Best degree programs for Petroleum Engineers, ranked by enrollment
2 college programs and 34 schools train Petroleum Engineers. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $144,910 median wage, 18,060 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
2 college programs at 34 schools train petroleum engineers, graduating 756 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Petroleum Engineering. The job pays a median of $144,910 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About petroleum engineers
Devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production and determine the need for new or modified tool designs. Oversee drilling and offer technical advice.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
2 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum Engineeringmain feeder CIP 14.2501 | 737 | 97.5% | 28 | $68,913 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 14.0802 | 19 | 2.5% | 7 | $69,574 | $24,625 |
Top 34 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 134 | Petroleum Engineering | 84% | — | 57% |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 108 | Petroleum Engineering | 89% | — | 27% |
| 3 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 65 | Petroleum Engineering | 69% | — | 73% |
| 4 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 59 | Petroleum Engineering | 75% | — | 77% |
| 5 | Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 45 | Petroleum Engineering | 82% | — | 61% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 43 | Petroleum Engineering | 86% | — | 61% |
| 7 | University of Houston Houston, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 37 | Petroleum Engineering | 65% | — | 74% |
| 8 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND Public · 1 feeder programs | 28 | Petroleum Engineering | 60% | — | 77% |
| 9 | University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 27 | Petroleum Engineering | 72% | $23,470 | 62% |
| 10 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA Public · 1 feeder programs | 22 | Petroleum Engineering | 69% | — | 73% |
| 11 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM Public · 1 feeder programs | 21 | Petroleum Engineering | 57% | — | 44% |
| 12 | Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO Public · 2 feeder programs | 20 | Petroleum Engineering | 64% | — | 73% |
| 13 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV Public · 1 feeder programs | 19 | Petroleum Engineering | 65% | — | 89% |
| 14 | The University of Texas Permian Basin Odessa, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 16 | Petroleum Engineering | 40% | — | 95% |
| 15 | Marietta College Marietta, OH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Petroleum Engineering | 61% | $18,561 | 79% |
| 16 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Petroleum Engineering | 92% | $26,873 | 10% |
| 17 | University of Wyoming Laramie, WY Public · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Petroleum Engineering | 59% | — | 97% |
| 18 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KS Public · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Petroleum Engineering | 69% | — | 93% |
| 19 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | 96% | $15,315 | 4% |
| 20 | Montana Technological University Butte, MT Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Petroleum Engineering | 58% | — | 91% |
| 21 | Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Petroleum Engineering | 68% | — | 75% |
| 22 | University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK Public · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Petroleum Engineering | 38% | — | — |
| 23 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA Public · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Petroleum Engineering | 53% | — | 87% |
| 24 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Petroleum Engineering | 66% | — | 71% |
| 25 | Auburn University Auburn, AL Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | 82% | — | 46% |
| 26 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Petroleum Engineering | 67% | — | 78% |
| 27 | Texas A & M International University Laredo, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Petroleum Engineering | 46% | — | 44% |
| 28 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville Kingsville, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Petroleum Engineering | 42% | — | 91% |
| 29 | University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, AK Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | 30% | — | — |
| 30 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | 58% | — | 91% |
| 31 | New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | 73% | — | 65% |
| 32 | Saint Francis University Loretto, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Petroleum Engineering | 74% | $15,989 | 77% |
| 33 | Stanford University Stanford, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Petroleum Engineering | 92% | $12,032 | 4% |
| 34 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | 86% | — | 27% |
What petroleum engineers earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $164,860 | 9,140 | 5.60× | 7 | 364 |
| Oklahomamoderate | $153,020 | 1,450 | 7.29× | 3 | 93 |
| Pennsylvaniamoderate | $101,880 | 600 | 0.85× | 3 | 47 |
| Coloradolimited | $172,190 | 1,390 | 4.16× | 1 | 45 |
| Louisianalimited | $139,640 | 710 | 3.17× | 2 | 29 |
| North Dakotalimited | $132,120 | 130 | 2.58× | 1 | 28 |
| New Mexicolimited | $99,900 | 260 | 2.59× | 1 | 21 |
| West Virginialimited | $93,360 | 380 | 4.68× | 1 | 19 |
| Californiamoderate | $143,590 | 1,060 | 0.50× | 3 | 16 |
| Ohiolimited | $99,260 | 200 | 0.30× | 1 | 14 |
| Wyominglimited | — | 280 | 8.74× | 1 | 13 |
| Kansaslimited | $115,640 | 110 | 0.67× | 1 | 12 |
| Montanalimited | $104,060 | — | — | 1 | 10 |
| Alaskalimited | $206,290 | 280 | 7.53× | 2 | 9 |
| Alabamalimited | — | 50 | 0.20× | 1 | 2 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery.
- Monitor production rates, and plan rework processes to improve production.
- Maintain records of drilling and production operations.
- Analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production.
- Assist engineering and other personnel to solve operating problems.
- Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing, or well surveys.
- Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment.
- Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Writing3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Monitoring3.8
- Active Learning3.8
- Science3.4
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology4.4
- Mathematics4.1
- Physics3.5
- Computers and Electronics3.5
- Chemistry3.4
- Administration and Management3.4
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Problem Sensitivity4.0
- Inductive Reasoning4.0
- Deductive Reasoning4.0
- Oral Expression4.0
- Written Comprehension4.0
Core activities
- Analyzing Data or Information4.6
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.5
- Working with Computers4.4
- Getting Information4.4
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.4
- Processing Information4.2
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Petroleum Engineer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 2 majors mapped to Petroleum Engineers2 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 14.0802Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
- 14.2501Petroleum Engineering
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Petroleum Engineer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Petroleum Engineering, which awarded 737 degrees in 2024-25, 97.5% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Petroleum Engineer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this occupation. The largest are Petroleum Engineering, Civil Engineering. Together they graduate about 756 people a year.
How much do petroleum engineers earn?+
The median is $144,910 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $81,440 at the 10th percentile to $253,200 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for petroleum engineers growing?+
BLS projects a +1.3% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 1,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
34 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do petroleum engineers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Engineer, Drilling Engineer, Petroleum Engineer, Reservoir Engineer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 17-2171.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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