12(1): 12-19

Accredited Cost Nigerian Institute www.iacenig.org 08 03 707 9061 P.O. Box 75590, otis_engineering@
Engineer (ACE) of Appraisers and Victoria Island, yahoo.co.uk
Cost Engineers Lagos, Nigeria
Certified Cost China Engineering www.ceca.org.cn 86 10 6831 6211 Ms. Ma Guizhi, ceca@
Engineer (CCE) Cost Association 86 10 6839 4648 Ministry of Construction, ceca.org.cn
No. 9 Sanlihe Rd.,
Beijing 100835,
People’s Republic of China

Leadership and Management in Engineering

 certification examination has two parts. Part 1 allows
individuals with less experience to gain the PCE/A
certificate (described in the next section). Part 2 may
be taken at the same time as Part 1 if the applicant
satisfies all requirements. To be eligible for Part 2
and the CCE/A certification, each applicant must have
either a bachelor’s degree and five years of experience
in cost estimating or eight years of professional expe-
rience in lieu of a degree with submission of a bio-
graphical sketch demonstrating education, experience,
and relevant performance. The second examination
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contains 28 multiple-choice questions on advanced
analysis and 23 multiple-choice and short essay ques-
tions on case study questions. A score of 70% or
greater is required to pass. The exam is given twice
a year, in the spring and fall, at the SCEA National
Education Conference & Workshop. Certification
costs $225 for members and $400 for nonmembers
(SCEA 2010).
Professional Cost Estimator/Analyst (PCE/A)
The PCE/A certificate is also offered by SCEA and is
an intermediary certification that applicants may at-
tain by passing Part 1 of the CCE/A certification
examination. To be eligible to take the PCE/A exam,
the applicant must have either a bachelor’s degree and
two years of experience in cost estimating/analysis in
a position specifically identified as requiring such
or five years of experience in lieu of a degree with
submission of a biographical sketch demonstrating
education, experience, and relevant performance.
The 2-hour examination consists of 30 multiple-
choice questions on fundamental knowledge and 31
multiple-choice questions on practical applications.
To pass the examination, a 70% score is required.
PCE/A certified professionals may take Part 2 of the
CCE/A examination after three more years of experi-
ence (SCEA 2010).
Certified Parametric Practitioner (CPP)
The CPP certification is a new one offered by ISPA.
SCEA and ISPA have recently merged journals and
currently share an office in Vienna, VA. This certifi-
cate provides professional recognition of a practi-
tioner’s education, job experience, knowledge, and
skills. To be eligible to take the written examination,
the applicant must have either a college degree in a
field of study directly related to parametric analysis
(or at least 10 courses related to estimating) and
two years of experience performing parametric analy-
sis, an associate’s degree and five years of experience in
parametric analysis, or seven years of experience in
Leadership and Management in Engineering
Leadership Manage. Eng., 2012, 12(1): 12-19
parametric analysis with the submission of a brief
biographical sketch demonstrating the applicant’s
ability or knowledge to pass the examination. The
3-hour exam consists of 100 multiple-choice, fill-in-
the-blank, and true/false questions. A passing grade is
75%. The exam is given once annually at the ISPA
conference and costs $75 (ISPA 2010).
Certified Cost Engineer/Consultant (CCE/CCC)
The CCE/CCC certification is offered by AACEI.
AACEI, formerly known as the American Association
of Cost Engineering, was founded in 1956 and has
special interest groups that include aerospace, con-
struction, environmental, government and public
works, information technology, international proj-
ects, manufacturing, oil/gas/chemicals, pharmaceuti-
cal and biotechnology, transportation, and utilities
and energy. There are 1,343 CCE/CCC certified pro-
fessionals, making this the largest cost estimating cer-
tification in this study. This certification is intended
to provide official and public recognition of expertise
in the most current skills and knowledge of the cost
estimating profession. The intent is to recognize cost
and management specialists who meet a demanding
set of cost and management criteria by a rigorous
examination, experience, education, and ethical
qualifications.
To be eligible to take the CCE/CCC certification
test, the applicant must have at least eight full years
in the cost engineering profession [up to four can be
substituted by an engineering degree or a Professional
Engineer (P.E.) license]. To become a CCE or CCC,
the applicant must pass a 7-hour test and write a
2,500-word technical paper. The exam consists of
100 multiple-choice and compound questions. A pass-
ing grade is 70%. The exam is given internationally in
15 countries throughout the year and in various U.S.
locations on specific exam dates in March, July, and
December.
The CCE certification is limited to those with a
4-year degree from an accredited engineering pro-
gram. Additionally, in some states CCE-certified
people who are not licensed P.E.s are not allowed to
advertise themselves as having any engineering title
(including that of CCE). This is the purpose of the
CCC certificate—to indicate that the holder has
met all other requirements for being a CCE but either
does not have a 4-year accredited engineering degree
or is not permitted to use the CCE designation because
he or she is not a licensed P.E. (AACEI 2010).
17 JANUARY 2012
 Certified Estimating Professional (CEP)
The CEP certification is also offered by AACEI. The
certification has been available since 2008 and has 102
current holders. This certification program is designed
to establish the professional credentials of individuals
working in the field of estimation. According to
AACEI, the CCE/CCC certificate is for professionals
in the cost and management field, whereas the CEP
certificate is intended to focus specifically on profes-
sionals in the field of estimation. Because it is geared
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toward a more specific area of expertise, the CEP cer-
tification is held by fewer people than the CCE/CCC
certification. To qualify for the CEP examination,
individuals must complete at least eight full years
of professional experience, of which four years may
be substituted by university studies for bachelor’s
degree holders in engineering, building construc-
tion, construction technology, business, economics,
accounting, construction management, architecture,
or computer science or a related discipline.
To become a CEP, applicants must earn a mini-
mum of 70% on the 7-hour test, which includes
110 multiple-choice questions, a written technical
memo of at least 300 words, and five more complex
estimating problems. The exam is given internation-
ally in 15 countries throughout the year and in various
U.S. locations on specific exam dates in March, July,
and December. Certification costs $350 for members
and $500 for nonmembers (AACEI 2010).
Certified Cost Technician (CCT)
The CCT certification is also offered by AACEI. The
certification has been available since 2001 and has 293
holders. The CCT program was established to give less
experienced professionals the opportunity to advance
their cost engineering skills and professional develop-
ment before obtaining the prerequisite eight years of
relevant experience necessary to be certified as a CCE/
CCC. To be eligible to take the CCT exam, at least
four full years of experience are required in a cost- or
schedule-related field, of which up to four years may
consist of appropriate college-level training. To be-
come certified, one must achieve 70% or more on the
3.5-hour open-book examination covering supporting
skills and knowledge. The exam is given internation-
ally in 15 countries throughout the year and in various
U.S. locations on specific exam dates in March, July,
and December. Certification costs $350 for members
and $500 for nonmembers (AACEI 2010).
JANUARY 2012
Leadership Manage. Eng., 2012, 12(1): 12-19
OTHER RELEVANT CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Value Specialist (CVS)
The CVS certificate is offered by the Society for
the Advancement of Value Engineering (SAVE)
International (2010). SAVE International is a profes-
sional association for the promotion and advancement
of the value methodology and the professionals who
practice it. The value methodology is a technique,
which can encompass tools such as cost estimating,
that uses functional analysis to add value to a project,
product, or process. There are 1,700 members of
SAVE International, including 800 in the United
States. Currently, about 250 individuals are certified
as CVSs, of which 117 gained certification in 2008
and 127 gained certification in 2009 (Karen Smith,
personal communication, November 30, 2010).
Project Management Professional (PMP)
The PMP certification, offered by the Project Manage-
ment Institute (PMI 2010), is a certification for ex-
perienced project managers to demonstrate their
professional abilities to employers and clients. The
PMP certification has more than 400,000 holders
worldwide. PMI provides career development, certif-
ication, and practice standards to professional project
managers worldwide. PMI is much larger than any of
the cost estimation organizations because its certifica-
tions are widely applicable across different disciplines.
(For more information on project and engineering
management certificates, refer to Remer and Martin
2009.)
CONCLUSION
Professional cost estimating societies offer a variety of
professional certifications. Many employers and
government agencies in the United States and around
the world are starting to require these certificates for
cost estimation practitioners. For example, construc-
tion estimates for government projects in the state
of California must be prepared by, or under the direct
supervision of, a Certified Professional Estimator. A
significant number of advertisements for positions
in cost estimation and project management are includ-
ing professional certification as a job requirement.
Most of these professional certifications require four
to eight years of job experience in the field of cost es-
timation; some are focused on particular professional
industries, and others are more general. To stand out
to employers and clients, professional cost estimators
should consider gaining recognition by obtaining a
18 Leadership and Management in Engineering
 certification from one of these accredited organiza-
tions. Project and engineering managers should con-
sider obtaining cost estimation certification or using
certified estimators in their projects to help prevent
cost and schedule overruns. This study will be updated
every several years as necessary to keep up with the
rapid changes in this cost certification area. If you have
new information that you feel should be included in
future studies, please send it to the first author.
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REFERENCES
American Society of Professional Estimators (ASPE).
(2011). “American Society of Professional Estima-
tors.” 〈www.aspenational.org〉 (Nov. 30, 2010).
Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineer-
ing International (AACEI). (n.d.). “AACE
International.” 〈www.aacei.org〉 (Nov. 30, 2010).
International Society of Parametric Analysts (ISPA).
(2011). “The International Society of Parametric
Analysts.” 〈www.ispa-cost.org〉 (Nov. 30, 2010).
Project Management Institute (PMI). (n.d.). “Making
project management indispensable for business
results.” 〈www.pmi.org〉 (Nov. 30, 2010).
Remer, D. S., Ahle, K. M., Alley, K. J., Silny, J., and
Hsin, K. (2006). “Certifications offered by cost
estimating organizations.” National Estimator, Fall,
17–20.
Remer, D. S., and Martin, M. A. (2009). “Project and
engineering management certification.” Leadership
Leadership and Management in Engineering
Leadership Manage. Eng., 2012, 12(1): 12-19
Manage. Eng., 9(4), 177–190.
SAVE International. (n.d.). “SAVE International.”
〈www.value-eng.org〉 (Nov. 30, 2010).
Society of Cost Estimating and Analysis (SCEA).
(n.d.). “[Society of Cost Estimating and Analy-
sis].” 〈www.sceaonline.net〉 (Nov. 30, 2010).
Donald S. Remer is the Oliver C. Field Profes-
sor of Engineering Economics and Management,
Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California.
He is also president of the Claremont Consulting
Group and has presented short courses on project
management, cost estimation, and business case
analysis to more than 12,000 practicing profes-
sionals in industry and government. He can be
contacted at remer@hmc.edu.
Benjamin W. Ryan graduated from Harvey
Mudd College in May 2011 with a B.S. in engi-
neering. He began law school at Washington Uni-
versity in St. Louis, Missouri, in the fall of 2011.
Brandyn Carlson graduated from Harvey
Mudd College in May 2011 with a B.S. in engi-
neering and is working as a senior analyst at
the Cadmus Group in Irvine, California. LME
19 JANUARY 2012