How much does a Petroleum Engineer make?

Updated Nov 28, 2023

Experience

Industry

Total Pay Range
$93K - $156K/yr
Base Pay
$80K - $133K/yr
Additional Pay
$13K - $24K/yr

$120K

/yr
$93K$156K
Most Likely Range

The estimated total pay for a Petroleum Engineer is $119,801 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $102,976 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $16,825 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $93K-$156K/yr?

Total Pay Trajectory

For Petroleum Engineer I

$93,840 /yr
Petroleum Engineer I
$119,801 /yr
Petroleum Engineer
$158,923 /yr
Senior Petroleum Engineer
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Petroleum Engineer I?

Job TitleSalary
Petroleum Engineer I$93,840 /yr
Petroleum Engineer$119,801 /yr
Senior Petroleum Engineer$158,923 /yr

Related Job Titles

For Petroleum Engineer

Some related job titles are Civil Engineer Salaries with median pay of $102,423, Geophysicist Salaries with median pay of $149,013, Petroleum Engineering Intern Salaries with median pay of $88,724, Reservoir Engineer Salaries with median pay of $172,865.

Top Paying Companies

For a Petroleum Engineer in United States

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Petroleum Engineer in United States. Employers include Linn Energy, Occidental Petroleum and ConocoPhillips.

1
Linn Energy
Linn Energy
$186,356/yr
2
Occidental Petroleum
$177,363/yr
227 open jobs
9
Apache
$161,887/yr
See pay for all companies for a Petroleum Engineer in United StatesView data as table

Top Paying Companies

For Petroleum Engineer in United States

1Linn Energy$186,356
2Occidental Petroleum$177,363
3ConocoPhillips$176,996
4Devon Energy$170,804
5Chesapeake Energy$170,651
6Hess Corporation$166,406
7Hilcorp Energy$163,737
8Southwestern Energy$162,001
9Apache$161,887
10Chevron$160,748
Total Pay Trajectory

For Petroleum Engineer I

$93,840 /yr
Petroleum Engineer I
$119,801 /yr
Petroleum Engineer
$158,923 /yr
Senior Petroleum Engineer
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Petroleum Engineer I?

Job TitleSalary
Petroleum Engineer I$93,840 /yr
Petroleum Engineer$119,801 /yr
Senior Petroleum Engineer$158,923 /yr

What are total pay estimates for a Petroleum Engineer at different companies?

or
Sort:
Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
Chevron
4.1
Petroleum EngineerSee 182 salaries from this location

$160,748

 / yr
bp
4
Petroleum EngineerSee 36 salaries from this location

$158,145

 / yr
Shell
4.1
Petroleum EngineerSee 27 salaries from this location

$156,015

 / yr
ampm
3.7
Petroleum EngineerSee 24 salaries from this location

$105,155

 / yr
SLB
4
Petroleum EngineerSee 22 salaries from this location

$135,665

 / yr
ExxonMobil
3.2
Petroleum EngineerSee 21 salaries from this location

$135,419

 / yr
Devon Energy
4.3
Petroleum EngineerSee 19 salaries from this location

$170,804

 / yr

Is this salary info helpful?

Let’s pay it forward! The Glassdoor community relies on people like you to share accurate salary info to promote fair compensation everywhere

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Halliburton
3.8
Petroleum EngineerSee 17 salaries from this location

$140,998

 / yr
BSEE
3.8
Petroleum EngineerSee 17 salaries from this location

$114,935

 / yr
Ryder Scott Company
2.8
Petroleum EngineerSee 13 salaries from this location

$103,654

 / yr
ConocoPhillips
4.2
Petroleum EngineerSee 13 salaries from this location

$176,996

 / yr
US Bureau of Land Management
3.8
Petroleum EngineerSee 12 salaries from this location

$90,526

 / yr
US Department of the Interior
4
Petroleum EngineerSee 12 salaries from this location

$101,322

 / yr
Occidental Petroleum
3.9
Petroleum EngineerSee 12 salaries from this location

$177,363

 / yr
Hess Corporation
4.4
Petroleum EngineerSee 11 salaries from this location

$166,406

 / yr
Hilcorp Energy
3.5
Petroleum EngineerSee 10 salaries from this location

$78

 / hr
Knowledge Reservoir
3.2
Petroleum EngineerSee 8 salaries from this location

$101,720

 / yr
Aramco Americas
3.4
Petroleum EngineerSee 8 salaries from this location

$132,071

 / yr
DeGolyer and MacNaughton
3.5
Petroleum EngineerSee 7 salaries from this location

$155,032

 / yr
Chesapeake Energy
3.7
Petroleum EngineerSee 7 salaries from this location

$170,651

 / yr
Download as data table

Petroleum Engineer Salaries

Job TitleSalary
Chevron Petroleum Engineer salaries - 182 salaries reported$160,748/yr
bp Petroleum Engineer salaries - 36 salaries reported$158,145/yr
Shell Petroleum Engineer salaries - 27 salaries reported$156,015/yr
ampm Petroleum Engineer salaries - 24 salaries reported$105,155/yr
SLB Petroleum Engineer salaries - 22 salaries reported$135,665/yr
ExxonMobil Petroleum Engineer salaries - 21 salaries reported$135,419/yr
Devon Energy Petroleum Engineer salaries - 19 salaries reported$170,804/yr
Halliburton Petroleum Engineer salaries - 17 salaries reported$140,998/yr
BSEE Petroleum Engineer salaries - 17 salaries reported$114,935/yr
Ryder Scott Company Petroleum Engineer salaries - 13 salaries reported$103,654/yr
ConocoPhillips Petroleum Engineer salaries - 13 salaries reported$176,996/yr
US Bureau of Land Management Petroleum Engineer salaries - 12 salaries reported$90,526/yr
US Department of the Interior Petroleum Engineer salaries - 12 salaries reported$101,322/yr
Occidental Petroleum Petroleum Engineer salaries - 12 salaries reported$177,363/yr
Hess Corporation Petroleum Engineer salaries - 11 salaries reported$166,406/yr
Hilcorp Energy Petroleum Engineer salaries - 10 salaries reported$78/hr
Knowledge Reservoir Petroleum Engineer salaries - 8 salaries reported$101,720/yr
Aramco Americas Petroleum Engineer salaries - 8 salaries reported$132,071/yr
DeGolyer and MacNaughton Petroleum Engineer salaries - 7 salaries reported$155,032/yr
Chesapeake Energy Petroleum Engineer salaries - 7 salaries reported$170,651/yr
Viewing 1 - 20 of 380

Top Paying Industries

For a Petroleum Engineer in United States

The top 5 paying industries for a Petroleum Engineer in United States are Energy, Mining & Utilities with a median total pay of $158,145, Retail & Wholesale with a median total pay of $105,155, Media & Communication with a median total pay of $103,654, Management & Consulting with a median total pay of $101,720, and Government & Public Administration with a median total pay of $100,110.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Energy, Mining & UtilitiesEnergy, Mining & Utilities$158,145

    4% Higher than other industries

  • Retail & WholesaleRetail & Wholesale$105,155

    44% Lower than other industries

  • Media & CommunicationMedia & Communication$103,654

    46% Lower than other industries

  • Management & ConsultingManagement & Consulting$101,720

    49% Lower than other industries

  • Government & Public AdministrationGovernment & Public Administration$100,110

    51% Lower than other industries

Energy, Mining & Utilities

Top paying companies in Energy, Mining & Utilities for Petroleum Engineer are Linn Energy, Occidental Petroleum, and ConocoPhillips.

Linn EnergyLinn Energy$186,356/yr
ConocoPhillipsConocoPhillips$176,996/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Engineering?

Engineering jobs are in high demand with workers receiving generous compensation packages and bonuses. Engineering offers ample opportunity for growth and development with transferable skills across an array of fields from software, supply chain and logistics to aerospace. Most roles require at least a bachelor’s degree. To remain competitive, job-seekers should consider specialization or skill-specific programs such as coding boot-camps or certifications.

Recent Salaries Shared

For petroleum engineer

Salary Share
Anonymously share your pay to help the community

Job Title

Location

Total Pay

Base Pay | Additional Pay

Total Years of Experience

Years at Recent Employer

Submitted

Date or Time

Pipeline Engineer

United States of America

 | 10-14 years

$166,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

10-14 years
Yesterday
Petroleum Laboratory Specialist

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$3,200

/mo

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Petroleum Engineer

United States of America

 | 10-14 years

$76,296

/yr

$75K | $2K

Submitted 2 days ago

10-14 years
2 days ago
Petroleum Engineer

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$5,000

/mo

Submitted 2 days ago

1-3 years
2 days ago
Petroleum Engineer

United States of America

 | <1 year

$108,000

/yr

Submitted 3 days ago

<1 year
3 days ago
Petroleum Engineer

United States of America

 | 10-14 years

$100,000

/yr

Submitted 3 days ago

10-14 years
3 days ago
Petroleum Engineer

United States of America

 | 10-14 years

$254,000

/yr

$164K | $90K

Submitted 3 days ago

10-14 years
3 days ago
MWD Engineer

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$70,000

/yr

Submitted 3 days ago

1-3 years
3 days ago
Pipeline Engineer

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$147,000

/yr

Submitted 3 days ago

4-6 years
3 days ago

Petroleum Engineer pay FAQ

The average salary for a Petroleum Engineer is $119,801 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 987 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Petroleum Engineer employees in United States.

The highest salary for a Petroleum Engineer in United States is $156,178 per year.

The lowest salary for a Petroleum Engineer in United States is $92,574 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Petroleum Engineer or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Petroleum Engineer.

Petroleum engineering salaries are high, reflecting the field’s significant barriers to entry. A bachelor’s in engineering degree is considered a minimum qualification, although many firms strongly prefer candidates with internship experience. Once hired, petroleum engineers typically work full time and are paid a salary with full benefits. Candidates with a Master of Engineering degree are typically paid higher than candidates with only a bachelor’s degree. Successful petroleum engineers can earn a Professional Engineering (PE) license that indicates they are ready for more leadership responsibility, or they may choose to transition into a project manager role.

Powered by Glassdoor Economic Research

On average, about 75% of petroleum engineers feel that they are satisfied with their salaries, according to data from anonymous Glassdoor ratings. Having an advanced degree or multiple years of experience may result in an increased ceiling for petroleum engineer salary.

Petroleum engineer salaries vary depending on your experience, level of education, and the area where the job is located. The total pay ranges between $73,439.55 and $197,279.40 with an estimated average of $119,792.21 after eight years of experience following the average career path of a petroleum engineer. Engineers who hold licensure qualify for high-paying supervisory roles and management positions.

If you are looking to increase your earning potential as a petroleum engineer, you may want to consider earning an advanced degree such as a Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering and Natural Gas or a Master of Engineering in Petroleum Engineering. Alternatively, you can look at earning an Advanced Oil and Gas Processes Engineering Certification. Taking time to learn in-demand skills, including IT Skills, thermodynamics of reservoirs, drilling and exploration, and basic first aid, can increase your earning potential as a petroleum engineer. Some colleges and universities even offer refresher courses in specific petroleum engineer skills. Becoming a licensed engineer also opens the door to higher-paying senior positions.

When negotiating a higher salary as a petroleum engineer, spend time reviewing what is expected of you at work and ensure that you are fulfilling or exceeding those expectations. Make a list of everything you do for the company and show it to your boss during salary negotiations. Review what other petroleum engineers in your area are earning by looking at available petroleum engineer jobs and enter into negotiations with a realistic figure in mind. Knowing what other petroleum engineers are earning can also be useful if you've just started a career and want to make sure that you are earning a fair salary.

Additional Resources

Petroleum Engineer Job Description Template

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