Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum Engineering graduates earn an average annual wage of $136,006, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 69,280 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Petroleum Engineering and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$10,364 Median In-State Public
$48,602 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Petroleum Engineering majors are, on average, $10,364 for in-state public colleges, and $48,602 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Petroleum Engineering programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
755 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Petroleum Engineering from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Petroleum Engineering.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | 42,100 |
| 3 | University of Houston | TX | 37,175 |
| 4 | Texas Tech University | TX | 32,446 |
| 5 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | LA | 29,207 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Petroleum Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Wyoming | WY | $6,938 |
| 2 | Texas A & M International University | TX | $7,846 |
| 3 | Montana Technological University | MT | $8,050 |
| 4 | University of Alaska Fairbanks | AK | $8,640 |
| 5 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | NM | $9,058 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Petroleum Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A & M International University | TX | $3,061 |
| 2 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | NM | $8,265 |
| 3 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | TX | $9,144 |
| 4 | University of Alaska Fairbanks | AK | $9,634 |
| 5 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | TX | $10,204 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Petroleum Engineering programs.
Graduation Rates
56.95% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.64% Average Graduation Rate
144 Institutions Reporting
43.28% - 72.24% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Petroleum Engineering programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Petroleum Engineering graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$136,006 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Petroleum Engineering majors is $136,006.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Petroleum Engineering majors.
Occupations by Share
69,280 2023 Workforce
The number of Petroleum Engineering graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Petroleum Engineering by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Petroleum Engineering degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Petroleum Engineering degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Petroleum Engineering in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Petroleum Engineering.
Age distribution for Petroleum Engineering degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Petroleum Engineering degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Petroleum Engineering degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Petroleum Engineering are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Petroleum Engineering.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Petroleum Engineering field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Petroleum Engineering majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Petroleum Engineering majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Petroleum Engineering majors.
About
Petroleum Engineering
In 2023, 755 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Petroleum Engineering.
CIP Code
00.1425 - Petroleum Engineering
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Petroleum Engineering graduates earn an average annual wage of $136,006, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.