Petroleum Engineers
SOC code 17-2171 · 333 certified H-1B positions, FY2023–FY2026.
333
certified positions
$135,000
Median pay
$105,679
25th pct
$171,000
75th pct
$203,500
90th pct
$89,442
10th pct
Estimates from public U.S. Department of Labor records — wages are
employer-attested offered wages, not verified salaries paid; counts are filings, not
people. Not legal, financial, or career advice. See our
disclaimer & terms.
Data: DOL filings FY2023–FY2026 (through June 2026) · Page updated October 2026
$121,472
Median prevailing wage
$89,442$135,000 median$203,500
Quarterly median pay 2022-Q4 → 2026-Q2 · ▲ 76.6%
Wage-level mix DOL prevailing-wage levels on these filings
Level I · Entry — 113 (35%), med $103,022Level II · Qualified — 108 (33%), med $136,100Level III · Experienced — 40 (12%), med $165,978Level IV · Fully competent — 62 (19%), med $197,560
Top employers hiring
| Employer | Positions | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Chevron Corporation | 23 | $170,800 |
| EOG Resources, Inc. | 18 | $120,000 |
| Occidental Petroleum Corporation | 17 | $139,700 |
| ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company | 11 | $144,000 |
| ConocoPhillips Company | 9 | $197,120 |
| BP America Inc. | 9 | $131,685 |
| University of Wyoming | 7 | $106,538 |
| WOODSIDE ENERGY USA SERVICES INC | 6 | $227,848 |
| NEXTIER COMPLETION SOLUTIONS INC | 6 | $98,286 |
| University of North Dakota | 6 | $129,601 |
| MURPHY EXPLORATION PRODUCTION COMPANY USA | 6 | $189,821 |
| CHEVRON USA INC | 6 | $151,004 |
| XECTA DIGITAL LABS LTD | 5 | $110,000 |
| SHELL EXPLORATION PRODUCTION COMPANY | 5 | $140,800 |
| LIBERTY ENERGY SERVICES LLC | 5 | $133,099 |
Top states
| State | Positions |
|---|---|
| Texas | 254 |
| Colorado | 11 |
| California | 9 |
| New Mexico | 9 |
| Wyoming | 7 |
| Michigan | 6 |
| Oklahoma | 5 |
| Louisiana | 5 |
| North Dakota | 4 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 |
| Utah | 4 |
| New Jersey | 4 |
| Ohio | 3 |
| Nevada | 2 |
| Virginia | 2 |