SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 17-2171.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $81,440 | $6,787 | $1,566 | $39.16 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $106,270 | $8,856 | $2,044 | $51.09 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $144,910 | $12,076 | $2,787 | $69.67 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $197,920 | $16,493 | $3,806 | $95.16 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $253,200 | $21,100 | $4,869 | $121.73 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Petroleum Engineers is $144,910, which is 184% higher. Among the 36 occupations of the field Architecture and Engineering, it ranks number 2 by median pay. With 18,060 jobs, it makes up about 1.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Petroleum Engineers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Alaska ($206,290), Utah ($172,840) and Colorado ($172,190). The lowest was in West Virginia ($93,360), Ohio ($99,260) and New Mexico ($99,900). The most jobs were in Texas (9,140), Oklahoma (1,450) and Colorado (1,390). The occupation is most concentrated in Wyoming, where its share of all jobs is 8.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 280 | $206,290 | $199,700 | $99.18 |
| Utah | 280 | $172,840 | $169,810 | $83.10 |
| Colorado | 1,390 | $172,190 | $170,270 | $82.78 |
| Texas | 9,140 | $164,860 | $171,580 | $79.26 |
| Oklahoma | 1,450 | $153,020 | $155,900 | $73.57 |
| California | 1,060 | $143,590 | $147,940 | $69.03 |
| Louisiana | 710 | $139,640 | $138,270 | $67.13 |
| Washington | 190 | $134,800 | $149,490 | $64.81 |
| North Dakota | 130 | $132,120 | $130,910 | $63.52 |
| Kansas | 110 | $115,640 | $128,430 | $55.60 |
| Montana | not published | $104,060 | $111,330 | $50.03 |
| Pennsylvania | 600 | $101,880 | $120,180 | $48.98 |
| Nebraska | 150 | $100,800 | $120,870 | $48.46 |
| New Mexico | 260 | $99,900 | $110,040 | $48.03 |
| Ohio | 200 | $99,260 | $111,350 | $47.72 |
| West Virginia | 380 | $93,360 | $122,770 | $44.89 |
| Alabama | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
| Florida | 40 | not published | not published | not published |
| Michigan | 580 | not published | not published | not published |
| Minnesota | 40 | not published | not published | not published |
| Tennessee | 70 | not published | not published | not published |
| Wyoming | 280 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Computer Hardware Engineers$161,740 a year
- Aerospace Engineers$134,960 a year
- Nuclear Engineers$133,970 a year
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,220 a year
Common questions
How much do Petroleum Engineers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $144,910 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $81,440 and the highest-paid 10% more than $253,200.
How many people work as Petroleum Engineers?
About 18,060 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.