Petroleum Engineers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum engineers in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is $167,000/year ($80.29/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $128K at the entry level to $206K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 113.57), so that salary is closer to $147,046 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,601/month, or 26.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $167K get you in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim’s Regional Price Parity (113.57). 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim sits well above the national pay line for petroleum engineers, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $145K. Rent runs $2,601/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 113.57), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for petroleum engineers in metros near Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $144K | $124K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $147K | $146K |
| 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, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Entry-level petroleum engineers (10th percentile) start around $128K. Mid-career wages sit at $167K. Top earners bring in $206K or more, a $79K 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a petroleum engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Yes — at the median salary of $167K, rent takes 27.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,601/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum engineers in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum engineers typically earn — is $128K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,657/month. At HUD’s $2,601/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $167K here vs. $145K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 14% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim compare to the national average for petroleum engineers?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim pays $167K median vs. the U.S. average of $145K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 113.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $147K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do petroleum engineers make in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA?
The median is $167,000 a year, that works out to about $80 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $127,610, and experienced petroleum engineers can clear $206,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $167K enough to live in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,436/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,601/month, which eats 27.6% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has a Regional Price Parity of 113.57 (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 $147,046 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.