Petroleum Engineer salary

Q: How much does a petroleum engineer make?

The median petroleum engineer salary in the U.S. is about $141,280 per year. Most petroleum engineers earn between $78,840 and $228,790, and top earners (90th percentile) make $228,790 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

Q: How much do entry-level petroleum engineers make?

Entry-level petroleum engineers (0–2 years) earn about $110,000 per year, rising to roughly $152,500 at mid-level and $190,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Q: Do petroleum engineers make good money?

Yes. The median petroleum engineer salary of $141,280 is 17% above the roughly $120,395 median across engineering occupations, and experienced petroleum engineers can earn $228,790 or more.

Q: Which cities pay petroleum engineers the most?

Estimated petroleum engineer pay is highest in Anchorage ($205,380), Austin ($184,250), Oklahoma City ($173,400). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

Verified

Updated March 2025

Petroleum engineers design methods for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the earth's surface.

Median pay

$141,280

U.S. typical

Top earners

$228,790

90th percentile

Entry level

$110,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$190,500

15+ yrs

The median petroleum engineer salary in the U.S. is about $141,280 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $78,840, while top earners (90th percentile) make $228,790 or more. Add your city and experience for a sharper, local number.

Median annual wage

$141,280

Mean

$153,560

10th pct · $78,84090th pct · $228,790

What petroleum engineers do

Design drilling and extraction equipment and processes, model reservoirs, and maximize recovery safely and economically.

Petroleum engineers design methods for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the earth's surface.

What affects petroleum engineer pay

▹Oil price cycles (pay is volatile)
▹Reservoir vs. drilling vs. production focus
▹Years of experience
▹Location (Texas, Gulf Coast, Alaska)
▹Operator vs. service company

Petroleum Engineer salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $110,000 for entry level engineers to $190,500+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$110,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$133,000

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$152,500

Senior 10–14 yrs

$172,500

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$190,500

Your actual offer depends on company, location, and specialization — run the calculator for a tailored range.

Highest-paying cities for petroleum engineers

Published petroleum engineer pay in the top-paying U.S. metro areas, vs the national benchmark.

13results

Metro	State	Median	90th pct	vs U.S.	Data
Anchorage Alaska	AK	$205,380	$239,200	+45%	Verified
Austin Texas	TX	$184,250	$239,200	+30%	Verified
Oklahoma City Oklahoma	OK	$173,400	$239,200	+23%	Verified
Denver Colorado	CO	$168,740	$239,200	+19%	Verified
Midland Texas	TX	$165,880	$233,000	+17%	Verified
Los Angeles California	CA	$161,320	$198,640	+14%	Verified
Houston Texas	TX	$159,990	$239,200	+13%	Verified
Dallas Texas	TX	$154,490	$223,220	+9%	Verified
New Orleans Louisiana	LA	$143,400	$228,980	+2%	Verified
Bakersfield California	CA	$139,940	$208,070	-1%	Verified
Odessa Texas	TX	$134,280	$210,860	-5%	Verified
Tulsa Oklahoma	OK	$121,190	$202,370	-14%	Verified
San Francisco California	CA	$97,610	$239,200	-31%	Verified

Petroleum Engineer salary by state

All 23 states with published petroleum engineer wage data, ranked highest to lowest. Open a state for its full metro-level breakdown.

Rank	State	Median	90th pct
1	Alaska	$200,750	≥$239,200
2	Colorado	$167,540	≥$239,200
3	Utah	$166,580	$212,010
4	Tennessee	$164,240	$186,880
5	Texas	$153,200	$232,340
6	Wyoming	$152,770	≥$239,200
7	California	$147,780	$219,170
8	Oklahoma	$142,470	≥$239,200
9	New Jersey	$140,800	≥$239,200
10	Louisiana	$134,630	$214,410
11	Michigan	$131,250	$155,480
12	North Dakota	$130,090	$168,180
13	Washington	$129,660	$198,850
14	Minnesota	$128,580	$196,060
15	Kansas	$118,020	≥$239,200
16	New Mexico	$118,010	$188,970
17	Ohio	$108,070	$161,650
18	Nebraska	$107,250	$160,850
19	West Virginia	$102,900	$175,000
20	Arkansas	$102,110	$170,580
21	New York	$95,210	$223,320
22	Pennsylvania	$92,930	$167,220
23	Montana	$84,380	$156,470

Figures are published state wage data, not modeled. States without published data for this occupation are not listed. See Source details for provenance.

Petroleum Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does a petroleum engineer make?

The median petroleum engineer salary in the U.S. is about $141,280 per year. Most petroleum engineers earn between $78,840 and $228,790, and top earners (90th percentile) make $228,790 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

What is the highest petroleum engineer salary?

Top-earning petroleum engineers (90th percentile) make about $228,790 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $205,380 in Anchorage. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

How much do entry-level petroleum engineers make?

Entry-level petroleum engineers (0–2 years) earn about $110,000 per year, rising to roughly $152,500 at mid-level and $190,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Do petroleum engineers make good money?

Yes. The median petroleum engineer salary of $141,280 is 17% above the roughly $120,395 median across engineering occupations, and experienced petroleum engineers can earn $228,790 or more.

Which cities pay petroleum engineers the most?

Estimated petroleum engineer pay is highest in Anchorage ($205,380), Austin ($184,250), and Oklahoma City ($173,400). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

How can a petroleum engineer earn more?

Petroleum Engineer pay rises most with oil price cycles (pay is volatile), reservoir vs. drilling vs. production focus, and years of experience. Moving to a higher-cost metro, specializing, and taking on senior or lead scope are the biggest levers — the salary calculator lets you model each one.

Source details

Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2171 (Petroleum Engineers), national.

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →