Characteristics of surface wave propagation along the edge of semi-infinise plates (edge wave) are investigated by means of the semi-exact method proposed by the present authors. First, numerical results for the edge wave of isotropic semi-infinite plates are calculated and compared with those obtained by other published approximate theories and the FEM. The semi-exact method is found to be able to give the complete characteristics of symmetric and antisymmetric modes of the edge wave. An approximate relation between the velocity of energy propagation and Poisson's ratio is obtained for the first antisymmetric mode in high frequency. Next, frequency spectra are clarified for a unidirectional carbon/epoxy laminated semi-infinite plate and a hybrid composite laminated plate which consists of carbon/epoxy and glass/epoxy layers.