The Archbridge Institute, a free-market policy group, has released its 2025 State Occupational Licensing Index, ranking all 50 states by the scope of their licensing requirements. The report frames licensing as a regulatory “burden” that restricts workforce access and limits social mobility.

Engineering is included in the dataset alongside dozens of other occupations. Professional engineer licensure appears in the index for 48 states, with related credentials such as professional land surveyor and certified engineering geologist also tracked. While the report presents this data as evidence of licensing barriers, its larger aim is to push for scaling back or even eliminating requirements.

For professional engineers, the report is a reminder that the profession is often swept into broader critiques of occupational licensing. Policymakers and commentators using the index may take a one size fits all approach to licensing, raising the risk that broad proposals to “reduce burdens” could unintentionally weaken safeguards that protect the public.

Implications for the Profession
Reports like this highlight why lawmakers must understand the unique role of engineering licensure. Unlike other occupations included in the index, Professional engineer requirements are built around protecting health, safety, and welfare. They enforce rigorous standards of competence and accountability that market forces can never replace when public protection is at stake.

NSPE will continue monitoring how this report is used in legislative debates and will reinforce the engineering profession’s perspective—licensure is not a barrier to opportunity. Instead, it is a safeguard that ensures the public can trust the work of those responsible for critical infrastructure and complex systems.