Petroleum Engineer salary: $144,910 median, and how to negotiate yours.
The full pay range by percentile, the 15 states with BLS estimates, the top-paying metro areas and similar roles, from the latest BLS survey. Place your own offer on the range.
The median annual wage for petroleum engineers in the United States was $144,910 in May 2025 (BLS). The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $81,440 and the top 10% earned more than $253,200. That median is 2.8 times the $50,980 median for all occupations. The highest-paying state was Alaska ($206,290).
- 10th percentile
- $81,440
- lowest-paid 10% earn less
- 25th percentile
- $106,270
- a quarter earn less
- 75th percentile
- $197,920
- a quarter earn more
- 90th percentile
- $253,200
- top 10% earn more
More on petroleum engineer pay
The median hourly wage for petroleum engineers in the United States was $69.67 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
The middle half of petroleum engineers in the United States earned between $106,270 and $197,920 a year in May 2025 (25th to 75th percentile, BLS).
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
The lowest-paid 10% of petroleum engineers in the United States earned less than $81,440 a year in May 2025, and the top 10% more than $253,200 (BLS).
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
The mean annual wage for petroleum engineers in the United States was $157,150 in May 2025, according to BLS; the mean is a different measure from the median.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS estimated that 18,060 people were employed as petroleum engineers in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Petroleum Engineer salary in the 15 states with BLS estimates
Data BLS state estimates, May 2025. 16 states and DC published a median for this occupation. Sort by pay or by number employed.
- Alaska$206,290
- Utah$172,840
- Colorado$172,190
- Texas$164,860
- Oklahoma$153,020
- Texas9,140
- Oklahoma1,450
- Colorado1,390
- California1,060
- Louisiana710
| State | 10th–90th percentile | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $206,290 | $129,150–$277,360 | 280 |
| Utah | $172,840 | $101,490–$212,590 | 280 |
| Colorado | $172,190 | $92,590–$264,960 | 1,390 |
| Texas | $164,860 | $89,990–$283,500 | 9,140 |
| Oklahoma | $153,020 | $86,990–$221,320 | 1,450 |
| California | $143,590 | $61,780–$207,370 | 1,060 |
| Louisiana | $139,640 | $43,440–$221,800 | 710 |
| Washington | $134,800 | $107,690–$184,360 | 190 |
| North Dakota | $132,120 | $82,530–$170,040 | 130 |
| Kansas | $115,640 | $65,510–$195,300 | 110 |
| Montana | $104,060 | $77,450–$155,590 | n/a |
| Pennsylvania | $101,880 | $77,220–$175,130 | 600 |
| Nebraska | $100,800 | $80,880–$165,490 | 150 |
| New Mexico | $99,900 | $76,140–$151,750 | 260 |
| Ohio | $99,260 | $79,010–$139,440 | 200 |
| West Virginia | $93,360 | $79,860–$220,130 | 380 |
BLS publishes petroleum engineer pay estimates for 15 states, which together employ 90% of the occupation nationally (May 2025); states without a published estimate are not shown.
Where the median is highest
Data Metropolitan areas with at least 100 people employed in the occupation, BLS May 2025.
How the pay compares
Data National medians for related occupations (O*NET related roles, BLS pay).
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Our view If you cite market data, cite this page's source: the BLS median for your state and the percentile your offer sits at. A specific, sourced number is easier to agree to than a feeling.
How this page is built
Wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates for May 2025 (national, state and metropolitan area), for the occupation shown. OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay: they include base pay, commissions, production bonuses and tips, and exclude overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits. Percentiles describe all workers in the occupation, not entry or senior levels.
- Pay at a specific employer, or for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
- Experience level: percentiles are not seniority bands.
- Equity, bonuses outside OEWS's definition, and benefits.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
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