Best cities for a petroleum engineer
The best cities for petroleum engineers are Houston, TX, Reno, NV, and Las Vegas, NV, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for petroleum engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for petroleum engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a petroleum engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for petroleum engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for petroleum engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a petroleum engineer. While the absolute best city for petroleum engineers is Houston, TX, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for petroleum engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a petroleum engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for petroleum engineers in 2026
1. Houston, TX
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 133 Average annual salary: $103,144 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location quotient: 504.48 2. Reno, NV
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $131,380 Lowest 10 percent warn: $89,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $193,000 Location quotient: 23.32 3. Las Vegas, NV
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $127,531 Lowest 10 percent warn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $188,000 Location quotient: 14.92 4. Scottsdale, AZ
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $107,396 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Fort Worth, TX
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $103,145 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000 Location quotient: 31.87 6. Phoenix, AZ
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $107,351 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Glendale, AZ
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $107,345 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Austin, TX
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $103,801 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location quotient: 11.83 9. Dallas, TX
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 40 Average annual salary: $102,848 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000 Location quotient: 57.43 10. North Las Vegas, NV
Total petroleum engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $127,449 Lowest 10 percent warn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $188,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for petroleum engineers
- Houston, TX
- Reno, NV
- Las Vegas, NV
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Fort Worth, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- Glendale, AZ
- Austin, TX
- Dallas, TX
- North Las Vegas, NV
- (133 petroleum engineer jobs)
- (2 petroleum engineer jobs)
- (4 petroleum engineer jobs)
- (0 petroleum engineer jobs)
- (6 petroleum engineer jobs)
- (0 petroleum engineer jobs)
- (0 petroleum engineer jobs)
- (9 petroleum engineer jobs)
- (40 petroleum engineer jobs)
- (0 petroleum engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a petroleum engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $103,144 | $69,000 | 2,303,482 | 133 |
| 2 | Reno, NV | $131,380 | $89,000 | 245,255 | 2 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $127,531 | $86,000 | 632,912 | 4 |
| 4 | Scottsdale, AZ | $107,396 | $72,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 5 | Fort Worth, TX | $103,145 | $69,000 | 854,113 | 6 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $107,351 | $72,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 7 | Glendale, AZ | $107,345 | $72,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $103,801 | $69,000 | 947,890 | 9 |
| 9 | Dallas, TX | $102,848 | $69,000 | 1,317,929 | 40 |
| 10 | North Las Vegas, NV | $127,449 | $86,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 11 | Hialeah, FL | $116,194 | $76,000 | 236,387 | - |
| 12 | Henderson, NV | $127,247 | $86,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 13 | Miami, FL | $116,072 | $76,000 | 453,579 | - |
| 14 | Mesa, AZ | $107,098 | $72,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 15 | Plano, TX | $102,381 | $69,000 | 286,057 | 35 |
| 16 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $118,577 | $78,000 | 260,999 | - |
| 17 | Chandler, AZ | $107,051 | $72,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 18 | Tampa, FL | $118,565 | $78,000 | 377,165 | - |
| 19 | Gilbert, AZ | $107,033 | $72,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 20 | Orlando, FL | $118,023 | $78,000 | 277,173 | - |
| 21 | San Antonio, TX | $103,600 | $69,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 22 | Arlington, TX | $103,075 | $69,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 23 | El Paso, TX | $105,922 | $71,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 24 | Jacksonville, FL | $115,551 | $77,000 | 880,619 | - |
| 25 | Irving, TX | $102,834 | $69,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 26 | Anchorage, AK | $109,220 | $76,000 | 298,192 | 28 |
| 27 | Garland, TX | $102,544 | $69,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 28 | Lubbock, TX | $104,736 | $70,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 29 | Corpus Christi, TX | $102,384 | $68,000 | 325,733 | 2 |
| 30 | Tucson, AZ | $106,190 | $71,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 31 | Saint Paul, MN | $105,608 | $72,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 32 | Minneapolis, MN | $105,488 | $72,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 33 | Laredo, TX | $102,617 | $68,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 34 | Brookhaven, NY | $112,993 | $76,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 35 | Islip, NY | $112,959 | $76,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 36 | Seattle, WA | $105,502 | $72,000 | 704,352 | - |
| 37 | Milwaukee, WI | $98,682 | $66,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 38 | Oyster Bay, NY | $112,879 | $76,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 39 | Hempstead, NY | $112,876 | $76,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 40 | New York, NY | $112,801 | $76,000 | 8,537,673 | - |
| 41 | Madison, WI | $97,221 | $66,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 42 | Virginia Beach, VA | $102,251 | $69,000 | 452,602 | - |
| 43 | Norfolk, VA | $102,207 | $69,000 | 245,115 | - |
| 44 | Oklahoma City, OK | $89,997 | $61,000 | 638,367 | 17 |
| 45 | Tulsa, OK | $87,494 | $59,000 | 403,090 | 14 |
| 46 | Chesapeake, VA | $102,038 | $69,000 | 237,940 | - |
| 47 | Durham, NC | $93,719 | $63,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 48 | Buffalo, NY | $111,021 | $74,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 49 | Raleigh, NC | $93,716 | $63,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 50 | Greensboro, NC | $92,685 | $63,000 | 287,027 | - |
Highest paying cities for petroleum engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. petroleum engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $127,531 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $109,220 |
| 3 | Richmond, CA | $107,571 |
| 4 | Odessa, TX | $105,129 |
| 5 | Wallingford, CT | $101,628 |
| 6 | Cambridge, MA | $101,003 |
| 7 | Norman, OK | $90,781 |
| 8 | Albany, OR | $89,469 |
| 9 | Lakewood, CO | $85,713 |
| 10 | Lafayette, LA | $84,859 |
| 11 | Farmington, NM | $63,299 |
| 12 | Charleston, WV | $62,741 |
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Updated January 8, 2025