Petroleum Engineers: salary, outlook & degrees
Devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production and determine the need for new or modified tool designs. Oversee drilling and offer technical advice.
Middle half $106,270–$197,920. 18,060 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 1,000 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $206,290 |
| Utah | $172,840 |
| Colorado | $172,190 |
| Texas | $164,860 |
| Oklahoma | $153,020 |
| California | $143,590 |
| Louisiana | $139,640 |
| Washington | $134,800 |
| North Dakota | $132,120 |
| Kansas | $115,640 |
| Montana | $104,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $101,880 |
| Nebraska | $100,800 |
| New Mexico | $99,900 |
| Ohio | $99,260 |
| West Virginia | $93,360 |
Largest metro areas for this job
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands TX$169,870
- Midland TX$172,070
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington TX$168,600
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial CO$174,580
- Oklahoma City OK$176,200
- Tulsa OK$130,750
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CA$167,000
- New Orleans-Metairie LA$148,390
- Greeley CO$132,240
- San Antonio-New Braunfels TX$120,460
- Odessa TX$135,620
- Pittsburgh PA$130,230
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
Knowledge used
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Computers and Electronics
- Chemistry
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Innovation
People in this job tend to have Realistic (hands-on), Investigative (analytical), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Petroleum Engineers: questions
How much do petroleum Engineers make?
Petroleum Engineers earn a U.S. median $144,910 a year; the middle half earn $106,270 to $197,920 (BLS, May 2025).
Is petroleum Engineers a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 2.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,000 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a petroleum Engineer?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 92% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 17-2171. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Petroleum Engineers: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/petroleum-engineers.