Petroleum Engineering
Engineering
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $102,500 | $96,954 to $115,187 | 20 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +6% (2025 to 2035), about 19,800 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $171,270 | +5.5% | 14,900 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $109,270 | +7.8% | 3,900 |
| Petroleum Engineers | $144,910 | +2% | 1,000 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a petroleum engineering program, of 29 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Texas A&M University-College Station
- The University of Texas at Austin
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
- Colorado School of Mines
- University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
- Texas Tech University
- University of North Dakota
- West Virginia University
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.