Petroleum Engineers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for petroleum engineers in the U.S. is $144,910 ($69.67 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $144,910
- Mean annual wage
- $157,150
- Median hourly wage
- $69.67
- Employment
- 18,060
18,060 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $81,440 | $39.16 |
| 25th percentile | $106,270 | $51.09 |
| Median (50th) | $144,910 | $69.67 |
| 75th percentile | $197,920 | $95.16 |
| 90th percentile | $253,200 | $121.73 |
Highest-paying states for petroleum engineers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $206,290 | 280 |
| Utah | $172,840 | 280 |
| Colorado | $172,190 | 1,390 |
| Texas | $164,860 | 9,140 |
| Oklahoma | $153,020 | 1,450 |
| California | $143,590 | 1,060 |
| Louisiana | $139,640 | 710 |
| Washington | $134,800 | 190 |
| North Dakota | $132,120 | 130 |
| Kansas | $115,640 | 110 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $93,360 median annual wage
- Ohio: $99,260 median annual wage
- New Mexico: $99,900 median annual wage
- Nebraska: $100,800 median annual wage
- Pennsylvania: $101,880 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Confer with scientific, engineering, and technical personnel to resolve design, research, and testing problems.
- Write technical reports for engineering and management personnel.
- Coordinate activities of workers engaged in research, planning, and development.
- Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery.
- Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites.
- Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 1.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.9% |
| Some college, no degree | 5.8% |
| Associate's degree | 2.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 59.4% |
| Master's degree | 23.3% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 3.2% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Civil Engineers$100,840
- Industrial Engineers$102,440
- Mechanical Engineers$104,110
- Electrical Engineers$120,630
- Engineers, All Other$122,930
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$99,280
- Architectural and Civil Drafters$66,150
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,220
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.