Petroleum Engineers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum engineers in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA is $161,050/year ($77.43/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $87K at the entry level to $221K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.53), so that salary is closer to $145,707 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,693/month, or 28.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $161K get you in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura’s Regional Price Parity (110.53). 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura sits well above the national pay line for petroleum engineers, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $145K. Rent runs $2,693/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.53), 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $144K | $124K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $167K | $147K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $147K | $146K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $167K | $156K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
Entry-level petroleum engineers (10th percentile) start around $87K. Mid-career wages sit at $161K. Top earners bring in $221K or more, a $135K 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a petroleum engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Yes — at the median salary of $161K, rent takes 29.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,693/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum engineers in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum engineers typically earn — is $87K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,209/month. At HUD’s $2,693/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $161K here vs. $145K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura compare to the national average for petroleum engineers?
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura pays $161K median vs. the U.S. average of $145K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $146K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do petroleum engineers make in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA?
The median is $161,050 a year, that works out to about $77 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $86,820, and experienced petroleum engineers can clear $221,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $161K enough to live in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,143/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,693/month, which eats 29.5% 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura has a Regional Price Parity of 110.53 (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 $145,707 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.