Petroleum Engineers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum engineers in West Virginia is $93,360/year ($44.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $220K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $104,864 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,008/month, or 17.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across West Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $93K get you in West Virginia?
About petroleum engineers
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for petroleum engineers in West Virginia runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $145K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,008/month, 17.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, West Virginia can be a reasonable trade-off for petroleum engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, West Virginia
Entry-level petroleum engineers (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $93K. Top earners bring in $220K or more, a $140K spread from bottom to top.
Petroleum Engineers salary by metro in West Virginia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $89K | -5% | 80 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a petroleum engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $93K, rent takes 17.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum engineers in West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum engineers typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,792/month. At HUD’s $1,008/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is petroleum engineer a high-paying job in West Virginia?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $93K here vs. $145K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for petroleum engineers?
West Virginia pays $93K median vs. the U.S. average of $145K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $105K — below the national median.
How much do petroleum engineers make in West Virginia?
The median is $93,360 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,860, and experienced petroleum engineers can clear $220,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $93K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,848/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 17.2% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 $104,864 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.