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Petroleum engineer salary in Texas

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$164,860median pay per year in Texas, or $79.26 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $89,990lowest 10% earn less
  2. $123,45025th percentile
  3. $164,860median
  4. $220,33075th percentile
  5. $283,500top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $144,910[3]

The median pay for petroleum engineers in Texas was $164,860 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $19,950 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
9,140[4]
Rank by median pay
4 of 16[5]
Compared with US median
+13.8%[6]

How much do petroleum engineers make in Texas?

Half of the petroleum engineers in Texas earned more than $164,860 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $79.26 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher, at $171,580 a year[7]. For petroleum engineers across the US, the median was $144,910[3]. So Texas sat 13.8% above the national figure[6]. Texas also had the 4th highest median for this job out of 16 states with a published median[5].

Compared with all jobs in Texas, the gap is large. The median for all occupations in the state was $48,620[8]. Petroleum engineers earned $116,240 more at the median[9]. The lowest-paid 10% of petroleum engineers in Texas earned less than $89,990[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $283,500[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $123,450 and $220,330[2].

Among the metro areas in or partly in Texas, Midland had the highest median at $172,070[10]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, the metro area with the most of these jobs (about 4,770), had a median of $169,870[11]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington came in at $168,600[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms[12]. It also does not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Texas vs US pay

Pay for petroleum engineers in Texas next to the national figures[1][3].

TXUS
Median per year$164,860[1]$144,910[3]
Median per hour$79.26[1]$69.67[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$89,990[2]$81,440[13]
Top 10% earn more than$283,500[2]$253,200[13]
Jobs9,140[4]18,060[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for petroleum engineers, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX[11]$169,8704,770
Midland, TX$172,070940
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$168,600910
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$120,460240
Odessa, TX$135,620220
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$168,860150
Longview, TX$101,290130
Corpus Christi, TX$155,870110

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for petroleum engineers in the states that border Texas, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oklahoma[14]$153,0201,450
Louisiana$139,640710
New Mexico$99,900260

Median pay for petroleum engineers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for petroleum engineers are projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a petroleum engineer make in Texas?
The median was $164,860 a year in May 2025, and the average was $171,580[1][7]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $89,990 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $283,500[2].
How much does a petroleum engineer make an hour in Texas?
The median hourly wage was $79.26[1]. Hourly pay at the 10th percentile was $43.26 and at the 90th percentile was $136.30[17].
Which city in Texas pays petroleum engineers the most?
Among the 12 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median, Midland had the highest at $172,070 a year[10]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, the metro area with the most of these jobs, had a median of $169,870[11].
Is Texas a good state for petroleum engineers?
Texas had the 4th highest median for this job out of 16 states with a published median[5]. Its median was 13.8% above the US median[6]. Nearby, Oklahoma was at $153,020 and Louisiana at $139,640[14].
What do you need to become a petroleum engineer in Texas?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a bachelor's degree, with no work experience in a related job and no on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure and not specific to Texas.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Petroleum Engineers in Texas was $164,860 per year and $79.26 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Petroleum Engineers in Texas: 10th percentile $89,990, 25th percentile $123,450, 75th percentile $220,330, 90th percentile $283,500. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Petroleum Engineers in the US as a whole was $144,910 per year and $69.67 per hour, with about 18,060 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 9,140 people worked as Petroleum Engineers in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 4th highest median annual wage for Petroleum Engineers out of the 16 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Petroleum Engineers in Texas ($164,860) was $19,950 (13.8%) higher than the US median ($144,910). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Petroleum Engineers in Texas was $171,580 per year and $82.49 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Petroleum Engineers in Texas was $116,240 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 12 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Petroleum Engineers, Midland, TX had the highest median annual wage, $172,070. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Petroleum Engineers in the US: 10th percentile $81,440, 25th percentile $106,270, 75th percentile $197,920, 90th percentile $253,200. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Petroleum Engineers in states that border Texas (highest first): Oklahoma $153,020; Louisiana $139,640; New Mexico $99,900. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Petroleum Engineers is projected to grow 2% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,000 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Petroleum Engineers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Petroleum Engineers in Texas: 10th percentile $43.26, 25th percentile $59.35, 75th percentile $105.93, 90th percentile $136.30. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.