### SUMMARY

 Majoring in Petroleum Engineering is not only a valuable choice, but commonly an obligatory first step for pupils hoping to enter a career as a petroleum geophysicist, a drilling fluids engineer, or a petroleum supply specialist. In fact, petroleum engineering is an uncommon degree ranking as the 161st most popular major. In the last year, there were 1,704 petroleum engineering degrees conferred. In-state tuition for petroleum engineering at private schools is, on average, 3.8 times more expensive than their public peers.

 With just 25 institutions offering petroleum engineering you could have limited options as to the institutions that will have an option for you. If you are looking to immerse yourself with other petroleum engineering undergraduates, consider looking at schools in Texas which have the most undergrads admitted to petroleum engineering annually. Zooming out, the top region to study petroleum engineering is in the Southwest region with [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus](/colleges/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus), [University of Houston](/colleges/university-of-houston), and [Texas A & M University-College Station](/colleges/texas-a-m-university-college-station) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection for the top conference to study petroleum engineering is the Big Twelve Conference with [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus](/colleges/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus), [The University of Texas at Austin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin), and [West Virginia University](/colleges/west-virginia-university) representing the conference. Based on our comprehensive list on the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges), our choice for the best college for petroleum engineering is [The University of Texas at Austin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin).

 The overall 'best' school does not mean it is the best school for you. There can be a bunch more angels to weigh when selecting college. External stuff such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food could definitely alter one's choice on which school to attend. Here at Authority, we have weighed the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you are interested in which petroleum engineering college is home to the top campus, the answer is [Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus](/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus). If, for example, you are very interested in which university boasts the best campus, then we have an entire page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through professor reviews, student reviews, government databases, and more to compare every major in the United States in an unbiased and informative way. You can find our comprehensive list for the colleges with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and, from that list, our pick of the college with the best student life for petroleum engineering is [The University of Texas at Austin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin). Curious why? Keep scrolling to learn more about Authority's top selections. Some of our decisions will probably shock you.

 If cost is a significant factor in your choice of where you attend college, you might be cautious about [University of Tulsa](/colleges/university-of-tulsa). [University of Tulsa](/colleges/university-of-tulsa)&nbspappears to be the most expensive university for petroleum engineering, at least regarding out of state students. That being said, we have an entire page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspschools that might put the cost of [University of Tulsa](/colleges/university-of-tulsa)&nbspinto perspective. Additionally, you could want to know that petroleum engineering is the 328th most expensive program in the US, with an average expense of $21,500. To zoom out a little, the most expensive state for petroleum engineering nationally is Colorado with costs at the main institution, Colorado School of Mines, of $37,350. To zoom out even further, the most expensive region for petroleum engineering is unfortunately unavailable due to missing data.

 Our cheapest region for petroleum engineering is the Far West region which is represented by [University of Alaska Fairbanks](/colleges/university-of-alaska-fairbanks) with a cost of $22,980. More optimistically, the most affordable college for petroleum engineering is [The University of Texas of the Permian Basin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-of-the-permian-basin). Authority's comprehensive list of the most affordable colleges can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state students can anticipate paying around $10,300 for a degree in petroleum engineering. That price increases dramatically to a median of $25,600 for the out-of-state public-school student. Our pick for the university with the best value for petroleum engineering: [Colorado School of Mines](/colleges/colorado-school-of-mines). Through this link you can see our comprehensive list on the universities we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. Bear in mind, this list is predicated on out-of-state tuition costs. A discussion of value changes when it comes to in-state tuition, but we do not know in which states any one student has residency.

 Earnings for petroleum engineering majors differ a lot, but within two-years of graduation graduates will typically make around $79,900. While there is a lot of variation in earnings; highest paid earners can enjoy pay up to $140,300. Straight out of college, the lowest end jobs within the petroleum engineering field make $45,800, which is an alright wage. The top earning graduates for petroleum engineering graduated from [Colorado School of Mines](/colleges/colorado-school-of-mines)&nbspand if you want to find the universities with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The all-around diversity of petroleum engineering is on the higher end, falling in the 66th percentile of all majors. The college with the highest composite diversity for petroleum engineering is [University of Houston](/colleges/university-of-houston)&nbspand here you can find our general list for the schools which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of the Petroleum Engineering major only sits within the 75th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is greater than financial diversity, ranking in the 81st percentile. White students compose the largest proportion, 41%, of students studying petroleum engineering. Additionally, 83% of undergrads seeking a petroleum engineering degree are men.

 The median score for petroleum engineering's professors is 3.6 stars, which is 10% less than the median across all majors; this is a subpar score. If you are looking for the most popular petroleum engineering instructor in the nation, take a look at Aditi Marwaha from [University of Houston](/colleges/university-of-houston). This might come as a surprise, but the highest ranked instructors for petroleum engineering from student rankings come from [Arizona State University-Tempe](/colleges/arizona-state-university-tempe). As we including data beyond just rankings we find that the college with the overall best instructors for petroleum engineering is [The University of Texas at Austin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin). You can find an explanation of our ever evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with some of the top instructors in the country.

 Finally, the most difficult college to get into for petroleum engineering is [The University of Texas at Austin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin). While we do not necessarily see the value in it, we do have an extensive list of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). But, we hope you believe that looking at the education process from examples mainly formed from superlatives might cause problems. We hope you explore our other pages on different schools and peruse a few of our helpful background pages on beneficial details to consider as you continue your college search.



 ### POPULARITY

 Petroleum engineering is the 161st most popular degree in America, with 1,704 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #162 [Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations](/rankings/best-colleges-for-sales-distribution-and-marketing-operations), and narrowly lost to #160 [Environmental Engineering](/rankings/best-colleges-for-environmental-engineering).

 The degree is offered at a total of 25 colleges across the nation, and is the 363rd most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 1% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that 83% of colleges offering petroleum engineering are public making it a very accessible field.

 The southwest produces the most petroleum engineering graduates, largely led by [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus](/colleges/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus), while it’s the Big Twelve Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, Texas ranks highest, with particular help from [University of Houston](/colleges/university-of-houston) and [Texas A & M University-College Station](/colleges/texas-a-m-university-college-station).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more petroleum engineering graduates than [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california), which graduated 173 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study petroleum engineering). More students studied petroleum engineering as a percentage of total students at [Marietta College](/colleges/marietta-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Petroleum engineering is the 328th most expensive degree in the US, with a median cost of $21,493 amongst the top 50 programs (just ahead of #329, [Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Ultrasound Technology](rankings/best-colleges-for-diagnostic-medical-sonography-and-ultrasound-technology), with a median cost of $21,367).

 The Great Lakes have the most expensive colleges with top 50 petroleum engineering programs led by [Marietta College](/colleges/marietta-college) with an annual cost of $35,030. Colorado is the most expensive state for petroleum engineering led by [Colorado School of Mines](/colleges/colorado-school-of-mines).

 Public schools with good programs by and large charge 73.86% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 35.06% less than the median private school. So be sure to look into public shools in your state ASAP.

 The most high-priced option in the top 25 is [University of Tulsa](/colleges/university-of-tulsa). The most affordable option in the top 100 is [The University of Texas of the Permian Basin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-of-the-permian-basin). It costs just $5,707 per year, and it's ranked 20th for its petroleum engineering program. Another more affordable option would be #6, [Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College](/colleges/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-mechanical-college) in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA with a cost of $8,038 for in-state students and $8,038 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Paying for college is an important investment for most people. It's critical to make sure you boost your earning power. With that in mind, we hope the following career and income info help you make an intelligent decision when picking your focus.

 The average Petroleum Engineering major makes a starting income of $71,139 per annum, which is the 18th highest of any focus. Later on in their professions, they can earn as high as $140,315 to as little as $45,843, but average approximately $79,854. For context, that's 2.07 times average.

 The most common job for a Petroleum Engineering graduate is Engineer, which predominantly earn roughly $59,000; next are Store Associate and Senior Engineer, which normally make near $19,000 and $75,000 respectively.

 The highest earning region for Petroleum Engineering graduates is The Rocky Mountains. The highest grossing state for Petroleum Engineering alumni is MT. Frontier Conference has the highest grossing Petroleum Engineering graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Petroleum Engineering: Median Professor Rating: 3.6 / 5, which is below average.

 Professors again and again play a monumental role in your college experience, regardless of your focus. An amazing professor might provide inspiration and set a student up for future success. On the other hand, an ineffective professor can bring a lot of anxiety or even worse... flunk you!

 Professors of Petroleum Engineering, concerningly, only have a median student rating of 3.6 / 5, putting these professors in the bottom 8 percent in America based on overall professor quality. For context a 3.6 rating is 10% lower than the national median professor rating for all subjects. Petroleum Engineering professors just surpassed those from ["Electrical Engineering Technologies"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-electrical-engineering-technologies), whereas ["Biochemistry"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-biochemistry)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Petroleum Engineering.

 Now for some statistics about Petroleum Engineering professors. Colleges located in midsize suburbs tend to have the best Petroleum Engineering professors. The Pacific West Conference has the highest rated Petroleum Engineering professors. The Mid East region has the highest rated Petroleum Engineering professors. Private institutions tend to have higher rated Petroleum Engineering professors than public colleges. Finally, South Dakota has the highest rated Petroleum Engineering professors in the US.

 Aditi Marwaha, instructor at [University of Houston](/colleges/university-of-houston)&nbspin Houston, TX is the most popular Petroleum Engineering professor in the United States. Andrew Medford, professor at [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus)&nbspin Atlanta, GA is the highest rated Petroleum Engineering professor in America, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Want to know which universities have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often is a particularly momentous time of one's life; it is an opportunity for personal progress and development. Undergrads attempt to discover their calling and build the imperative skills to be a prosperous adult. But learning isn't confined to a classroom - the conversations one has with their peers, the wild anecdote gained from an old professor, the exposure to a different way of viewing the world. Therefore, attending a diverse college greatly enriches what one gains from the time in school.

 Petroleum Engineering is a more popular major for students of color than white students. 41% of the nation's Petroleum Engineering majors are white students, followed by students of other races\*\*(39%), latino students (10%), and asian students (7%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [University of Houston](/colleges/university-of-houston) located in Houston, TX.

 Secondly, Petroleum Engineering is the the 19th most male dominated subject, with male students out numbering female students by a 5 to 1 ratio. [The University of Texas at Austin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin) in Austin, TX has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

  Another significant type of diversity is economic diversity. Petroleum Engineering is more economically diverse than 75% of programs. 27% of its students come from households that bring in above $110,000 a year, 16% are from lower middle>income households, and 26% grew up in families making under $30,000 a year. [Montana Technological University](/colleges/montana-technological-university) is the most economically diverse institution in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall TX is the most diverse state for Petroleum Engineering. The Southwest is the most diverse region, and the Big Twelve Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 7%
* Black: 3%
* Latino: 10%
* White: 41%
* Other: 39%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 83%
* Female: 17%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 26%
* 30k - 48k: 16%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 15%
* Over 110k: 27%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 77%
* Out of State: 20%
* International: 3%


Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

Case Western Reserve University

Colorado School of Mines

The University of Texas at Austin

University of Tulsa

Auburn University

Texas A & M University-College Station

University of Kansas

Montana Technological University

Texas Tech University

Mississippi State University

University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

University of Wyoming

University of Houston

University of Southern Mississippi

West Virginia University

University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Missouri University of Science and Technology

The University of Texas Permian Basin

Saint Francis University

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Stanford University

University of Southern California

Search for the best Petroleum Engineering colleges according to your filter parameters.

2023 Petroleum Engineering Cost

There are about 3,713 students enrolled in Petroleum Engineering in the USA.

COST