U.S. median for this major: $102,594.
College Scorecard field of study; 77 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 20% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,875.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,872. College Scorecard.
OU Petroleum Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Oklahoma colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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 OU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,509 | $45,294 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $10,602 | $45,695 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $14,536 | $62,650 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $19,342 | $83,364 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $20,986 | $90,450 | 1.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($123,416) minus $32,429 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OK (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $90,987 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 Oklahoma colleges
Every Oklahoma college we cover that reports Petroleum Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Tulsa | $145,353 | $27,000 | $15,000 | 72% |
| 2 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | $123,416 | $24,625 | $15,300 | 75% |
Careers for Petroleum Engineering graduates
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Petroleum Engineers
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 OU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About OU
- Acceptance rate: 77% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,126
- Full cost breakdown · all 88 majors · overview
Related majors at OU
- Civil Engineering$85,332
- Mechanical Engineering$91,653
- Electrical Engineering$91,833
- Computer Engineering$105,525
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Chemical Engineering$94,291
OU Petroleum Engineering questions
How much do OU Petroleum Engineering graduates earn?
Petroleum Engineering graduates of University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus earn a median $123,416 four years after graduating and $61,223 one year after. The U.S. median for Petroleum Engineering graduates across 19 colleges is $102,594.
How much debt do OU Petroleum Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Petroleum Engineering graduates of University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus is $24,625, about 20% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,875.
Where does OU rank for Petroleum Engineering in Oklahoma?
Of 2 Oklahoma colleges reporting Petroleum Engineering graduate earnings, University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Tulsa at $145,353.
What jobs do Petroleum Engineering graduates get?
A common career is architectural and engineering managers, with a median wage of $159,990 in the Oklahoma City, OK 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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Petroleum Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus/majors/petroleum-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).