Petroleum Engineer
Extract oil and gas resources efficiently while minimizing environmental impact
About the profession
Petroleum Engineers design and develop methods for extracting oil and gas from underground reservoirs. They work on drilling operations, reservoir modeling, production optimization, and enhanced oil recovery. While the energy transition presents long-term challenges, petroleum engineers remain among the highest-paid engineering professionals, with skills increasingly applicable to geothermal and carbon capture.
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Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Junior Petroleum Engineer → Petroleum Engineer → Senior PE → Principal Engineer → VP of Reservoir Engineering
Where are you on this career path?
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Salary Growth
5
Levels
0K
Top Salary
18+ years+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-3 years | Entry Base: $85,000 - $100,000/year Assist with reservoir modeling and production analysis Support drilling operations and well completions Analyze…
Skills used in this career
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Learning Path 0 → Junior
Step-by-step plan from zero to first job
Earn BS in Petroleum Engineering from ABET-accredited program Pass FE exam and gain field operations experience Develop reservoir modeling software skills (Eclipse, CMG) Obtain PE…
Market 2026–2030
Trends, AI impact, prospects
Growth Rate: Average through 2030 — cyclical with oil prices Remote Trend: Stable — field visits required; office analysis partially remote Top Industries: Majors (ExxonMobil,…
💰 Salary Range
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