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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for petroleum engineers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for petroleum engineer jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay. Our research found that Delaware is the best state for petroleum engineers, while Nevada and Rhode Island are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Delaware has a median salary of $120,081 and Nevada has the highest median salary among all 50 states for petroleum engineers.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for petroleum engineers. Our research put Nevada at no. 1 on the list of best paying states for petroleum engineers. Rhode Island, Delaware, and New Hampshire also ranked high on our list.

Here Are the Best States for Petroleum Engineers In 2023:

1. Delaware

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
76
Average Annual Salary:$120,081
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$81,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$176,000
Location Quotient:
1.75

2. Nevada

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
73
Average Annual Salary:$127,888
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$87,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$187,000
Location Quotient:
1.01

3. District of Columbia

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
191
Average Annual Salary:$119,427
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$81,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$175,000
Location Quotient:
3.29

4. Arizona

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
225
Average Annual Salary:$107,148
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$73,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$157,000
Location Quotient:
1.11

5. Florida

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
509
Average Annual Salary:$116,832
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$77,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$175,000
Location Quotient:
0.94

6. Alaska

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
34
Average Annual Salary:$108,996
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$76,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$154,000
Location Quotient:
1.18

7. New Hampshire

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
50
Average Annual Salary:$118,998
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$80,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$176,000
Location Quotient:
0.83

8. Washington

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
395
Average Annual Salary:$104,652
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$71,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$152,000
Location Quotient:
1.56

9. Wyoming

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
24
Average Annual Salary:$99,488
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$68,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$144,000
Location Quotient:
1.16

10. Texas

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
638
Average Annual Salary:$103,254
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$70,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$152,000
Location Quotient:
0.91

Petroleum Engineer JobsNear Ashburn, VA

11. Rhode Island

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
26
Average Annual Salary:$120,843
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$81,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$178,000
Location Quotient:
0.62

12. New York

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
401
Average Annual Salary:$112,628
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$76,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$165,000
Location Quotient:
0.9

13. Virginia

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
632
Average Annual Salary:$102,228
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$69,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$149,000
Location Quotient:
1.94

14. Minnesota

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
181
Average Annual Salary:$105,363
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$72,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$153,000
Location Quotient:
0.79

15. Vermont

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
41
Average Annual Salary:$98,041
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$65,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$145,000
Location Quotient:
1.55

16. California

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
1,533
Average Annual Salary:$103,545
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$70,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$152,000
Location Quotient:
1.52

17. Idaho

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
58
Average Annual Salary:$98,697
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$67,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$143,000
Location Quotient:
1.02

18. Montana

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
39
Average Annual Salary:$98,533
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$67,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$142,000
Location Quotient:
0.98

19. Massachusetts

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
306
Average Annual Salary:$101,052
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$68,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$149,000
Location Quotient:
0.96

20. Maine

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
34
Average Annual Salary:$101,114
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$67,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$150,000
Location Quotient:
0.74

Petroleum Engineer Jobs In The Top 10 States

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21. Connecticut

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
90
Average Annual Salary:$101,535
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$68,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$149,000
Location Quotient:
0.79

22. Wisconsin

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
128
Average Annual Salary:$98,531
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$67,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$144,000
Location Quotient:
0.67

23. South Carolina

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
115
Average Annual Salary:$97,351
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$66,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$142,000
Location Quotient:
0.74

24. North Carolina

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
277
Average Annual Salary:$91,868
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$62,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$134,000
Location Quotient:
0.83

25. Oregon

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
223
Average Annual Salary:$89,015
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$61,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$129,000
Location Quotient:
1.56

26. Maryland

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
331
Average Annual Salary:$89,728
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$61,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$131,000
Location Quotient:
1.51

27. Mississippi

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
46
Average Annual Salary:$93,335
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$63,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$137,000
Location Quotient:
0.63

28. Nebraska

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
83
Average Annual Salary:$86,859
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$59,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$126,000
Location Quotient:
1.08

29. Oklahoma

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
80
Average Annual Salary:$89,310
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$60,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$131,000
Location Quotient:
0.75

30. Michigan

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
203
Average Annual Salary:$87,581
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$59,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$128,000
Location Quotient:
0.76

31. Hawaii

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
31
Average Annual Salary:$89,788
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$60,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$132,000
Location Quotient:
1.07

32. Illinois

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
360
Average Annual Salary:$88,310
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$60,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$129,000
Location Quotient:
0.87

33. Colorado

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
299
Average Annual Salary:$85,796
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$58,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$124,000
Location Quotient:
1.45

34. New Jersey

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
168
Average Annual Salary:$96,917
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$65,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$142,000
Location Quotient:
0.61

35. Indiana

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
175
Average Annual Salary:$84,741
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$57,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$124,000
Location Quotient:
0.77

36. Georgia

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
356
Average Annual Salary:$79,568
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$54,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$116,000
Location Quotient:
1

37. Iowa

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
81
Average Annual Salary:$84,541
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$58,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$123,000
Location Quotient:
0.65

38. Missouri

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
102
Average Annual Salary:$87,337
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$59,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$127,000
Location Quotient:
0.5

39. Louisiana

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
77
Average Annual Salary:$84,308
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$56,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$125,000
Location Quotient:
0.7

40. Utah

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
126
Average Annual Salary:$68,155
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$46,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$99,000
Location Quotient:
1.14

41. Pennsylvania

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
242
Average Annual Salary:$84,034
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$57,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$123,000
Location Quotient:
0.6

42. Ohio

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
221
Average Annual Salary:$79,879
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$54,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$117,000
Location Quotient:
0.63

43. Kansas

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
65
Average Annual Salary:$82,914
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$56,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$120,000
Location Quotient:
0.62

44. Alabama

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
131
Average Annual Salary:$66,156
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$44,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$97,000
Location Quotient:
0.86

45. South Dakota

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
27
Average Annual Salary:$74,820
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$51,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$108,000
Location Quotient:
0.73

46. Tennessee

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
127
Average Annual Salary:$78,687
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$53,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$114,000
Location Quotient:
0.63

47. North Dakota

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
23
Average Annual Salary:$67,424
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$46,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$97,000
Location Quotient:
0.72

48. West Virginia

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
38
Average Annual Salary:$63,606
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$43,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$93,000
Location Quotient:
0.72

49. Arkansas

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
71
Average Annual Salary:$55,784
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$38,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$81,000
Location Quotient:
0.78

50. New Mexico

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
44
Average Annual Salary:$63,561
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$43,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$93,000
Location Quotient:
0.65

51. Kentucky

Total Petroleum Engineer Jobs:
70
Average Annual Salary:$59,029
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:$40,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:$86,000
Location Quotient:
0.55

The 10 Best States In The US For Petroleum Engineers in 2022

  1. Delaware
  2. Nevada
  3. District of Columbia
  4. Arizona
  5. Florida
  6. Alaska
  7. New Hampshire
  8. Washington
  9. Wyoming
  10. Texas
  • (76 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
  • (73 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
  • (191 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
  • (225 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
  • (509 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
  • (34 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
  • (50 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
  • (395 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
  • (24 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
  • (638 Petroleum Engineer Jobs)
We found that Delaware is the best state for petroleum engineers, and Rhode Island is also high in terms of median salary. Our calculations are based on higher annual income for petroleum engineer jobs, and having plenty of job openings as well. Ready to check out the list? See below.

How We Determined The Best States To Be A Petroleum Engineer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed List Of The Best States For A Petroleum Engineer

RankStateAverage SalaryLowest 10% EarnPopulationJob Count
1Delaware$120,081$81,000961,93976
2Nevada$127,888$87,0002,998,03973
3District of Columbia$119,427$81,000693,972191
4Arizona$107,148$73,0007,016,270225
5Florida$116,832$77,00020,984,400509
6Alaska$108,996$76,000739,79534
7New Hampshire$118,998$80,0001,342,79550
8Washington$104,652$71,0007,405,743395
9Wyoming$99,488$68,000579,31524
10Texas$103,254$70,00028,304,596638
11Rhode Island$120,843$81,0001,059,63926
12New York$112,628$76,00019,849,399401
13Virginia$102,228$69,0008,470,020632
14Minnesota$105,363$72,0005,576,606181
15Vermont$98,041$65,000623,65741
16California$103,545$70,00039,536,6531,533
17Idaho$98,697$67,0001,716,94358
18Montana$98,533$67,0001,050,49339
19Massachusetts$101,052$68,0006,859,819306
20Maine$101,114$67,0001,335,90734
21Connecticut$101,535$68,0003,588,18490
22Wisconsin$98,531$67,0005,795,483128
23South Carolina$97,351$66,0005,024,369115
24North Carolina$91,868$62,00010,273,419277
25Oregon$89,015$61,0004,142,776223
26Maryland$89,728$61,0006,052,177331
27Mississippi$93,335$63,0002,984,10046
28Nebraska$86,859$59,0001,920,07683
29Oklahoma$89,310$60,0003,930,86480
30Michigan$87,581$59,0009,962,311203
31Hawaii$89,788$60,0001,427,53831
32Illinois$88,310$60,00012,802,023360
33Colorado$85,796$58,0005,607,154299
34New Jersey$96,917$65,0009,005,644168
35Indiana$84,741$57,0006,666,818175
36Georgia$79,568$54,00010,429,379356
37Iowa$84,541$58,0003,145,71181
38Missouri$87,337$59,0006,113,532102
39Louisiana$84,308$56,0004,684,33377
40Utah$68,155$46,0003,101,833126
41Pennsylvania$84,034$57,00012,805,537242
42Ohio$79,879$54,00011,658,609221
43Kansas$82,914$56,0002,913,12365
44Alabama$66,156$44,0004,874,747131
45South Dakota$74,820$51,000869,66627
46Tennessee$78,687$53,0006,715,984127
47North Dakota$67,424$46,000755,39323
48West Virginia$63,606$43,0001,815,85738
49Arkansas$55,784$38,0003,004,27971
50New Mexico$63,561$43,0002,088,07044
51Kentucky$59,029$40,0004,454,18970

Highest paying states for Petroleum Engineers

RankStateAvg. Petroleum Engineer Salary
1Delaware$120,081
2Nevada$127,888
3District of Columbia$119,427
4Arizona$107,148
5Florida$116,832
6Alaska$108,996
7New Hampshire$118,998
8Washington$104,652
9Wyoming$99,488
10Texas$103,254
11Rhode Island$120,843
12New York$112,628
13Virginia$102,228
14Minnesota$105,363
15Vermont$98,041
16California$103,545
17Idaho$98,697
18Montana$98,533
19Massachusetts$101,052
20Maine$101,114
21Connecticut$101,535
22Wisconsin$98,531
23South Carolina$97,351
24North Carolina$91,868
25Oregon$89,015
26Maryland$89,728
27Mississippi$93,335
28Nebraska$86,859
29Oklahoma$89,310
30Michigan$87,581
31Hawaii$89,788
32Illinois$88,310
33Colorado$85,796
34New Jersey$96,917
35Indiana$84,741
36Georgia$79,568
37Iowa$84,541
38Missouri$87,337
39Louisiana$84,308
40Utah$68,155
41Pennsylvania$84,034
42Ohio$79,879
43Kansas$82,914
44Alabama$66,156
45South Dakota$74,820
46Tennessee$78,687
47North Dakota$67,424
48West Virginia$63,606
49Arkansas$55,784
50New Mexico$63,561
51Kentucky$59,029
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