Petroleum engineers

SOC Code: 17-2171
Also known as:
Certification Engineer, Completion Engineer, Completions Engineer, Design Engineer, Drilling Engineer
Median Annual Salary
$141,280
+1.3% growth (2024-2034)
1K
Openings/Year
20K
Current Jobs

What Petroleum engineers Do

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.

💰 Salary

$141,280
Median annual wage (2024)

📈 Job Growth

+1.3%
As fast as average

🎓 Education

Bachelor's degree
Typical entry-level requirement

🚀 Annual Openings

1K
Projected average per year

Employment Projections (2024-2034)

Current Employment (2024)

19,600

Projected Employment (2034)

19,800

Related Careers

Industrial production managers

$121,440 • +1.9% growth
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Chemical engineers

$121,860 • +2.6% growth
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Civil engineers

$99,590 • +5.0% growth
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Industrial engineers

$101,140 • +11.0% growth
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Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers

$101,020 • +0.7% growth
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Top Skills Required

Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Writing
Speaking

Daily Tasks & Responsibilities

  • 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.
  • Confer with scientific, engineering, and technical personnel to resolve design, research, and testing problems.
  • Interpret drilling and testing information for personnel.

Technology & Tools

Autodesk AutoCAD C# C++ Eclipse IDE Google Analytics Linux Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook

📚 Entry-Level Education

Bachelor's degree
Most common requirement

🎯 Recommended Education

Bachelor's Degree
O*NET recommended level

Degree Programs for Petroleum engineers

These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a petroleum engineers:

Petroleum Engineering

755 degrees awarded • 28 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering

21 degrees awarded • 6 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Best Colleges for Becoming a Petroleum engineers

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become petroleum engineers.

# College Location Related Degrees Repit Grade
1 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 100 A
2 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 12 A
3 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 11 A
4 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 2 A
5 Stanford University Stanford, CA 1 A
6 Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX 141 B+
7 Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA 68 B+
8 New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ 1 B+
9 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK 51 B
10 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX 50 B
11 University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK 43 B
12 Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO 35 B
13 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA 32 B
14 University of Houston Houston, TX 28 B
15 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 26 B
16 Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO 23 B
17 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS 14 B
18 New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM 13 B
19 Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS 5 B
20 Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK 3 B

Want this ranking as a spreadsheet? Investor Pro+ members can export any Repit table to CSV. See plans →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do petroleum engineers make?
The median annual salary for petroleum engineers is $141,280.
What education do petroleum engineers need?
Most petroleum engineers positions require a bachelor's degree. Common degree programs include Petroleum Engineering, Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering.
Is becoming petroleum engineers a good career choice?
Petroleum engineers is projected to see +1.3% job growth from 2024 to 2034, which is about average for all occupations. With approximately 1,200 job openings expected annually, there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for petroleum engineers?
Top colleges for aspiring petroleum engineers include The University of Texas at Austin, Columbia University in the City of New York, University of Southern California, University of California-San Diego, Stanford University. These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to petroleum engineers?
Petroleum engineers may also be known as: Certification Engineer, Completion Engineer, Completions Engineer, Design Engineer, Drilling Engineer, Engineer, Exploration Engineer, Gas Distribution Engineer, Gas Engineer, Gas Turbine Engineer, Logging Engineer, Mining and Oil Field Equipment Design Engineer, Mining and Oil Field Equipment Test Engineer, Mining and Oil Well Equipment Research Engineer, Mud Engineer, Natural Gas Analyst, Natural Gas Engineer, Oil and Gas Engineer, Oil Drilling Engineer, Oil Exploration Engineer. These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.