Petroleum Engineers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum engineers in Pennsylvania is $101,880/year ($48.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $175K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $107,276 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 20.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $102K get you in Pennsylvania?
About petroleum engineers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pay for petroleum engineers in Pennsylvania runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $145K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 21.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Pennsylvania can be a reasonable trade-off for petroleum engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level petroleum engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $175K or more, a $98K spread from bottom to top.
Petroleum Engineers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $130K | +28% | 210 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $107K | +5% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track petroleum engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a petroleum engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum engineers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,633/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is petroleum engineer a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $102K here vs. $145K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for petroleum engineers?
Pennsylvania pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $145K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $107K — below the national median.
How much do petroleum engineers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $101,880 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,220, and experienced petroleum engineers can clear $175,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,411/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 21.1% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $107,276 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.