Petroleum Engineers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum engineers in Colorado is $172,190/year ($82.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $93K at the entry level to $265K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $166,030 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,832/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $172K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About petroleum engineers
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What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for petroleum engineers, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $145K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,832/month, 18.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Colorado offers a genuinely strong financial position for petroleum engineers at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level petroleum engineers (10th percentile) start around $93K. Mid-career wages sit at $172K. Top earners bring in $265K or more, a $172K spread from bottom to top.
Petroleum Engineers salary by metro in Colorado
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $175K | +1% | 900 |
| Grand Junction | $162K | -6% | 50 |
| Greeley | $132K | -23% | 300 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a petroleum engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
Yes — at the median salary of $172K, rent takes 18.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum engineers in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum engineers typically earn — is $93K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,787/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Colorado?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $172K here vs. $145K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for petroleum engineers?
Colorado pays $172K median vs. the U.S. average of $145K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $166K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do petroleum engineers make in Colorado?
The median is $172,190 a year, that works out to about $83 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $92,590, and experienced petroleum engineers can clear $264,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $172K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,072/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 18.2% 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 Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (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 $166,030 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.