University of Louisiana at Lafayette Petroleum Engineering: earnings, debt & careers

Petroleum Engineering graduates of University of Louisiana at Lafayette earn a median $102,594 four years after graduating ($49,781 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $22,806. That is $0 above the U.S. median for Petroleum Engineering graduates ($102,594 across 19 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 2 Louisiana colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$102,594

U.S. median for this major: $102,594.

College Scorecard field of study; 103 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$49,781

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$22,806

About 22% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,875.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$13,530 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $24,884. College Scorecard.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Petroleum Engineering: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

University of Louisiana at Lafayette graduates$102,594

Fewer than 3 Louisiana colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.

U.S. median (19 colleges)$102,594 (+$0)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Petroleum Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses University of Louisiana at Lafayette's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$11,157$51,099under 1 year
$30–48k$11,283$51,676under 1 year
$48–75k$13,692$62,709under 1 year
$75–110k$17,079$78,2221.1 years
$110k+$18,562$85,0141.2 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (27% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Petroleum Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($102,594) minus $32,488 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in LA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $70,106 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Petroleum Engineering at Louisiana colleges

Every Louisiana college we cover that reports Petroleum Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College$103,421$25,750$19,15169%
2University of Louisiana at Lafayette$102,594$22,806$13,53053%

Careers for Petroleum Engineering graduates

Architectural and Engineering Managers

Lafayette area$152,090
Louisiana$162,850
U.S.$171,270

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Petroleum Engineers

Louisiana$139,640
U.S.$144,910

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +2.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at University of Louisiana at Lafayette, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Related majors at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Petroleum Engineering questions

How much do University of Louisiana at Lafayette Petroleum Engineering graduates earn?

Petroleum Engineering graduates of University of Louisiana at Lafayette earn a median $102,594 four years after graduating and $49,781 one year after. The U.S. median for Petroleum Engineering graduates across 19 colleges is $102,594.

How much debt do University of Louisiana at Lafayette Petroleum Engineering graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Petroleum Engineering graduates of University of Louisiana at Lafayette is $22,806, about 22% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,875.

Where does University of Louisiana at Lafayette rank for Petroleum Engineering in Louisiana?

Of 2 Louisiana colleges reporting Petroleum Engineering graduate earnings, University of Louisiana at Lafayette ranks 2nd. The highest is Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College at $103,421.

What jobs do Petroleum Engineering graduates get?

A common career is architectural and engineering managers, with a median wage of $152,090 in the Lafayette, LA area and $171,270 nationally. Others include petroleum engineers.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “University of Louisiana at Lafayette Petroleum Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-louisiana-at-lafayette/majors/petroleum-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).