The average salary for a petroleum engineer in the United States is around $137,720 per year.
Avg Salary
Petroleum engineers earn an average yearly salary of $137,720.
Wages typically start from $79,270 and go up to $239,268.
129% above national average Updated in 2019
Petroleum engineer earnings by seniority
Top-level petroleum engineer earnings begin at:
$115.03 per hour
$239,268 per year
Senior-level petroleum engineer earnings begin at:
$88.55 per hour
$184,184 per year
Mid-level petroleum engineer earnings begin at:
$66.21 per hour
$137,720 per year
Junior-level petroleum engineer earnings begin at:
$49.51 per hour
$102,977 per year
Starting level petroleum engineer earnings begin at:
$38.11 per hour
$79,270 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Petroleum engineer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | $93,430 |
| Georgia | $91,080 |
| New Mexico | $88,380 |
| Ohio | $82,760 |
| Indiana | $181,290 |
| New Jersey | $180,320 |
| Texas | $151,360 |
| Arizona | $148,830 |
| Alaska | $141,150 |
| Colorado | $136,590 |
| Washington | $135,480 |
| California | $132,680 |
| Illinois | $130,100 |
| Oklahoma | $129,100 |
| Louisiana | $128,990 |
| Montana | $125,920 |
| Pennsylvania | $122,510 |
| Virginia | $119,800 |
| Utah | $118,610 |
| Hawaii | $118,200 |
| North Dakota | $117,770 |
| Michigan | $112,240 |
| Alabama | $110,440 |
| Arkansas | $110,410 |
| Kansas | $110,210 |
| Wyoming | $104,420 |
| Missouri | $101,830 |
How much does a Petroleum Engineer earn?
People may not immediately think about becoming a petroleum engineer but that is perhaps because they do not realize the potential salary. Petroleum engineering salaries can be very high due to the fact that the engineer can have a huge impact on a company’s profitability. A petroleum engineering starting salary with a bachelor’s degree is going to pay on average $75,000 and $95,000 depending on the company and location - this is one of the best starting salaries that a university graduate could hope to get and it looks to remain strong for the near future.
The average salary of petroleum engineers in the top 10 states all pay well over $100k. The top paying metropolitan cities are mainly located in Texas, Dallas, Plano, and Irving. Utah has the lowest salary for petroleum engineering at $97,960.
The top five highest paying petroleum engineering industries are in: Oil and Gas Extraction, Management of Companies and Enterprises, Basic Chemical Manufacturing, Scientific Research and Developmental Services, and Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers.
How do petroleum engineer salaries compare to similar careers?
Petroleum engineers earn 30% more than similar careers in the United States.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Computer hardware engineer salary | $117K |
| Aerospace engineer salary | $110K |
| Chemical engineer salary | $106K |
| Nuclear engineer salary | $106K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)