Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$81,440
- 25th Percentile — Junior$106,270
- 50th Percentile — Median$144,910
- 75th Percentile — Senior$197,920
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$253,200
The top 10% of Petroleum Engineers earn $253,200 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $81,440, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $243,582 | +55.0% |
| District of Columbia (est.) | $238,868 | +52.0% |
| New York (est.) | $216,867 | +38.0% |
| Massachusetts (est.) | $204,295 | +30.0% |
| New Jersey (est.) | $201,152 | +28.0% |
| Alaska | $199,700 | +27.1% |
| Connecticut (est.) | $191,723 | +22.0% |
| Maryland (est.) | $180,722 | +15.0% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $180,722 | +15.0% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $179,151 | +14.0% |
| Oregon (est.) | $176,008 | +12.0% |
| Virginia (est.) | $172,865 | +10.0% |
| Texas | $171,580 | +9.2% |
| Colorado | $170,270 | +8.3% |
| Utah | $169,810 | +8.1% |
| Vermont (est.) | $169,722 | +8.0% |
| Delaware (est.) | $165,008 | +5.0% |
| Illinois (est.) | $165,008 | +5.0% |
| Maine (est.) | $160,293 | +2.0% |
| Nevada (est.) | $160,293 | +2.0% |
| Minnesota (est.) | $157,150 | +0.0% |
| Oklahoma | $155,900 | -0.8% |
| Arizona (est.) | $155,578 | -1.0% |
| Florida (est.) | $154,007 | -2.0% |
| Washington | $149,490 | -4.9% |
| California | $147,940 | -5.9% |
| Georgia (est.) | $146,150 | -7.0% |
| Idaho (est.) | $146,150 | -7.0% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $146,150 | -7.0% |
| Wisconsin (est.) | $144,578 | -8.0% |
| North Carolina (est.) | $143,006 | -9.0% |
| Michigan (est.) | $141,435 | -10.0% |
| South Carolina (est.) | $138,292 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee (est.) | $138,292 | -12.0% |
| Louisiana | $138,270 | -12.0% |
| Alabama (est.) | $136,720 | -13.0% |
| Missouri (est.) | $136,720 | -13.0% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $136,720 | -13.0% |
| Iowa (est.) | $135,149 | -14.0% |
| Indiana (est.) | $133,578 | -15.0% |
| North Dakota | $130,910 | -16.7% |
| Arkansas (est.) | $130,434 | -17.0% |
| Kentucky (est.) | $130,434 | -17.0% |
| Kansas | $128,430 | -18.3% |
| Mississippi (est.) | $125,720 | -20.0% |
| West Virginia | $122,770 | -21.9% |
| Nebraska | $120,870 | -23.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $120,180 | -23.5% |
| Ohio | $111,350 | -29.1% |
| Montana | $111,330 | -29.2% |
| New Mexico | $110,040 | -30.0% |
What Factors Affect Petroleum Engineers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Petroleum Engineers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Alaska pays an average of $199,700, while New Mexico pays $110,040 — a gap of $89,660 per year.
The middle half of Petroleum Engineers earn between $106,270 and $197,920 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $81,440, while the top 10% earn more than $253,200.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Industrial Engineers $109,900/yr United States 30.1% vs this role
- Aerospace Engineers $142,060/yr United States 9.6% vs this role
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Petroleum Engineers?
The average salary for Petroleum Engineers in the United States is $157,150 per year, with a median of $144,910.
What is the starting salary for Petroleum Engineers?
Entry-level Petroleum Engineers typically earn between $81,440 and $106,270 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Petroleum Engineers the most?
Alaska pays Petroleum Engineers the most at $199,700 per year on average, followed by Texas ($171,580) and Colorado ($170,270).
How much do Petroleum Engineers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $157,150, Petroleum Engineers earn approximately $75.55 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Petroleum Engineers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 18,060 Petroleum Engineers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $157,150 and a median of $144,910 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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