Petroleum Engineers Salary in United States

Petroleum Engineerss in United States have a median annual salary of $144,910, which works out to about $69.67 per hour, with a typical 25th–75th percentile range of $106,270 to $197,920, based on the latest BLS OEWS data.

17-2171 · Petroleum Engineers

Petroleum Engineers pay in United States at a glance

Median annual salary

$144,910

Median hourly wage

$69.67/hr

Average annual salary

$157,150

Average hourly wage

$75.55/hr

25th percentile

$106,270

75th percentile

$197,920

10th percentile

$81,440

90th percentile

$253,200

People employed

18,060

Salary distribution

Reported wage points from the lowest to the highest paid petroleum engineers roles in United States.

10th percentile
$81,440
25th percentile
$106,270
Median percentile
$144,910
75th percentile
$197,920
90th percentile
$253,200

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How much does a petroleum engineers make in United States?

Half of petroleum engineers roles in United States report earning more than $144,910 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $157,150 is pulled up or down by the highest and lowest earners, which is why the median is usually the better benchmark.

Salary range

A quarter of reported salaries fall below $106,270 and a quarter are above $197,920, so most petroleum engineers pay sits between those two figures. These percentiles describe how pay is spread across all reported roles — they are not a direct measure of years of experience.

What can affect petroleum engineers pay?

  • Years of experience and level of responsibility
  • Employer type and size
  • Specialization within the occupation
  • Certifications and licensing
  • Industry
  • Hours worked, shift patterns and overtime
  • The local labor market where the job is based

Petroleum Engineers pay in other states

Related jobs in United States

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Methodology · Data sources

Salary figures are benchmarks and can vary by employer, experience, specialization, hours worked and other factors.