WOW, I don't think your question was answered even though you made several legitimate references... Physical education, was that really their response..? Depending on which field one chooses (in your case Environmental?), then you really wouldn't benefit more than the sense of self fulfillment. On the other hand, if one did obtain a Professional Engineer status, your recommendations or designs are taken more "seriously" and officially. The best thing to do is speak to someone in that field, who has the title and ask them how they have immediately benefited from achieving the status. If you do decide to pursue your PE status, try not to prolong too much as you may not be fresh with 'book smarts' knowledge; the base questions on PE exams are fundamentals that all Engineers should be familiar with (i.e. Mathematics of higher level, Chemistry, Physics, ect...). I received my PE in Aerospace. I took the FE and EIT while in college, then the PE immediately after graduating. Even with a strong background in the sciences, taking the official PE exam would have been more difficult and costly had I waited years after graduating. I hope this information helps.
