Petroleum Engineers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum engineers in North Dakota is $132,120/year ($63.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $170K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.89), which stretches that salary to about $148,633 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,034/month, or 12.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of North Dakota. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $132K get you in North Dakota?
About petroleum engineers
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What this looks like in North Dakota
Petroleum engineers pay in North Dakota tracks closely to the national median, $132K locally vs. $145K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,034/month, 12.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Dakota
Entry-level petroleum engineers (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $132K. Top earners bring in $170K or more, a $88K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track petroleum engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Dakota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a petroleum engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $132K, rent takes 12.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,034/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum engineers in North Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum engineers typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,952/month. At HUD’s $1,034/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is petroleum engineer a high-paying job in North Dakota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $132K locally vs. $145K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does North Dakota compare to the national average for petroleum engineers?
North Dakota pays $132K median vs. the U.S. average of $145K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $149K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do petroleum engineers make in North Dakota?
The median is $132,120 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,530, and experienced petroleum engineers can clear $170,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $132K enough to live in North Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,207/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,034/month, which eats 12.6% 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 North Dakota?
North Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 88.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median petroleum engineers salary is worth about $148,633 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.