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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
The national average is a useful benchmark. The city-level data is where decisions get made. The national median salary for Petroleum Engineers in 2026 is $152,470, with entry-level positions averaging $109,778 and senior roles reaching $216,507. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $277,720, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
A career as a Petroleum Engineer sits at the intersection of Engineering and Engineering. Most professionals enter with Bachelor's in petro eng, and the field is characterized by declining. The work itself is field/on-site. Understanding that context matters: it explains why certain markets pay premiums and others lag.
$168,990 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Petroleum Engineer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $277,720 — $168,990 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($108,730). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Petroleum Engineers average $109,778, the median sits at $152,470, and senior earners pull in $216,507. That $106,729 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $72,103 above the national median household income of $80,367 — meaning even a mid-career professional in this field outearns the typical American household.
Compare the extremes: the highest-paying trio of cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) averages $259,380, while the lowest-paying trio (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) averages $109,603. The $149,777 difference is the kind of number that reshapes career strategy — assuming the cost of living cooperates.
A Petroleum Engineer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $277,720 — $168,990 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($108,730). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Petroleum Engineer is $109,778, while senior-level (P90) earners average $216,507. That $106,729 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
California pays the highest average median salary for Petroleum Engineers at $184,023 across 61 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Jersey at $161,785) is $22,238.
At the 90th percentile, Petroleum Engineers pull in an average of $216,507. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $109,778 | $152,470 | $216,507 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £60,339 | £83,804 | £119,001 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$88,336 | CA$122,689 | CA$174,218 |
| Australia | 13 | A$102,125 | A$141,840 | A$201,413 |
| Sweden | 24 | 602,877 kr | 837,329 kr | 1,189,007 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $132,496 | $184,023 | $261,312 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $128,040 | $177,833 | $252,522 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $127,332 | $176,850 | $251,127 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $117,900 | $163,750 | $232,525 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $116,485 | $161,785 | $229,735 |
| Washington | 8 | $114,245 | $158,674 | $225,317 |
| New York | 5 | $107,525 | $149,340 | $212,063 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $107,525 | $149,340 | $212,063 |
| Florida | 22 | $106,710 | $148,209 | $210,456 |
| Colorado | 11 | $104,867 | $145,648 | $206,820 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $104,695 | $145,410 | $206,482 |
| Nevada | 5 | $104,507 | $145,148 | $206,110 |
| Arizona | 12 | $103,988 | $144,428 | $205,087 |
| Oregon | 5 | $103,752 | $144,100 | $204,622 |
| Idaho | 3 | $103,438 | $143,663 | $204,002 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $102,620 | $142,528 | $202,390 |
| Utah | 4 | $102,337 | $142,135 | $201,832 |
| Virginia | 7 | $100,653 | $139,796 | $198,510 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $99,350 | $137,987 | $195,941 |
| Alaska | 1 | $99,036 | $137,550 | $195,321 |
| Illinois | 5 | $97,904 | $135,978 | $193,089 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $95,473 | $132,601 | $188,294 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $94,320 | $131,000 | $186,020 |
| Montana | 1 | $94,320 | $131,000 | $186,020 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $94,006 | $130,563 | $185,400 |
| Texas | 40 | $93,542 | $129,919 | $184,485 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $93,377 | $129,690 | $184,160 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $92,905 | $129,035 | $183,230 |
| Georgia | 6 | $92,591 | $128,598 | $182,610 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $92,434 | $128,380 | $182,300 |
| Kansas | 4 | $91,962 | $127,725 | $181,370 |
| Michigan | 6 | $91,648 | $127,288 | $180,750 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $90,548 | $125,760 | $178,580 |
| Maryland | 1 | $90,547 | $125,760 | $178,579 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $89,604 | $124,450 | $176,719 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $89,604 | $124,450 | $176,719 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $87,246 | $121,175 | $172,069 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $86,774 | $120,520 | $171,138 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $85,595 | $118,883 | $168,813 |
| Missouri | 4 | $85,596 | $118,883 | $168,813 |
| Alabama | 5 | $85,265 | $118,424 | $168,162 |
| Indiana | 3 | $83,945 | $116,590 | $165,558 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $83,945 | $116,590 | $165,558 |
| Iowa | 2 | $83,002 | $115,280 | $163,698 |
| Ohio | 6 | $82,845 | $115,062 | $163,388 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $79,229 | $110,040 | $156,257 |
At the state level, California leads with an average Petroleum Engineer median of $184,023 across 61 cities, followed by Massachusetts ($177,833) and Hawaii ($176,850). The state breakdown adds another layer. The lowest-paying states — Mississippi, Ohio, Iowa — offer medians between $110,040 and $115,280. But state averages mask city-level variation that's often just as large.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($277,720 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $131,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $277,720 | 212 | $131,000 | $151,961 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $259,380 | 198 | $131,000 | $143,882 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $241,040 | 184 | $131,000 | $135,723 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $237,110 | 181 | $131,000 | $133,874 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $233,180 | 178 | $131,000 | $132,025 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $231,870 | 177 | $131,000 | $131,408 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $231,870 | 177 | $131,000 | $131,408 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $226,630 | 173 | $131,000 | $128,943 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $226,630 | 173 | $131,000 | $128,943 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $221,390 | 169 | $131,000 | $126,477 |
From a career planning perspective, Petroleum Engineer offers a $106,729 earning range. The 2.0× progression is steady — not explosive, but reliable. The typical entry requires Bachelor's in petro eng. Day-to-day, expect field/on-site work environments. With data from 288 cities, the geographic flexibility is substantial — this career travels well.
The weighted national median salary for Petroleum Engineers is $152,470 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $109,778, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $216,507.
The highest-paying city for Petroleum Engineers is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $277,720. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($277,720), Santa Clara ($259,380), Irvine ($241,040). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Petroleum Engineer salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $108,730. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Petroleum Engineers (10th percentile) average $109,778 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $199,958. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Petroleum Engineers average $216,507 nationally — $106,729 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Petroleum Engineers can earn up to $394,362.
The top-paying states for Petroleum Engineers are California ($184,023 median), Massachusetts ($177,833 median), Hawaii ($176,850 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Petroleum Engineer involves Bachelor's in petro eng. The field is in the Engineering sector (Engineering), and the career outlook is declining. Work style is typically field/on-site.
With a national median of $152,470 and representation across 288 metro areas, Petroleum Engineer offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $106,729 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: declining.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.