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Petroleum Geologist V Salary in the United States

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

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Petroleum Geologist V in the United States is $253,202 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $122.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $276,177
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $249,632 to $265,228
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $246,382
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Petroleum Geologist V Salaries

A 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 Petroleum Geologist V Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a 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:

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

How Do 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 Petroleum Geologist Vs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $280,345.
  • California: $279,282.
  • Massachusetts: $275,560.

Top Paying Cities for 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: $319,364
  • San Francisco: $315,867
  • Oakland: $309,210

What Skills Can Increase a 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 Petroleum Geologist V's salary.

  • Geology: Can increase your salary by up to 0%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Geology $253,202
0%
Get Latest Data

Petroleum Geologist V Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

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 $294,185. While startup companies pay approximate $249,172.

Petroleum Geologist V Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $249,172
Growth Stage 51~500 $263,422
Established 501~5000 $284,199
Enterprise 5000+ $294,185

How Education impacts a Petroleum Geologist V's Salary?

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

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Petroleum Geologist V with a Bachelor's Degree is between $240,943 and $250,180.

Petroleum Geologist V Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for 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

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

Understanding how a 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
$249,632
Average $253,202/year
$265,228
$20,803
Average $21,100/month
$22,102
$4,801
Average $4,869/week
$5,101
$120
Average $122/hour
$128
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $265,228 $22,102 $5,101 $128
Average $253,202 $21,100 $4,869 $122
25th Percentile $249,632 $20,803 $4,801 $120

Petroleum Geologist V Salary Growth & Career Path

Petroleum Geologist V

Next Role

For a Petroleum Geologist V, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Petroleum Geologist Manager role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $202,141 - a projected growth of -20% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Petroleum Geologist V

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

Common company salaries for Petroleum Geologist V

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

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FAQ about Petroleum Geologist V

1. Where can a Petroleum Geologist V earn the most?

A Petroleum Geologist V's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Petroleum Geologist V earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Petroleum Geologist V is $319,364.

2. What is the highest pay for Petroleum Geologist V?

The highest pay for Petroleum Geologist V is $276,177.

3. What is the lowest pay for Petroleum Geologist V?

The lowest pay for Petroleum Geologist V is $246,382.

4. What are the responsibilities of Petroleum Geologist V?

Studies and examines variations in rock formations and mineral samples to identify and manage gas and oil deposits. Collects samples and utilizes seismic imaging, geological surveys, and subsurface mapping technologies to survey and assess potential drilling locations. Determines optimal locations for drilling wells, recommends methods for extracting oil and gas, and troubleshoots and resolves problems that arise during drilling operations. Interprets analyses, field tests, and lab results to estimate the quality, size, and depth of carbon deposits. Analyzes the integrity of wells to determine the feasibility of drilling. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a manager. Works autonomously. Goals are generally communicated in "solution" or project goal terms. May provide a leadership role for the work group through knowledge in the area of specialization. Works on advanced, complex technical projects or business issues requiring state of the art technical or industry knowledge. Typically requires 10+ years of related experience.

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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