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Petroleum Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Petroleum Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Petroleum Engineer in the United States is $118,072 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $57.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $134,519
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $106,178 to $126,681
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $95,349
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Petroleum Engineer Salaries

A Petroleum Engineer'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 Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Petroleum Engineer'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $117,439
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $138,196
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $171,257
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $190,612
  • Expert (over 8 years): $227,628
Levels Salary
Petroleum... Level Petroleum Engineer$117,439
Drilling ... Level Petroleum Engineer$138,196
Drilling ... Level Petroleum Engineer$171,257
Drilling ... Level Petroleum Engineer$190,612
Drilling ... Level Petroleum Engineer$227,628
View as Graph

How Do Petroleum Engineer 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 Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $130,729.
  • California: $130,233.
  • Massachusetts: $128,498.

Top Paying Cities for Petroleum Engineers

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: $148,924
  • San Francisco: $147,294
  • Oakland: $144,190

What Skills Can Increase a Petroleum Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 8.7% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • FOCUS (Mentioned in 2.61% Job Postings): Focus is the thinking skill that allows people to begin a task without procrastination and then maintain their attention and effort until the task is complete.
  • Safety Management (Mentioned in 2.61% Job Postings): Applying safety principles, framework, processes, and measures to prevent accidents, injuries, and other adverse consequences.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 8.7%
FOCUS 2.61%
Safety Management 2.61%
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 Engineer's salary.

  • Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 31%.
  • Customer Satisfaction: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Continuous Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Process Improvement $154,674
31%
Customer Satisfaction $142,867
21%
Continuous Learning $139,325
18%
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Petroleum Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Petroleum Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 52% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Finance & Insurance sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Petroleum Engineer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Petroleum Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Petroleum Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$153,494$74.030%
Finance & Insurance$147,590$71.025%
Information Technology$141,686$68.020%
Mining$135,783$65.015%
Professional Services$123,976$60.05%

How Education impacts a Petroleum Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Petroleum Engineers 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 Petroleum Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $104,752 and $109,625).

Petroleum Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Petroleum Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.9%
High School 3.9%
Associates 35.3%
Bachelors 60.8%
Masters 35.3%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Petroleum Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Petroleum Engineer'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
$106,178
Average $118,072/year
$126,681
$8,848
Average $9,839/month
$10,557
$2,042
Average $2,271/week
$2,436
$51
Average $57/hour
$61
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $126,681 $10,557 $2,436 $61
Average $118,072 $9,839 $2,271 $57
25th Percentile $106,178 $8,848 $2,042 $51

Most common benefits for Petroleum Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Petroleum Engineer

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

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FAQ about Petroleum Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Petroleum Engineer?

The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Petroleum Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

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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