Petroleum Engineers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum engineers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA is $147,440/year ($70.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $196K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $146,139 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,483/month, or 17% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $147K get you in Bakersfield-Delano?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bakersfield-Delano’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About petroleum engineers
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What this looks like in Bakersfield-Delano
Petroleum engineers pay in Bakersfield-Delano tracks closely to the national median, $147K locally vs. $145K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,483/month, 17.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for petroleum engineers in metros near Bakersfield-Delano, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $144K | $124K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $167K | $147K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $167K | $156K |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $161K | $146K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Entry-level petroleum engineers (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $147K. Top earners bring in $196K or more, a $142K spread from bottom to top.
Petroleum Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Petroleum Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $206K | +42% | 280 |
| Utah | $173K | +19% | 280 |
| Colorado | $172K | +19% | 1,390 |
| Texas | $165K | +14% | 9,140 |
| Oklahoma | $153K | +6% | 1,450 |
| California | $144K | -1% | 1,060 |
| Louisiana | $140K | -4% | 710 |
| Washington | $135K | -7% | 190 |
| North Dakota | $132K | -9% | 130 |
| Kansas | $116K | -20% | 110 |
| Montana | $104K | -28% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $102K | -30% | 600 |
| Nebraska | $101K | -30% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $100K | -31% | 260 |
| Ohio | $99K | -32% | 200 |
| West Virginia | $93K | -36% | 380 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track petroleum engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bakersfield-Delano numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a petroleum engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bakersfield-Delano?
Yes — at the median salary of $147K, rent takes 17.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,483/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum engineers in Bakersfield-Delano?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum engineers typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,224/month. At HUD’s $1,483/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is petroleum engineer a high-paying job in Bakersfield-Delano?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $147K locally vs. $145K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Bakersfield-Delano compare to the national average for petroleum engineers?
Bakersfield-Delano pays $147K median vs. the U.S. average of $145K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $146K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do petroleum engineers make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
The median is $147,440 a year, that works out to about $71 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,730, and experienced petroleum engineers can clear $195,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $147K enough to live in Bakersfield-Delano?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,473/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,483/month, which eats 17.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a petroleum engineers salary go in Bakersfield-Delano?
Bakersfield-Delano has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median petroleum engineers salary is worth about $146,139 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do petroleum engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.