What does PE stand for? On a school schedule, PE stands for Physical Education, the class where students learn sports, fitness and healthy movement, often called gym. That is the meaning most people have in mind.
Adults run into other versions. After an engineer's name, PE means Professional Engineer, a state license. In finance it can mean private equity or the price to earnings ratio, and on a hospital chart it can mean pulmonary embolism. The table below sorts them out.
Quick facts
Stands for
Physical Education (school)Other meanings
Professional Engineer, private equity, P/E ratio, pulmonary embolism, polyethyleneType
InitialismHow to say it
"pee ee"Also called
Gym, gym class, phys edPeriods
PE or P.E., both seen on school forms
PE in school: Physical Education
In elementary, middle and high school, PE is the period for running, team games, stretching and skills like throwing and catching. Older students may also learn about heart rate, nutrition and planning a workout, sometimes with tools like the FITT principle. Many states require some PE credit to graduate, though the amount varies by state and district.
A note home: "Please send sneakers on PE days, Tuesday and Thursday." Your child has gym class on those days and needs shoes that are safe for running.
On report cards it appears next to other subject codes, like ELA for English language arts. Our school acronyms page lists more of them.
What does PE stand for in engineering?
In engineering, PE stands for Professional Engineer. It is a license issued by a state board, and only licensed engineers may sign and seal certain plans, such as designs for public buildings, bridges or water systems. You will see it after a name: "Maria Lopez, PE."
The usual path in the United States has four steps:
- Earn an engineering degree from an accredited program.
- Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, which makes you an engineer in training.
- Work under licensed engineers, typically for about four years.
- Pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam in your field, such as civil, mechanical or electrical.
Rules differ from state to state, so each board sets its own details. The PE works much like the CPA for accountants: a public signal that the holder met a legal standard.
Other PE meanings by field
| Field | Stands for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| School | Physical Education | "PE is third period." |
| Engineering | Professional Engineer | "The drawings need a PE stamp." |
| Finance | Private equity | "A PE firm bought the chain." |
| Investing | Price to earnings ratio (P/E) | "The stock trades at a high P/E." |
| Medicine | Pulmonary embolism | "The scan ruled out a PE." |
| Materials | Polyethylene | "PE plastic bags and tubing" |
| Canada | Prince Edward Island (postal code) | "Charlottetown, PE" |
A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that blocks an artery in the lungs, a serious condition that needs prompt care. In money talk, private equity means investment firms that buy companies that are not traded on public markets.
Reading PE from the context
- On a class schedule or permission slip, it is gym.
- After a person's name on a resume or plan sheet, it is the engineering license.
- In a business headline about buyouts, it is private equity.
- With a slash, P/E, next to a stock, it is the earnings ratio.
- On a medical report, it is almost always the lung clot.
- Molded into the bottom of a plastic item, it names the material.
Writing and saying PE
Say it "pee ee." The opening "pee" sound takes "a," so write "a PE class" and "a PE license." School materials use both PE and P.E.; newer style tends to drop the periods. After a name, engineers usually write "PE" or "P.E." set off by a comma. Lowercase "pe" is rarely correct. For more on when periods appear in short forms, see acronym vs abbreviation.
PE in a sentence
- "We played dodgeball in PE today."
- "He studied for two years before he passed the PE exam."
- "The city requires a PE to approve the retaining wall."
- "A PE firm took the company private."
- "I forgot my PE uniform again."
A job listing: "Civil engineer, PE preferred." The company hopes to hire someone already holding the state Professional Engineer license.
Questions people ask
What does PE mean in school?
It means Physical Education, the class most students call gym. It covers sports, fitness and basic health habits.
What does PE stand for after an engineer's name?
It stands for Professional Engineer, a license granted by a state board. It allows the engineer to approve and seal certain designs.
Is PE the same as gym?
Yes. Gym is the everyday name, and PE or phys ed is the official name on most school schedules.
Is it PE or P.E.?
Both are accepted. Many schools and newer style guides use PE without periods.
What does PE mean in finance?
Most often private equity, meaning firms that invest in companies not listed on public markets. Written as P/E, it is the price to earnings ratio used to compare stocks.