How to become a Petroleum Engineer
Official title: Petroleum Engineers
Also called: Completion Engineer, Drilling Engineer, Engineer, Operations Engineer, Petroleum Engineer, Petroleum Production Engineer, Project Production Engineer, Project Reservoir Engineer, Reservoir Engineer, Reservoir Engineering Consultant
Devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production and determine the need for new or modified tool designs. Oversee drilling and offer technical advice.
Main tasks
- Specify and supervise well modification and stimulation programs to maximize oil and gas recovery.
- Monitor production rates, and plan rework processes to improve production.
- Maintain records of drilling and production operations.
- Analyze data to recommend placement of wells and supplementary processes to enhance production.
- Assist engineering and other personnel to solve operating problems.
- Direct and monitor the completion and evaluation of wells, well testing, or well surveys.
- Develop plans for oil and gas field drilling, and for product recovery and treatment.
- Assess costs and estimate the production capabilities and economic value of oil and gas wells, to evaluate the economic viability of potential drilling sites.
How to become one
Petroleum engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering or a related field, such as mechanical, civil, or chemical engineering. Employers also value practical experience, which students sometimes gain through internships.
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- College: Engineering degrees, Offered by 36 universities in the US
- Licence: A licence is required in 48 states.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $144,910 a year The middle half earn $106,270 to $197,920.
- About 18,500 people work in this job now, and about 18,800 are projected by 2035. (+2%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Related jobs
- Transportation Engineers
- Water/Wastewater Engineers
- Environmental Engineers
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
- Aerospace Engineers
- Agricultural Engineers
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a Petroleum Engineer?
Petroleum engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering or a related field, such as mechanical, civil, or chemical engineering. Employers also value practical experience, which students sometimes gain through internships.
How much does a Petroleum Engineer earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $144,910 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $106,270 to $197,920.
Is a Petroleum Engineer a growing career in the US?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 18,500 people now and 18,800 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Petroleum Engineer?
Usually. 83% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Petroleum Engineer?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.