DOL Filings vs BLS Survey
What Employers File with DOL
This figure comes from 3,306 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.
What BLS Says the Market Pays
This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 18,970 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.
Salary Distribution
Top Paying Employers for Petroleum Engineers
Ranked by median salary from DOL filingsSalary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs National | Filings | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | $170,000 | +41.7% | 15 | 5 |
| DALLAS, TX | $147,600 | +23% | 47 | 10 |
| Covington, LA | $139,500 | +16.3% | 16 | 5 |
| Anchorage, AK | $129,197 | +7.7% | 26 | 9 |
| Long Beach, CA | $127,500 | +6.3% | 17 | 3 |
| The Woodlands, TX | $125,000 | +4.2% | 73 | 21 |
| Houston, TX | $123,500 | +2.9% | 1,063 | 193 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $121,950 | +1.6% | 72 | 11 |
| Irving, TX | $120,000 | 0% | 16 | 3 |
| Denver, CO | $120,000 | 0% | 78 | 34 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $119,704 | -0.2% | 51 | 19 |
| Katy, TX | $118,095 | -1.6% | 14 | 5 |
| Plano, TX | $115,000 | -4.2% | 38 | 4 |
| Spring, TX | $112,500 | -6.3% | 10 | 2 |
| Tulsa, OK | $102,800 | -14.3% | 18 | 14 |
| Sugar Land, TX | $99,986 | -16.7% | 13 | 6 |
| MCKITTRICK, CA | $98,000 | -18.3% | 13 | 2 |
| Cambridge, MA | $97,552 | -18.7% | 14 | 3 |
| Midland, TX | $95,500 | -20.4% | 60 | 20 |
| ODESSA, TX | $78,416 | -34.7% | 11 | 5 |
| Austin, TX | $65,101 | -45.7% | 13 | 4 |
Salary by State
| State | Median | vs National | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $197,264 | N/A | 4 |
| Utah | $184,500 | +10.8% | 1 |
| New Jersey | $173,500 | +23.2% | 4 |
| Alaska | $133,300 | -33.6% | 29 |
| Louisiana | $120,273 | -10.7% | 54 |
| Texas | $120,000 | -21.7% | 1,437 |
| California | $119,550 | -19.1% | 164 |
| Florida | $119,450 | N/A | 3 |
| Pennsylvania | $118,841 | +27.9% | 24 |
| Montana | $118,720 | +40.7% | 4 |
| Washington | $118,000 | -9% | 1 |
| Arkansas | $116,600 | +14.2% | 3 |
| Colorado | $115,794 | -30.9% | 94 |
| Oregon | $111,509 | N/A | 1 |
| Wyoming | $111,410 | -27.1% | 17 |
| Illinois | $105,670 | N/A | 4 |
| Oklahoma | $105,600 | -25.9% | 91 |
| Maryland | $105,000 | N/A | 1 |
| Massachusetts | $97,552 | N/A | 14 |
| Nebraska | $91,000 | -15.2% | 4 |
| Ohio | $84,100 | -22.2% | 8 |
| North Dakota | $83,100 | -36.1% | 37 |
| Nevada | $82,742 | N/A | 4 |
| West Virginia | $81,187 | -21.1% | 6 |
| New York | $77,000 | -19.1% | 4 |
| New Mexico | $74,500 | -36.9% | 6 |
| Kansas | $70,500 | -40.3% | 4 |
| Connecticut | $70,250 | N/A | 2 |
| Arizona | $39,000 | N/A | 1 |
Salary Trend - DOL Data
Education Requirements
From PERM filingsFor Petroleum Engineers positions, 51% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 45% required a Master's degree, and 1% required no formal degree.
Education by Top Employer
Most common minimum education from PERM filings| Employer | Most Common Education | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Chevron Corporation | Master's | $125,200 |
| Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Master's | $96,300 |
| ConocoPhillips Company | Bachelor's | $122,400 |
| BP America Inc. | Master's | $131,857 |
| Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation | Master's | $129,300 |
| Baker Hughes Company | Not specified | $95,000 |
| Anadarko Petroleum Corporation | Bachelor's | $118,900 |
| Occidental Petroleum Corporation | Bachelor's | $138,850 |
| Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Master's | $105,000 |
| Hess Corporation | Master's | $115,329 |
Salary by Industry
Same occupation, different industries (NAICS)The highest-paying industry for Petroleum Engineers is Mining, Quarrying, Oil and Gas at $130,891. The lowest-paying industry with significant hiring is Educational Services at $60,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on 3,306 DOL filings, the median salary for a Petroleum Engineers is $120,000, ranging from $99,091 to $144,000.
The 90th percentile salary is $228,790 according to BLS data.
Based on DOL filings, New Orleans, LA offers the highest median at $170,000.
DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Petroleum Engineers positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.
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