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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

17-2171 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.


National estimates for Petroleum Engineers
Industry profile for Petroleum Engineers
Geographic profile for Petroleum Engineers

National estimates for Petroleum Engineers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Petroleum Engineers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
20,540 4.3 % $ 68.66 $ 142,800 1.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Petroleum Engineers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 37.00 $ 48.60 $ 63.37 $ 81.36 $ 105.79
Annual Wage (2) $ 76,960 $ 101,080 $ 131,800 $ 169,230 $ 220,040


Industry profile for Petroleum Engineers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Petroleum Engineers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Petroleum Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Petroleum Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 5,360 5.27 $ 74.98 $ 155,960
Management of Companies and Enterprises 3,670 0.14 $ 78.17 $ 162,590
Support Activities for Mining 3,280 1.32 $ 57.76 $ 120,140
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 2,760 0.17 $ 68.64 $ 142,780
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,390 1.35 $ 71.99 $ 149,740

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Petroleum Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 5,360 5.27 $ 74.98 $ 155,960
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 830 2.66 $ 54.16 $ 112,660
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 220 1.99 $ 71.24 $ 148,180
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,390 1.35 $ 71.99 $ 149,740
Support Activities for Mining 3,280 1.32 $ 57.76 $ 120,140

Top paying industries for Petroleum Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) 70 (7) $ 104.17 $ 216,670
Scientific Research and Development Services 250 0.03 $ 98.43 $ 204,730
Management of Companies and Enterprises 3,670 0.14 $ 78.17 $ 162,590
Oil and Gas Extraction 5,360 5.27 $ 74.98 $ 155,960
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,390 1.35 $ 71.99 $ 149,740


Geographic profile for Petroleum Engineers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Petroleum Engineers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Petroleum Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of petroleum engineers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Petroleum Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 11,120 0.86 6.16 $ 72.53 $ 150,860
California 2,010 0.11 0.82 $ 68.78 $ 143,060
Oklahoma 1,470 0.92 6.62 $ 69.31 $ 144,160
Colorado 920 0.33 2.40 $ 70.83 $ 147,320
Louisiana 860 0.47 3.37 $ 69.91 $ 145,420


Map of location quotient of petroleum engineers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Petroleum Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 360 1.18 8.47 $ 71.91 $ 149,570
Oklahoma 1,470 0.92 6.62 $ 69.31 $ 144,160
Texas 11,120 0.86 6.16 $ 72.53 $ 150,860
Wyoming 200 0.75 5.43 $ 64.32 $ 133,790
West Virginia 380 0.55 3.99 $ 51.17 $ 106,430


Map of annual mean wages of petroleum engineers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Petroleum Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Jersey 120 0.03 0.21 $ 100.47 $ 208,980
Texas 11,120 0.86 6.16 $ 72.53 $ 150,860
Alaska 360 1.18 8.47 $ 71.91 $ 149,570
Colorado 920 0.33 2.40 $ 70.83 $ 147,320
Louisiana 860 0.47 3.37 $ 69.91 $ 145,420



Map of employment of petroleum engineers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Petroleum Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 5,480 1.80 12.93 $ 77.43 $ 161,050
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,420 0.37 2.68 $ 74.26 $ 154,450
Midland, TX 890 8.49 61.15 $ 71.11 $ 147,900
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 670 0.43 3.10 $ 73.10 $ 152,050
Oklahoma City, OK 570 0.91 6.57 $ 74.64 $ 155,250
Bakersfield, CA 540 1.66 11.97 $ 72.48 $ 150,750
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 450 0.43 3.08 $ 64.16 $ 133,450
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 450 0.86 6.21 $ 67.35 $ 140,090
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 430 0.18 1.29 $ 57.72 $ 120,060
Tulsa, OK 430 1.01 7.25 $ 69.52 $ 144,600


Map of location quotient of petroleum engineers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Petroleum Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, TX 890 8.49 61.15 $ 71.11 $ 147,900
Odessa, TX 220 3.03 21.83 $ 59.81 $ 124,410
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 5,480 1.80 12.93 $ 77.43 $ 161,050
Bakersfield, CA 540 1.66 11.97 $ 72.48 $ 150,750
Lake Charles, LA 150 1.55 11.16 $ 73.88 $ 153,670
Casper, WY 60 1.47 10.60 $ 61.06 $ 127,010
Anchorage, AK 240 1.42 10.21 $ 75.55 $ 157,150
Longview, TX 130 1.41 10.17 $ 54.77 $ 113,920
Farmington, NM 60 1.31 9.41 $ 61.08 $ 127,040
Greeley, CO 130 1.18 8.52 $ 65.48 $ 136,190


Map of annual mean wages of petroleum engineers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Petroleum Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 110 0.01 0.09 $ 101.95 $ 212,050
Austin-Round Rock, TX 420 0.35 2.54 $ 80.46 $ 167,350
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 110 0.34 2.45 $ 78.22 $ 162,690
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 70 0.95 6.83 $ 77.67 $ 161,560
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 5,480 1.80 12.93 $ 77.43 $ 161,050
Baton Rouge, LA 60 0.16 1.16 $ 76.91 $ 159,980
Anchorage, AK 240 1.42 10.21 $ 75.55 $ 157,150
Oklahoma City, OK 570 0.91 6.57 $ 74.64 $ 155,250
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,420 0.37 2.68 $ 74.26 $ 154,450
Lake Charles, LA 150 1.55 11.16 $ 73.88 $ 153,670

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Petroleum Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 500 2.56 18.40 $ 60.14 $ 125,100
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 250 1.64 11.78 $ 63.43 $ 131,930
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 240 1.65 11.85 $ 57.22 $ 119,010
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 200 1.85 13.35 $ 54.91 $ 114,210
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 190 2.03 14.62 $ 56.93 $ 118,410

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Petroleum Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 500 2.56 18.40 $ 60.14 $ 125,100
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 130 2.11 15.18 $ 72.26 $ 150,310
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 190 2.03 14.62 $ 56.93 $ 118,410
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 200 1.85 13.35 $ 54.91 $ 114,210
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 240 1.65 11.85 $ 57.22 $ 119,010

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Petroleum Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 130 2.11 15.18 $ 72.26 $ 150,310
Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 50 0.41 2.98 $ 67.87 $ 141,180
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 50 0.33 2.39 $ 67.00 $ 139,360
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 110 1.12 8.04 $ 66.26 $ 137,820
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 60 0.15 1.05 $ 64.43 $ 134,020


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023