Petroleum Engineer salary

Q: How much does a petroleum engineer make?

The median petroleum engineer salary in the U.S. is about $135,690 per year. Most petroleum engineers earn between $79,730 and $222,840, and top earners (90th percentile) make $222,840 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 $106,000 per year, rising to roughly $146,500 at mid-level and $183,000+ 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 $135,690 is 16% above the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced petroleum engineers can earn $222,840 or more.

Q: Which cities pay petroleum engineers the most?

Estimated petroleum engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($200,821), San Francisco ($192,680), Seattle ($176,397). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

Verified

Updated January 2025

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

Median pay

$135,690

U.S. typical

Top earners

$222,840

90th percentile

Entry level

$106,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$183,000

15+ yrs

The median petroleum engineer salary in the U.S. is about $135,690 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $79,730, while top earners (90th percentile) make $222,840 or more. Add your city and experience for a sharper, local number.

Median annual wage

$135,690

Mean

$156,120

10th pct · $79,73090th pct · $222,840

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 $106,000 for entry level engineers to $183,000+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$106,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$127,500

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$146,500

Senior 10–14 yrs

$165,500

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$183,000

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

Highest-paying cities for petroleum engineers

Estimated petroleum engineer pay in the top-paying metros, vs the national median.

8results

Metro	State	Median	90th pct	vs U.S.	Data
San Jose California	CA	$200,821	$329,803	+48%	Estimate
San Francisco California	CA	$192,680	$316,433	+42%	Estimate
Seattle Washington	WA	$176,397	$289,692	+30%	Estimate
New York City New York	NY	$170,969	$280,778	+26%	Estimate
Boston Massachusetts	MA	$165,542	$271,865	+22%	Estimate
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia	DC	$162,828	$267,408	+20%	Estimate
Los Angeles California	CA	$160,114	$262,951	+18%	Estimate
San Diego California	CA	$156,044	$256,266	+15%	Estimate

Petroleum Engineer salary by state

State	Est. median	Est. 90th pct
California	$168,256	$276,322
Texas	$141,118	$231,754
New York	$154,687	$254,038
Washington	$160,114	$262,951
Massachusetts	$157,400	$258,494

State figures are estimates — open a state for its full city-by-city breakdown.

Petroleum Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does a petroleum engineer make?

The median petroleum engineer salary in the U.S. is about $135,690 per year. Most petroleum engineers earn between $79,730 and $222,840, and top earners (90th percentile) make $222,840 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 $222,840 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $200,821 in San Jose. 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 $106,000 per year, rising to roughly $146,500 at mid-level and $183,000+ 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 $135,690 is 16% above the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced petroleum engineers can earn $222,840 or more.

Which cities pay petroleum engineers the most?

Estimated petroleum engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($200,821), San Francisco ($192,680), and Seattle ($176,397). 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

National wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2171. Median and 90th-percentile annual wages.

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