Petroleum Engineer Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$143,590
$69.03/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$129,688
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($144,910): −$1,320 (−0.9%)
California ranks 6th of 16 states by median pay, and 8th of 16 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,780 | $29.70 |
| 25th percentile | $126,500 | $60.82 |
| Median | $143,590 | $69.03 |
| 75th percentile | $171,980 | $82.68 |
| 90th percentile | $207,370 | $99.70 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 1,060
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $143,590
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $144,910
- Difference
- −$1,320 (−0.9%)
Cost of living
$143,590 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $129,688
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | ||
| 4th | $164,860 | $169,859 4th |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 5th | $153,020 | $174,197 3rd |
| California This page | ||
| 6th | $143,590 | $129,688 8th |
| Louisiana | ||
| 7th | $139,640 | $158,309 6th |
| Washington | ||
| 8th | $134,800 | $125,966 10th |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Chemical Engineer salary in the U.S.
$125,040/year U.S.
- Industrial Production Manager salary in the U.S.
$126,060/year U.S.
- Civil Engineer salary in California
$122,500/year California
- Industrial Engineer salary in California
$124,600/year California
- Mechanical Engineer salary in California
$130,900/year California
- Electrical Engineer salary in California
$144,040/year California
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +2.0%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Bachelor's degree
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
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