To become a Board Certified Entomologist you must meet ESA's 2025 education and experience criteria, pass the online BCE Core/Qualifying exam and at least one specialty exam with a score of at least 70% each, and commit to the BCE Code of Ethics. Study the seven qualifying topics, your specialty's official list, and the Code of Ethics; then plan for annual renewal and a triennial CEU report.
What the BCE credential is
The Board Certified Entomologist is a professional credential administered by the Entomological Society of America Certification Corporation. Earning it requires approved education and experience, two exams, and a standing commitment to a code of ethics.
ESA's certification site lists the BCE alongside other programs, including the Associate Certified Entomologist. They are separate credentials with different requirements, so make sure you are reading BCE materials and not ACE materials as you prepare.
Three requirements define the BCE. First, eligibility based on education and work experience. Second, passing the BCE Core/Qualifying exam plus at least one specialty exam of your choice, each with a score of at least 70%. Third, agreeing to adhere at all times to the Board Certified Entomologist Code of Ethics.
One logistical note worth knowing early: applications are reviewed by ESA staff and the BCE Review Committee, and you must be accepted into the program before you can take any exam.
Official sources: Eligibility Requirements | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/eligibility; Exam Information | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/exam; ESA Certification - Certification Programs | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/certification
Eligibility under the 2025 requirements
The eligibility criteria introduced January 1, 2025 combine a qualifying science degree and entomology coursework with relevant work experience. Check the degree and experience conditions together.
The educational requirement is a bachelor's degree, or equivalent, majoring in a biological or life science, including at least four term-length courses or research credits in entomology. Entomology coursework can be completed outside the degree itself, as long as it comes from an accredited institution, and online coursework counts.
An advanced degree changes things in your favor: if your advanced degree meets the educational requirement, your undergraduate degree does not need to. For example, a bachelor's in business combined with a master's in entomology is sufficient.
Experience depends on the applicable degree route: three years with a bachelor's, two with a master's, one with a PhD. Work from before and after your degree counts, but it must be full-time work outside a university setting. Work done in pursuit of any degree does not count toward this requirement.
A complete application includes the filled-out application, two professional reference letters, application fees (which include your first attempt at the exams), academic transcripts, and a current CV.
Official sources: Eligibility Requirements | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/eligibility
If you still need work experience
The BCE Intern route is intended for candidates who meet the educational requirement but still need qualifying experience.
The BCE Intern option is for entomology students or graduates with at least a bachelor's degree who have not yet met the full-time experience requirement. Interns can take the BCE Core/Qualifying Exam while their academic knowledge is fresh, at a reduced fee — $40, or $20 for ESA members, including the first exam attempt and one specialty.
To convert from Intern to full BCE, you must pass the online qualifying exam and at least one specialty exam of your choice, and then achieve the required full-time work experience outside a university setting and not in pursuit of a degree.
Official sources: Eligibility Requirements | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/eligibility; BCE Intern Program | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/eligibility/intern
How the exams are run
Both exams are taken online under a proctor, after your application is accepted. You schedule the date, notify the Certification Coordinator at least 10 days in advance, and need at least 70% to pass.
Nearly all BCE exams are administered online through the internet. After acceptance, you confirm a date with your proctor and email the ESA Certification Coordinator with at least 10 days' notice. Instructions go to you and your proctor about a week before the test.
You must score at least 70% on the BCE Core/Qualifying exam and on at least one specialty examination. One specialty exam is included in the initial examination fee; each additional specialty requires another fee.
If you need to retake an exam, you can do so no sooner than 30 days and no more than 365 days after your last attempt, or you may have to reapply to the program. The application fee covers your first two exam attempts; any attempt after that costs $75, or $50 for ESA members.
Official sources: Exam Information | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/exam; BCE Specialties | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/exam/specialty
What the qualifying exam covers
ESA lists seven recommended study topics for the BCE qualifying exam, spanning insect history, importance, classification, anatomy and physiology, management, laws and regulations, and the BCE Code of Ethics.
Use the seven topics below to compare your coursework and work experience with the qualifying-exam coverage. The official study-resources page provides recommended references for further study.
- History of insects and entomology
- Importance of insects to humans
- Taxonomy, classification, and identification
- Insect and arthropod anatomy, biology, morphology, and physiology
- Insect and arthropod management
- Laws and regulations related to insects and arthropods
- BCE Code of Ethics
Official sources: Exam Information | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/exam; Exam Resources & Study Material | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/resources; BCE Intern Program | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/eligibility/intern
Choosing your specialty exam
You pick at least one of four specialties: General Entomology, Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Urban and Industrial Entomology, or Plant-related Entomology. Each requires the qualifying exam plus that specialty exam, passed at 70%.
Select at least one specialty based on your background and intended area of work. The General Entomology specialty is distinct from the Core/Qualifying exam. Use the official specialty page for its topic lists and recommended texts.
| Specialty | Official coverage detail |
|---|---|
| General Entomology | Listed topics: crop pests, classification, morphology, physiology, behavior, ecology, development |
| Medical and Veterinary Entomology | Knowledge domains published, from identification through regulatory guidance |
| Urban and Industrial Entomology | The retrieved specialty page lists recommended study materials |
| Plant-related Entomology | The retrieved specialty page lists recommended study materials, shared with General Entomology |
Official sources: Exam Information | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/exam; BCE Specialties | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/exam/specialty
The Code of Ethics in practice
The BCE Code of Ethics is both a listed exam topic and a permanent obligation. It sets out duties to society, the public, the profession, employers and clients, and fellow entomologists, with an emphasis on honest, well-founded professional statements.
The code requires factual estimates, reports and testimony, and opinions founded on adequate knowledge and honest conviction. It also addresses qualified assignments, disclosure of financial interests, client information and compensation. Read the conditions as well as the duties: clause 4.7 permits compensation from multiple interested parties only with their consent; clause 4.6 restricts disclosure of business or technical information without client or employer consent.
Practice the code as a decision skill, not a list. The exercise below is built directly on the obligations to the public and to employers and clients.
Remember that every applicant affirms compliance with this code, and continued adherence is also a renewal requirement, so it matters before, during, and after the exam.
Practice exercise
You perform a documented inspection of one food-storage room at a client's facility and find no pests. The client, facing an audit, asks you to write a letter stating that the entire facility 'is pest-free.' Under the BCE Code of Ethics, what should you do, and what could you truthfully write instead?
Show answer
Decline the blanket statement. Under the code, you must be factual in all estimates, reports, and testimony, and express opinions only when founded on adequate knowledge and honest conviction. A claim about the entire facility based on one room's inspection is not supported. Instead, offer a scoped letter: state the inspection's date, scope, and methods, report that no pests were observed during that inspection, and note its limits. You can also point the client to alternatives, such as a broader inspection program if they need stronger assurance.
The refusal follows directly from two code duties: opinions must rest on adequate knowledge (a one-room inspection is not adequate knowledge about the whole facility), and all reports must be factual rather than overstated. The alternative letter satisfies the same duties while still serving the client, and offering alternatives with their consequences is itself a code obligation toward employers and clients.
Official sources: Eligibility Requirements | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/eligibility; Exam Resources & Study Material | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/resources; BCE Code of Ethics | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/coe; Renewal Requirements | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/renew
Keeping the credential: renewal and CEUs
BCE maintenance includes annual renewal and a three-year professional-maintenance report.
The current renewal page lists USD 230 annually, or USD 115 for ESA members. The three-year report requires at least 120 CEUs, including at least 72 from Category A; consult the PM&C page for eligible activities, category limits and your reporting dates. Keep records from the start of your certification.
Official sources: Renewal Requirements | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/renew; Professional Maintenance and Certification | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/renew/pmc
A practical preparation sequence
Work through the official topic lists first, use ESA's sample exam and recommended books as your anchors, and handle scheduling details directly with the Certification Coordinator.
Compare your knowledge with the qualifying topics and your chosen specialty’s reading list. Use the linked official sample exam to understand the format, then review the concepts behind any mistakes. Confirm the question count and time allowance for your scheduled exam with the Certification Coordinator.
- Confirm your eligibility under the 2025 rules, or consider the BCE Intern path
- Audit your knowledge against the seven qualifying-exam topics
- Study your specialty's official topic list or recommended books
- Practice with ESA's sample exam to learn the format
- Apply, then schedule with a proctor at least 10 days in advance
Official sources: Exam Information | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/exam; Exam Resources & Study Material | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/resources; Application Process | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/apply; BCE Intern Program | Certification - Entomological Society of America — entocert.org/bce/eligibility/intern
Official sources
Key facts checked:
- Eligibility Requirements | Certification - Entomological Society of America
- Exam Information | Certification - Entomological Society of America
- BCE Specialties | Certification - Entomological Society of America
- Exam Resources & Study Material | Certification - Entomological Society of America
- Application Process | Certification - Entomological Society of America
- BCE Code of Ethics | Certification - Entomological Society of America
- ESA Certification - Certification Programs | Certification - Entomological Society of America
- BCE Intern Program | Certification - Entomological Society of America
- Renewal Requirements | Certification - Entomological Society of America
- Professional Maintenance and Certification | Certification - Entomological Society of America