Petroleum Engineers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum engineers in California is $143,590/year ($69.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $207K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $135,284 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,471/month, or 29.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $144K get you in California?
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What this looks like in California
Petroleum engineers pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $144K locally vs. $145K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $2,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level petroleum engineers (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $144K. Top earners bring in $207K or more, a $146K spread from bottom to top.
Petroleum Engineers salary by metro in California
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $167K | +16% | 330 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $167K | +16% | 70 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $161K | +12% | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $147K | +3% | 160 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $144K | +0% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track petroleum engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a petroleum engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
Yes — at the median salary of $144K, rent takes 29.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum engineers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum engineers typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,707/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $144K locally vs. $145K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for petroleum engineers?
California pays $144K median vs. the U.S. average of $145K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $135K — below the national median.
How much do petroleum engineers make in California?
The median is $143,590 a year, that works out to about $69 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,780, and experienced petroleum engineers can clear $207,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $144K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,284/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 29.8% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 $135,284 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.