Petroleum Engineering: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 14.25. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 79 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 3 | 28 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 26 | 489 | $91,915 | $104,823 | $25,000 7 programs |
| Master's degree | 25 | 150 | $117,245 | $147,771 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 16 | 82 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 9 | 6 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado School of Mines CO · Public · 47 graduates measured | $107,179 | $116,691 | $25,000 |
| The University of Texas Permian Basin TX · Public · 33 graduates measured | $100,059 | Data unavailable | $29,250 |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College LA · Public · 36 graduates measured | $99,842 | $103,421 | $27,000 |
| University of Houston TX · Public · 31 graduates measured | $96,730 | $94,651 | Data unavailable |
| Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public · 90 graduates measured | $96,207 | $114,686 | $17,902 |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette LA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $92,902 | $102,594 | Data unavailable |
| University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus OK · Public · 26 graduates measured | $89,188 | $123,416 | Data unavailable |
| Marietta College OH · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $87,881 | $99,295 | $27,000 |
| West Virginia University WV · Public · 27 graduates measured | $87,855 | $91,142 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Texas at Austin TX · Public · 58 graduates measured | $87,445 | $139,867 | $17,977 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 28 graduates measured | $79,009 | $113,669 | Data unavailable |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 19 graduates measured | $76,175 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Texas A&M University-Kingsville TX · Public · 18 graduates measured | $67,996 | $77,469 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus OK · Public · 17 graduates measured | $127,412 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Petroleum Engineering
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | $171,270 | +5.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Petroleum engineers | $144,910 | +2.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | $109,270 | +7.8% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 14.2501 Petroleum Engineering