Petroleum Engineering: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 20 reporting college programs.
+$325,249 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.
Observed national outcomes
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Tulsa$145,3532The University of Texas at Austin$139,8673Texas Tech University$139,8644University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus$123,4165Colorado School of Mines$116,6916Texas A&M University-College Station$114,6867Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$113,6698Montana Technological University$106,0769Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College$103,42110University of Louisiana at Lafayette$102,594Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of TulsaBachelor's Degree | Tulsa, OK | $145,353 | $27,000 | +318% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $139,867 | $17,239 | +266% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Texas Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lubbock, TX | $139,864 | $26,090 | +270% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusBachelor's Degree | Norman, OK | $123,416 | $24,625 | +225% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Colorado School of MinesBachelor's Degree | Golden, CO | $116,691 | $27,000 | +143% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $114,686 | $19,000 | +163% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $113,669 | $22,368 | +120% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | Montana Technological UniversityBachelor's Degree | Butte, MT | $106,076 | $27,000 | +148% | Strong payoff |
| 9 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBachelor's Degree | Baton Rouge, LA | $103,421 | $25,750 | +128% | Strong payoff |
| 10 | University of Louisiana at LafayetteBachelor's Degree | Lafayette, LA | $102,594 | $22,806 | +146% | Strong payoff |
| 11 | Missouri University of Science and TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Rolla, MO | $102,405 | $28,950 | +134% | Strong payoff |
| 12 | University of WyomingBachelor's Degree | Laramie, WY | $100,911 | $24,638 | +139% | Strong payoff |
| 13 | University of North DakotaBachelor's Degree | Grand Forks, ND | $99,932 | $27,000 | +116% | Strong payoff |
| 14 | Marietta CollegeBachelor's Degree | Marietta, OH | $99,295 | $27,000 | +105% | Strong payoff |
| 15 | University of KansasBachelor's Degree | Lawrence, KS | $97,527 | $25,000 | +108% | Strong payoff |
| 16 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Socorro, NM | $95,234 | $28,756 | +129% | Strong payoff |
| 17 | University of HoustonBachelor's Degree | Houston, TX | $94,651 | $23,366 | +109% | Strong payoff |
| 18 | West Virginia UniversityBachelor's Degree | Morgantown, WV | $91,142 | $26,000 | +90% | Positive payoff |
| 19 | Texas A&M University-KingsvilleBachelor's Degree | Kingsville, TX | $77,469 | Not available | +42% | Positive payoff |
| 20 | The University of Texas Permian BasinBachelor's Degree | Odessa, TX | Not available | $24,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $12,723 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.