Skip to content
AlmaSpire

Engineering

Petroleum Engineering

Prepares you to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems for locating, extracting, processing and refining crude petroleum and natural gas, including prospecting instruments and equipment, mining and drilling systems, processing and refining systems and facilities, storage facilities, transportation systems, and related environmental and safety systems.

Where it can lead

Careers this field can lead to

Explore related careers, starting with the closest connections and the occupations hiring the most people.

All work is projected to grow 3.5% between 2025 and 2035; read every hiring-change figure against it. The figures beside each career are the pay of that work, across everyone doing it. Graduates of this field earn $78,626 one year after completing the program, which is the start of a career rather than the shape of one.

Working style

How and where the work happens

Related careers can feel very different from one another. Compare the specific occupations to understand the work each one involves.

0%of related openings involve substantial in-person or active work

Few of the careers connected to this field are measured as substantially in-person or active work. Compare the specific occupations to see how much time each one involves with people, equipment, and movement.

College options

Where to study it

Ordered by how many degrees each college awards in this field. Sort by any numbered column.

College Degrees a year Earnings, first year out Admit rate Average annual cost after aid
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA 77 $80,718 54% $26,000
Texas A & M University-College Station TX 68 $84,377 63% $17,000
The University of Texas at Austin TX 67 $87,293 29% $17,000
Colorado School of Mines CO 60 $94,022 60% $22,000
Texas Tech University TX 37 $89,229 71% $17,000
West Virginia University WV 37 $74,468 86% $14,000
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College LA 32 $75,560 74% $20,000
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus OK 23 $78,626 77% $15,000
University of Louisiana at Lafayette LA 20 $69,557 89% $14,000
Mississippi State University MS 20 76% $19,000
University of Tulsa OK 20 $85,730 58% $11,000
University of Wyoming WY 17 $77,157 97% $10,000
University of Houston TX 16 $73,141 70% $13,000
Missouri University of Science and Technology MO 15 $80,601 73% $13,000
Texas A & M University-Kingsville TX 12 $72,626 92% $13,000
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology NM 11 $70,180 54%
University of North Dakota ND 9 $84,111 77% $15,000
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania PA 6 75% $17,000
University of Kansas KS 5 $71,179 88% $15,000
University of Alaska Fairbanks AK 2 · $11,000
Texas A & M International University TX 2 46% $4,000

Explore colleges for this major