Petroleum engineering can be a very good career if you want top tier pay and can live with an industry that booms and busts. The median petroleum engineer earned $144,910 in May 2025, according to BLS data, one of the highest medians of any engineering field. But employment is projected to grow only 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, oil prices swing hard, and the long term energy transition adds real uncertainty, so it rewards people who plan for the cycles.
Key takeaways
- Petroleum engineers earned a median of $144,910 in May 2025, and the top 10 percent earned more than $253,200.
- BLS projects only 2 percent job growth from 2025 to 2035, slower than average, with about 1,000 openings a year.
- Oil prices are volatile: EIA data shows Brent averaged $69 a barrel in 2025 and is projected to average $91 in 2026 amid Middle East supply disruptions.
- The IEA expects global oil demand to plateau around the end of this decade, which is a long term risk for the field.
- Subsurface skills also apply to carbon capture, geothermal and hydrogen storage, which gives petroleum engineers a hedge.
What does a petroleum engineer do day to day?
Petroleum engineers figure out how to get oil and gas out of the ground safely and profitably. According to the BLS, they design facilities to extract and produce oil and gas, develop drilling and recovery plans, analyze data to improve production and make sure oilfield equipment is installed and operated properly.
Most work in offices, analyzing data and building models, with regular trips to well sites. BLS notes that petroleum engineers may travel offshore, to remote areas or to international locations, sometimes for long periods, and that extended shifts are common when traveling to sites or troubleshooting operations.
| Specialty | What they focus on | Typical day |
|---|---|---|
| Reservoir engineer | How much oil or gas can be recovered | Reservoir simulation, reserves estimates, economics, working with geoscientists |
| Drilling engineer | Designing and building wells safely | Well plans, casing and mud programs, cost tracking, rig support |
| Completions engineer | Finishing wells so they flow | Completion and hydraulic fracturing design, vendor coordination, field oversight |
| Production engineer | Keeping wells producing | Monitoring rates, artificial lift, troubleshooting, workover planning |
O*NET lists titles such as completion engineer, drilling engineer, production engineer and reservoir engineer, along with tasks like simulating reservoir performance and estimating the economic value of wells.
How much do petroleum engineers make?
Pay is the biggest draw. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $144,910 for petroleum engineers, compared with $108,620 for all engineers. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $81,440, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $253,200.
| Industry | Median annual wage, May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Oil and gas extraction | $180,080 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | $171,710 |
| Petroleum and coal products manufacturing | $165,210 |
| Support activities for mining | $126,600 |
| Engineering services | $96,040 |
The spread between operators and service companies is large. Engineers working directly for oil and gas producers earned a median of $180,080, while those in engineering services earned $96,040. For more context, see where petroleum engineering lands on our list of the highest paid engineering jobs.
Is petroleum engineering a good career with oil prices so volatile?
This is the question to answer honestly before you commit. Petroleum engineering jobs follow oil and gas prices, and those prices move fast. The EIA reports that Brent crude averaged $81 a barrel in 2024 and $69 in 2025. In its September 2026 outlook, EIA projects an average of about $91 in 2026 because of supply disruptions in the Middle East, then a decline to around $67 in the second half of 2027 as flows recover.
Swings in the other direction hurt hiring. The IEA noted that oil prices hit four year lows in the spring of 2025 and that upstream oil investment was set to fall 6 percent that year, with some of the largest declines in US tight oil. When companies cut drilling budgets, engineering hiring usually slows too.
BLS reflects this in its outlook. It projects petroleum engineering employment to grow just 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, from about 18,500 to 18,800 jobs, and notes that US production may fluctuate with global supply and demand and the future energy outlook. Still, about 1,000 openings a year are expected, mostly to replace engineers who retire or change careers.
What does the energy transition mean for petroleum engineers?
The long term picture is mixed, not doom. The IEA forecasts global oil demand to rise by about 2.5 million barrels per day from 2024 to 2030 and then plateau around 105.5 million barrels per day, as electric vehicles and other fuels replace some oil use. Petrochemicals are expected to become the main source of demand growth. That means oil will still be produced in large volumes for years, but growth will be limited.
BLS points to a useful hedge: petroleum engineers can apply their subsurface knowledge to carbon capture and storage, geothermal drilling and underground hydrogen storage. Engineers who build those skills can move toward energy transition projects if oil hiring slows. Our renewable energy recruiters page shows some of the related roles.
Where are the petroleum engineering jobs?
By industry, BLS says the largest employers in 2025 were oil and gas extraction (33 percent), support activities for mining, which includes oilfield services (18 percent), engineering services (9 percent), management of companies (8 percent) and petroleum and coal products manufacturing (6 percent).
Geography matters more than in almost any other engineering field. In the most recent detailed OEWS profile (May 2023), Texas alone had 11,870 petroleum engineers, far ahead of California, Oklahoma, Colorado and Louisiana. The Houston metro area employed 5,850, and Midland, Texas had about 10 petroleum engineers for every 1,000 jobs. Alaska and Wyoming had some of the highest concentrations.
Offshore and international roles add another layer. If you are considering offshore work, our guide to STCW and BOSIET certifications explains the safety training many offshore employers expect.
Recruiter tip: If you are job hunting during a downturn, look at operators’ production and asset teams, midstream companies and service firms, not just drilling roles. Production engineering tends to hold up better than new drilling when prices fall, because companies still need to keep existing wells running.
What degree and license do petroleum engineers need?
Petroleum engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering or a related field such as mechanical, civil or chemical engineering. BLS notes that employers value internships and that some prefer candidates with a master’s degree. If you are unsure about committing to a narrow major, a mechanical degree keeps more doors open; see whether mechanical engineering is a good career for comparison.
Licensure is not required for entry level jobs. The NCEES PE Petroleum exam has 85 questions, is offered once a year and costs $400, and the first time pass rate in the latest update was 53 percent. Most operators do not require a PE, but it can help in consulting, expert witness and regulatory work.
What skills and software do employers want?
O*NET lists software such as MATLAB, SAS, TIBCO Spotfire, GeoGraphix ARIES for reserves and economics, AutoCAD, SQL, Oracle databases, SAP and Oracle Primavera for project scheduling.
- Reservoir and production analysis: decline curves, reserves estimates and simulation.
- Economics: evaluating whether a well or project makes money at different oil prices.
- Data skills: Spotfire, SQL and programming for large sets of production and sensor data.
- Automation: familiarity with SCADA and control systems used in the field. If that interests you, see whether controls engineering is a good career.
- Field and safety awareness: understanding rig operations and working safely at well sites.
Is petroleum engineering hard?
The degree is demanding, combining fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, geology and heavy math. Many students find reservoir engineering and well design especially challenging.
The job can be demanding too. O*NET survey data shows 58 percent of petroleum engineers work more than 40 hours in a typical week, and field roles can mean rotations, remote locations and time away from home. The emotional side is real as well: living through a downturn and layoffs is part of many petroleum engineers’ careers.
What are the pros and cons of petroleum engineering?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Median pay of $144,910 in May 2025 | Only 2 percent projected job growth from 2025 to 2035 |
| Top 10 percent earn more than $253,200 | Hiring follows volatile oil prices |
| Skills transfer to carbon capture, geothermal and hydrogen storage | Long term demand expected to plateau, per the IEA |
| Clear path into asset management and leadership | Jobs concentrate in Texas and a few other states |
| Challenging technical work with big budgets | Remote travel, long shifts and time away from home |
Who is petroleum engineering a good fit for?
It suits people who want high pay, enjoy geology and data, and are comfortable with risk. It works best for engineers who save during the good years, keep their skills broad and are willing to live in energy hubs like Houston or West Texas. It is a weaker fit if you want a predictable career path or strongly prefer to avoid fossil fuel work.
How do you break into petroleum engineering?
- Get an internship with an operator or service company. Field experience matters more here than in most fields.
- Join the student chapter of a professional society and attend industry events in your region.
- Be willing to start in field roles or with a service company. Many engineers move to operators after a few years.
- Build data skills, since production data analysis is a growing part of the job.
- Keep a transferable skill set so you can pivot to carbon capture, geothermal or other energy work if needed.
Recruiter tip: Graduating into a downturn is not the end of the road. Take a related role in midstream, refining, utilities or energy services and stay close to the industry. When the cycle turns, experienced candidates who stayed in energy are usually first in line.
Frequently asked questions
Is petroleum engineering worth it in 2026?
It can be, especially for pay. The May 2025 median of $144,910 is among the highest in engineering. Weigh that against slow projected job growth, oil price swings and the long term demand plateau the IEA expects around 2030.
Is petroleum engineering a dying field?
No, but it is not a growth field either. BLS projects 2 percent growth and about 1,000 openings a year from 2025 to 2035, and the IEA still expects global oil demand to be higher in 2030 than in 2024. The field is likely to stay smaller and more cyclical than broader engineering disciplines.
Can petroleum engineers switch to renewable energy?
Yes, especially in areas that use subsurface skills. BLS lists carbon capture and storage, geothermal drilling and subsurface hydrogen storage as specialties outside oil and gas, and drilling and reservoir experience translates well to geothermal projects.
Do petroleum engineers have to work offshore?
No. Most work in offices with trips to onshore well sites. Offshore roles exist and often pay well, but they usually require safety certifications and rotational schedules.
Should I major in petroleum or mechanical engineering?
If you are sure you want oil and gas, petroleum engineering gives you the most direct path. If you want flexibility, a mechanical or chemical degree lets you enter oil and gas while keeping other industries open, and BLS notes employers hire from those related degrees.
Looking for your next petroleum or energy engineering role? Apollo Technical’s engineering staffing agency team recruits engineers for energy, manufacturing and industrial employers. Job seekers can also browse our open engineering jobs and apply today.
