Petroleum Engineering Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Extraction and production of oil and natural gas resources.
Starting Salary
$50K
median
Mid-Career
$140K
salary
ROI Payback
2.5 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
4.5%
rate
Petroleum Engineering Overview
Extraction and production of oil and natural gas resources.
Category
Engineering
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
62%
Enrollment Trend
declining
Online Available
Limited
Underemployment
8%
Lifetime Premium
$1300K
Female Graduates
18%
Petroleum Engineering Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$18,900
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$18,900
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$1,281,100
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,300,000) minus net degree cost ($18,900)
Petroleum Engineering Salary Progression
Common Petroleum Engineering Careers
Petroleum Engineer
Reservoir Engineer
Drilling Engineer
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Petroleum Engineering
#1
Colorado School of Mines
#2
Texas A&M
#3
University of Texas
#4
Stanford
#5
University of Tulsa
Related Majors
Petroleum Engineering Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Petroleum Engineering Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for petroleum engineering programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
Compare All College Majors
Analyze ROI, salary potential, and career outcomes for 150+ college majors.