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Certified Petroleum Geologist V Salary in the United States

How much does a Certified Petroleum Geologist V make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Certified Petroleum Geologist V in the United States is $253,300 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $122.

However, a Certified Petroleum Geologist V's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $276,225
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $249,700 to $265,300
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $246,422
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Certified Petroleum Geologist V Salaries

A Certified Petroleum Geologist V's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Certified Petroleum Geologist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Certified Petroleum Geologist V's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Certified Petroleum Geologist II (2-4 years): $145,189
  • Certified Petroleum Geologist III (4-7 years): $165,816
  • Certified Petroleum Geologist IV (7+ years): $211,436
  • Certified Petroleum Geologist V (7-10 years): $253,202
  • Exploration Geologist Manager (10+ years): $202,141
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Certified Petroleum Geologist II2-4 years$145,189
Certified Petroleum Geologist III4-7 years$165,816
Certified Petroleum Geologist IV7+ years$211,436
Certified Petroleum Geologist V7-10 years$253,202
Exploration Geologist Manager10+ years$202,141
View as Graph

How Do Certified Petroleum Geologist V Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Certified Petroleum Geologist Vs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $280,400.
  • California: $279,300.
  • Massachusetts: $275,600.

Top Paying Cities for Certified Petroleum Geologist Vs

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $319,400
  • San Francisco: $315,900
  • Oakland: $309,300

What Skills Can Increase a Certified Petroleum Geologist V's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 20% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Data Analysis (Mentioned in 5.71% Job Postings): Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, and is used in different business, science, and social science domains. In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively. Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes, while business intelligence covers data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing mainly on business information. In statistical applications, data analysis can be divided into descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new features in the data while CDA focuses on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive analytics focuses on application of statistical models for predictive forecasting or classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All of the above are varieties of data analysis.
  • Oil and Gas Exploration (Mentioned in 5.71% Job Postings): Hydrocarbon exploration (or oil and gas exploration) is the search by petroleum geologists and geophysicists for deposits of hydrocarbons, particularly petroleum and natural gas, in the Earth using petroleum geology.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 20%
Data Analysis 5.71%
Oil and Gas Exploration 5.71%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Certified Petroleum Geologist V's salary.

  • Geology: Can increase your salary by up to 0%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Geology $253,300
0%
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Certified Petroleum Geologist V Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Certified Petroleum Geologist V salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $294,299. While startup companies pay approximate $249,268.

Certified Petroleum Geologist V Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $249,268
Growth Stage 51~500 $263,524
Established 501~5000 $284,309
Enterprise 5000+ $294,299

How Education impacts a Certified Petroleum Geologist V's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Certified Petroleum Geologist Vs enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Certified Petroleum Geologist V with a Bachelor's Degree is between $239,925 and $249,106).

Certified Petroleum Geologist V Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Certified Petroleum Geologist V
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 20.0%
High School 60.0%
Associates 20.0%
Bachelors 20.0%
Masters 60.0%
Doctorate 20.0%
View as Graph

Certified Petroleum Geologist V Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Certified Petroleum Geologist V's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$249,700
Average $253,300/year
$265,300
$20,808
Average $21,108/month
$22,108
$4,802
Average $4,871/week
$5,102
$120
Average $122/hour
$128
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $265,300 $22,108 $5,102 $128
Average $253,300 $21,108 $4,871 $122
25th Percentile $249,700 $20,808 $4,802 $120

Certified Petroleum Geologist V Salary Growth & Career Path

Certified Petroleum Geologist V

Next Role

For a Certified Petroleum Geologist V, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Exploration Geologist Manager role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $202,200 - a projected growth of -20% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Certified Petroleum Geologist V

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Certified Petroleum Geologist V

Here are companies hiring for Certified Petroleum Geologist V and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Certified Petroleum Geologist V

1. How much do oil geologists make?

Oil geologists can expect to earn between $231,600 and $262,300 annually, with a median salary of approximately $250,100. This reflects the specialized skills and expertise required in the field, highlighting the significant earning potential for certified professionals in petroleum geology.

2. Do oil companies hire geologists?

Yes, oil companies do hire geologists. They are essential for exploring and managing natural resources. Salaries for Certified Petroleum Geologists typically range from a minimum of $231,600 to a maximum of $262,300, with a mid-salary around $250,100, reflecting the high demand and specialized skills required in the industry.

3. What is the highest paying job?

The highest paying job is a Certified Petroleum Geologist, with a salary range from $231,600 to $262,300. The average salary is approximately $250,100, making it one of the top positions in the industry. This role offers significant financial rewards, reflecting the expertise and skills required in the field of petroleum geology.

4. What is the highest paying oil field job?

The highest paying oil field job is the Certified Petroleum Geologist, with a salary range from $231,600 to $262,300, and a mid-salary of $250,100. Other high-paying roles include Chief Operating Officer (average $832,181) and Chief Financial Officer (average $439,441), but the Certified Petroleum Geologist remains a top contender in the industry.

5. Does NASA hire geologists?

Yes, NASA hires geologists as part of its diverse team, which includes various scientific disciplines. These professionals contribute significantly to NASA's mission, working on innovative projects like designing instruments for space exploration. The salary for a Certified Petroleum Geologist ranges from $231,600 to $262,300, reflecting the expertise and value they bring to such roles.

6. How to become a Petroleum Geologist?

To become a Certified Petroleum Geologist, you need to be an active AAPG member, hold a geology degree from a recognized institution, and have at least 8 years of relevant experience. You must also demonstrate high professional and ethical standards and obtain board approval. The salary for this role ranges from $231,600 to $262,300, with a median of $250,100.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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