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Petroleum engineer salary
Average petroleum engineer salary
$99,505
Understanding Petroleum Engineer Salaries
The average salary for a petroleum engineer in the United States is $99,505 per year, or approximately $48 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and specific job roles within the industry. For instance, petroleum engineers in states like Texas and California often earn higher salaries due to the concentration of oil and gas production in those areas.
Salary Variations by State
In addition to location, the level of experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level positions may start around $70,000, while seasoned professionals can earn well over $120,000 annually. The highest paying states typically include:
- Texas
- California
- Alaska
- North Dakota
- Louisiana
As the energy industry evolves, petroleum engineers with advanced skills in technology and environmental management are increasingly sought after. This creates numerous opportunities for career advancement and higher earning potential, making it an appealing field for aspiring engineers.
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Where can a Petroleum Engineer earn more?
Petroleum engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average petroleum engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for petroleum engineers are Nevada, Rhode Island, and Delaware. The lowest average petroleum engineer salary states are North Dakota, Alabama, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for petroleum engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $120,081 | $57.73 |
| 2 | Nevada | $127,888 | $61.48 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $119,427 | $57.42 |
| 4 | Arizona | $107,148 | $51.51 |
| 5 | Florida | $116,832 | $56.17 |
| 6 | Alaska | $108,996 | $52.40 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $118,998 | $57.21 |
| 8 | Washington | $104,652 | $50.31 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $99,488 | $47.83 |
| 10 | Texas | $103,254 | $49.64 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $120,843 | $58.10 |
| 12 | New York | $112,628 | $54.15 |
| 13 | Virginia | $102,228 | $49.15 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $105,363 | $50.66 |
| 15 | Vermont | $98,041 | $47.14 |
| 16 | California | $103,545 | $49.78 |
| 17 | Idaho | $98,697 | $47.45 |
| 18 | Montana | $98,533 | $47.37 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $101,052 | $48.58 |
| 20 | Maine | $101,114 | $48.61 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $101,535 | $48.81 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $98,531 | $47.37 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $97,351 | $46.80 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $91,868 | $44.17 |
| 25 | Oregon | $89,015 | $42.80 |
| 26 | Maryland | $89,728 | $43.14 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $93,335 | $44.87 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $86,859 | $41.76 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $89,310 | $42.94 |
| 30 | Michigan | $87,581 | $42.11 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $89,788 | $43.17 |
| 32 | Illinois | $88,310 | $42.46 |
| 33 | Colorado | $85,796 | $41.25 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $96,917 | $46.59 |
| 35 | Indiana | $84,741 | $40.74 |
| 36 | Georgia | $79,568 | $38.25 |
| 37 | Iowa | $84,541 | $40.64 |
| 38 | Missouri | $87,337 | $41.99 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $84,308 | $40.53 |
| 40 | Utah | $68,155 | $32.77 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | $84,034 | $40.40 |
| 42 | Ohio | $79,879 | $38.40 |
| 43 | Kansas | $82,914 | $39.86 |
| 44 | Alabama | $66,156 | $31.81 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $74,820 | $35.97 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $78,687 | $37.83 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $67,424 | $32.42 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $63,606 | $30.58 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $55,784 | $26.82 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $63,561 | $30.56 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $59,029 | $28.38 |
Highest paying cities for petroleum engineers
The highest-paying cities for petroleum engineers are Las Vegas, NV, Anchorage, AK, and Richmond, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $127,531 | $61.31 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $109,220 | $52.51 |
| 3 | Richmond, CA | $107,571 | $51.72 |
| 4 | Odessa, TX | $105,129 | $50.54 |
| 5 | Wallingford, CT | $101,628 | $48.86 |
| 6 | Cambridge, MA | $101,003 | $48.56 |
| 7 | Norman, OK | $90,781 | $43.64 |
| 8 | Albany, OR | $89,469 | $43.01 |
| 9 | Lakewood, CO | $85,713 | $41.21 |
| 10 | Lafayette, LA | $84,859 | $40.80 |
| 11 | Farmington, NM | $63,299 | $30.43 |
| 12 | Charleston, WV | $62,741 | $30.16 |
Petroleum engineer salary details
A petroleum engineer's salary ranges from $65,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $150,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a petroleum engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $150,000 | $12,500 | $72 |
| 75th Percentile | $123,000 | $10,250 | $59 |
| Average | $99,505 | $8,292 | $48 |
| 25th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
Highest paying petroleum engineer jobs
The highest paying types of petroleum engineers are completion engineer, reservoir engineer, and drilling engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gas Analyst | $72,163 | $6,014 | $34.69 | 12,120 |
| Drilling Fluids Engineer | $89,974 | $7,498 | $43.26 | 5,121 |
| Lead Field Engineer | $72,264 | $6,022 | $34.74 | 63,711 |
| Office Engineer | $89,581 | $7,465 | $43.07 | 59,644 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Construction Engineer | $74,680 | $6,223 | $35.90 | 51,380 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for petroleum engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Rudisill
Department Head and Professor of Engineering Technology, Northern Michigan University
Top companies hiring petroleum engineers now:
Which companies pay petroleum engineers the most?
Petroleum engineer salaries at Berry Petroleum Company and Shell are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average petroleum engineer salary at companies like Exxon Mobil and Hess are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berry Petroleum Company | $165,887 | $79.75 |
| 2 | Shell Trading | $161,074 | $77.44 |
| 3 | Exxon Mobil | $144,609 | $69.52 |
| 4 | Hess | $142,924 | $68.71 |
| 5 | Chevron | $142,556 | $68.54 |
| 6 | BP America Inc | $136,819 | $65.78 |
| 7 | Marathon Oil | $136,603 | $65.67 |
| 8 | Sanchez Oil & Gas | $136,467 | $65.61 |
| 9 | Cimarex Energy Co. | $135,319 | $65.06 |
| 10 | Occidental Petroleum | $129,952 | $62.48 |
| 11 | Aera Energy | $129,783 | $62.40 |
| 12 | Mewbourne Oil Co | $128,162 | $61.62 |
| 13 | Morgan Stanley | $125,093 | $60.14 |
| 14 | Cudd Energy Services | $124,935 | $60.06 |
| 15 | Baker Hughes | $120,324 | $57.85 |
| 16 | Halliburton | $120,230 | $57.80 |
| 17 | Aramco Services Company | $115,779 | $55.66 |
| 18 | Populus Group | $112,149 | $53.92 |
| 19 | The Sinclair Companies | $112,099 | $53.89 |
| 20 | EnerVest | $110,913 | $53.32 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Petroleum engineer salary trends
The average petroleum engineer salary has risen by $10,905 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average petroleum engineer earned $88,600 annually, but today, they earn $99,505 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for petroleum engineers over the last decade.
Compare petroleum engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average petroleum engineer salary over time
Compare petroleum engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Petroleum engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $99,500 | $47.84 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | $99,800 | $47.97 | +0.4% |
| 2023 | $99,400 | $47.78 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $95,800 | $46.08 | +3.1% |
| 2021 | $92,900 | $44.67 | -1.4% |
Recently added petroleum engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East West Bank | Petroleum Engineer | Dallas, TX | 05/06/2025 | $100,000 |
| Onestep Power Solutions, Inc. | Principal Petroleum Engineer | Houston, TX | 03/13/2025 | $166,960 |
| Department of The Interior | Petroleum Engineer | Washington, DC | 01/14/2025 | $121,534 |
| Magnum Producing, LP | Petroleum Engineer | Corpus Christi, TX | 12/12/2024 | $135,075 |
| North Dakota | Petroleum Engineer Rigs | Williston, ND | 12/11/2024 | $53,400 |
| Bureau of Ocean Energy Management | Supervisory Geologist/Geophysicist/Petroleum Engineer | Noble, LA | 12/10/2024 | $141,215 |
| State of North Dakota | Petroleum Engineer Rigs | Williston, ND | 12/07/2024 | $53,400 |
| Department of The Interior | Supervisory Petroleum Engineer | Lafayette, LA | 11/23/2024 | $141,215 |
| Joshi Technologies International, Inc. | Petroleum Engineer | Tulsa, OK | 11/13/2024 | $123,000 |
| Oilandgas.org.Uk | Petroleum Engineer | New Orleans, LA | 10/24/2024 | $100,495 |
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