Best institutions to study Petroleum Engineering
Compare 28 U.S. colleges offering Petroleum Engineering by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 16 states.
Petroleum Engineering programs report a median of $68,913 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 14.25 and the Petroleum Engineers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Petroleum Engineering programs
Petroleum Engineering is a specialized field of engineering focused on the production of hydrocarbons, including crude oil and natural gas. This program is designed for students interested in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, where exploration and production are key activities aimed at maximizing economic recovery from subsurface reservoirs.
In this program, students will develop core skills in critical thinking, active learning, and science, alongside knowledge in engineering, mathematics, and physics. Coursework typically covers well modification, production monitoring, and data analysis to enhance oil and gas recovery processes.
Top 19 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $86,761 | 108 | 89% | — | $17,239 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,795 | 43 | 86% | — | $22,368 |
| 3 | Marietta College Marietta, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $82,205 | 14 | 61% | $18,561 | $27,000 |
| 4 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $80,460 | 65 | 69% | — | $26,090 |
| 5 | Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $77,400 | 45 | 82% | — | $27,000 |
| 6 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,821 | 28 | 60% | — | $27,000 |
| 7 | Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,670 | 18 | 64% | — | $28,950 |
| 8 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,603 | 134 | 84% | — | $19,000 |
| 9 | Montana Technological University Butte, MT Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,212 | 10 | 58% | — | $27,000 |
| 10 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV Public · Bachelor's degree | $68,913 | 19 | 65% | — | $26,000 |
| 11 | University of Wyoming Laramie, WY Public · Bachelor's degree | $66,221 | 13 | 59% | — | $24,638 |
| 12 | The University of Texas Permian Basin Odessa, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $61,299 | 16 | 40% | — | $24,500 |
| 13 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OK Public · Bachelor's degree | $61,223 | 59 | 75% | — | $24,625 |
| 14 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,605 | 22 | 69% | — | $25,750 |
| 15 | University of Houston Houston, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,295 | 37 | 65% | — | $23,366 |
| 16 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,781 | 7 | 53% | — | $22,806 |
| 17 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville Kingsville, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,257 | 2 | 42% | — | — |
| 18 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KS Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,865 | 12 | 69% | — | $25,000 |
| 19 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,325 | 21 | 57% | — | $28,756 |
Offered across 16 states
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
| State | Institutions | Median earnings | Top institution by earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $85,795 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus |
| Ohiolimited | 1 | $82,205 | Marietta College |
| Coloradolimited | 1 | $77,400 | Colorado School of Mines |
| North Dakotalimited | 1 | $73,821 | University of North Dakota |
| Missourilimited | 1 | $69,670 | Missouri University of Science and Technology |
| Texas | 7 | $69,603 | The University of Texas at Austin |
| Montanalimited | 1 | $69,212 | Montana Technological University |
| West Virginialimited | 1 | $68,913 | West Virginia University |
| Wyominglimited | 1 | $66,221 | University of Wyoming |
| Oklahoma | 3 | $61,223 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus |
| Louisianalimited | 2 | $56,605 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College |
| Kansaslimited | 1 | $42,865 | University of Kansas |
| New Mexicolimited | 1 | $42,325 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology |
| Alaskalimited | 1 | — | — |
| Californialimited | 2 | — | — |
| Mississippilimited | 1 | — | — |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 17-2171, Petroleum Engineers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of Petroleum Engineering can expect a career outlook with little or no change, featuring approximately 1,200 annual job openings. The median wage for professionals in this field is around $141,280, with a typical education requirement of a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Petroleum Engineering
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 14.25.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 14.25 (Petroleum Engineering) maps to 3 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-9041 | Architectural and Engineering Managers |
| 17-2171 | Petroleum Engineersprimary |
| 25-1032 | Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Petroleum Engineering programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- 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.
Concentrations within Petroleum Engineering
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Petroleum EngineeringCIP 14.2501
A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems for locating, extracting, processing and refining c
Common questions
What is Petroleum Engineering?+
It is a field focused on the production of hydrocarbons, including crude oil and natural gas.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop critical thinking, active learning, and scientific skills, along with knowledge in engineering and mathematics.
What is the job outlook for Petroleum Engineering?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with about 1,200 annual openings.
What is the average salary for Petroleum Engineers?+
The median wage for Petroleum Engineers is approximately $141,280.
How much do Petroleum Engineering graduates earn?+
Petroleum Engineering graduates report median earnings of $68,913 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Petroleum Engineers occupation pays about $157,150 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Petroleum Engineering?+
Petroleum Engineering maps to CIP 14.25 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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