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The differences between petroleum engineers and specialist field engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a petroleum engineer and a specialist field engineer. Additionally, a petroleum engineer has an average salary of $99,505, which is higher than the $56,430 average annual salary of a specialist field engineer.
The top three skills for a petroleum engineer include reservoir engineering, eclipse and production engineering. The most important skills for a specialist field engineer are oil gas, technical support, and customer support.
| Petroleum Engineer | Specialist Field Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,505 | $56,430 |
| Hourly rate | $47.84 | $27.13 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 15,188 | 85,618 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A petroleum engineer is responsible for developing safe and efficient extracting procedures of drilling oil and gas from the underground surface. Petroleum engineers inspect the safety and stability of tools and equipment before and after every operation, conducting preventive maintenance with the machinery for its optimal performance. They also evaluate the specifications and measurements of the location by studying blueprints and analyzing statistical surveys. A petroleum engineer must have excellent analytical and organizational skills, especially when implementing drilling operations and resolving inconsistencies and equipment failures.
A specialist field engineer works in construction areas or factories. They conduct on-site research, diagnose machinery problems, and make repairs. They also install new systems as necessary. They prepare purchase agreements, confidentiality agreements, and reports.
Petroleum engineers and specialist field engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Petroleum Engineer | Specialist Field Engineer | |
| Average salary | $99,505 | $56,430 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $150,000 | Between $40,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | - |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | - |
| Best paying company | Berry Petroleum Company | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a petroleum engineer and a specialist field engineer in terms of educational background:
| Petroleum Engineer | Specialist Field Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between petroleum engineers' and specialist field engineers' demographics:
| Petroleum Engineer | Specialist Field Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 17.2% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 17.1% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |