Petroleum Engineering Degree in St. Louis, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Petroleum Engineering degree analysis for St. Louis, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$49K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$136K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in St. Louis
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Petroleum Engineering in St. Louis, MO Overview
St. Louis is one of Missouri's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 23,342. Public tuition averages $12,343/year here — near the national average for public universities. Although national enrollment in Petroleum Engineering has been declining, graduates with skills in Reservoir Engineering and Drilling remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in St. Louis is approximately $48,500, growing to $135,800 by mid-career.
Category
Engineering
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$12,343/yr
Private Tuition
$55,255/yr
Room & Board
$8,721/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,996/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
48%
Petroleum Engineering Salary in St. Louis (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for St. Louis's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Petroleum Engineering salary: $50,000 starting, $140,000 mid-career, $175,000 senior level.St. Louis adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Petroleum Engineering ROI Calculator for St. Louis
Estimate your return on investment for a Petroleum Engineering degree using local St. Louis tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,343 | Private avg: $55,255
St. Louis avg aid: $9,996/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,256
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,550
vs HS diploma in St. Louis
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in St. Louis
$1,176,744
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,261,000) minus total education cost ($84,256)
Student Loan Payoff for Petroleum Engineering in St. Louis
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in St. Louis for Petroleum Engineering
Washington University in St. Louis
private
$60,590/yr
$242,360 total
Saint Louis University
private
$49,920/yr
$199,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
St. Louis Community College
$3,600/yr
Top Employers for Petroleum Engineering in St. Louis
St. Louis offers opportunities in Engineering firms, Manufacturing, Defense contractors for Petroleum Engineering graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key St. Louis Hiring Sectors for Engineering
Engineering firms
Manufacturing
Defense contractors
Energy companies
Construction firms
Common Petroleum Engineering Job Titles
Petroleum Engineering in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$47K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
Springfield, MO
$40K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Columbia, MO
$42K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$43K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
Lee's Summit, MO
$48K starting · COL 95.5
4 colleges
OFallon, MO
$44K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$45K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$42K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other Engineering Majors in St. Louis
Computer Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemical Engineering
$80K starting · 3.2 yr ROI
Nuclear Engineering
$49K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Electrical Engineering
$78K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Aerospace Engineering
$78K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Mechanical Engineering
$76K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Mining Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Materials Science & Engineering
$49K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Petroleum Engineering Degree in St. Louis — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Petroleum Engineering ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in St. Louis.