Estimates how much oil and gas an underground reservoir holds and plans how to produce it, using rock and fluid data, decline analysis and simulation models. BLS does not publish separate figures for petroleum engineers; it counts them within petroleum engineer (SOC 17-2171), whose median pay is $144,910 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2171
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Reservoir Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $144,910a year, or $69.67/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $81KTop 10% $253K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.0%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,00018,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202518.5K
- Projected 203518.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 18.5K Projected 2035 18.8K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school7.6%
- Bachelor's71.6%
- Master's5.4%
- Post-master’s certificate15.4%
Highest education held by petroleum engineers Segment Value High school 7.6% Bachelor's 71.6% Master's 5.4% Post-master’s certificate 15.4%
Also advertised as: Petroleum Reservoir Engineer, Senior Reservoir Engineer, Reservoir Simulation Engineer, Reserves Engineer, Subsurface Engineer.
Pay
How much do Petroleum Engineers make?
Every reservoir engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$144,910
Middle half earn $106,270 to $197,920
- 10th
- $81,440
- 25th
- $106,270
- 75th
- $197,920
- 90th
- $253,200
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $81,440 |
| 25th | $106,270 |
| Median | $144,910 |
| 75th | $197,920 |
| 90th | $253,200 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $144,910
- Median hourly wage
- $69.67/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $157,150
- People employed
- 18,060
Versus all US occupations
At $144,910, Petroleum Engineers earn 184% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $93,930 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 39% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $253,200 or more while the bottom 10% earn $81,440, a gap of 3.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 92% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $206,290, and still leads at $201,536 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Petroleum Engineers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $206,290 | $201,536 | 280 |
| 2Utah | $172,840 | $174,826 | 280 |
| 3Colorado | $172,190 | $167,090 | 1,390 |
| 4Texas | $164,860 | $169,859 | 9,140 |
| 5Oklahoma | $153,020 | $174,197 | 1,450 |
| 6California | $143,590 | $129,688 | 1,060 |
| 7Louisiana | $139,640 | $158,309 | 710 |
| 8Washington | $134,800 | $125,966 | 190 |
| 9North Dakota | $132,120 | $148,518 | 130 |
| 10Kansas | $115,640 | $128,392 | 110 |
Job outlook
Is Reservoir Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Petroleum Engineers | +2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Petroleum Engineers to change 2.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,000 openings are projected each year, 5.4% of the 18,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Reservoir Engineer
Most reservoir engineers hold a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering, and some come from chemical or mechanical engineering with a master's in petroleum engineering. Coursework in fluid flow through porous media, well testing and reservoir simulation is the core of the path. The Society of Petroleum Engineers is the main professional body and runs training, conferences and the PetroWiki reference.
New graduates usually rotate through production or field roles before moving into a reservoir team. Reserves work follows the SPE Petroleum Resources Management System, and many senior engineers become licensed professional engineers after passing the NCEES exams. Strong skills in simulation tools and data analysis help people advance.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as petroleum engineers.
- Bachelor's Degree71.6%
- Post-Master's Certificate15.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)7.6%
- Master's Degree5.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 71.6% |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 15.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 7.6% |
| Master's Degree | 5.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Reservoir Engineer do?
Reservoir engineers work out what is in the ground and how best to get it out. They combine well tests, core data, fluid samples and production history to estimate how much oil and gas a field contains and how it will flow over time. Much of the work happens in reservoir simulation software, where they build models of the rock and run development scenarios.
They recommend where to drill new wells, how far apart to space them, and when to start waterflooding, gas injection or other recovery methods. Reservoir engineers also book reserves under SEC rules, which ties their estimates directly to a company's balance sheet, and they work closely with geologists, petrophysicists and completions engineers on each development plan.
Day-to-day tasks
- Build and history-match reservoir simulation models
- Estimate oil and gas reserves under SEC and SPE guidelines
- Analyze production decline curves and well test results
- Recommend well locations, spacing and development plans
- Design waterflood and enhanced recovery projects
- Evaluate the economics of drilling and acquisition opportunities
- Work with geologists to define reservoir boundaries and properties
- Prepare reserves reports for management and auditors
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Reservoir engineers work mainly in offices in energy hubs such as Houston, Denver, Midland and Oklahoma City, spending most of the day with models and data. Field visits to well sites happen but are occasional. Hours are regular, with heavier stretches around annual reserves reporting and development planning cycles. Some roles involve travel to partner offices or international assets, and remote work is more common than in field roles.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Writing3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Active Learning3.8
- Monitoring3.8
- Science3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Science | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Systems Analysis3.9
- Systems Evaluation3.9
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Coordination3.6
- Time Management3.6
- Persuasion3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.9 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Coordination | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.6 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Reservoir Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ICR) built on O*NET's Petroleum Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Reservoir Engineer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Investigative5.5
- Realistic5.4
- Conventional4.6
- Enterprising3.0
- Artistic1.9
- Social1.8
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Reservoir Engineer
O*NET related occupations
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
Mining and Geological Engineer, Including Mining Safety Engineers
$106,220median a year
Most earn $67K to $170K
+3.8%Bachelor's - Architecture and Engineering
- Management
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with petroleum engineers highlighted
- Reservoir Engineer$144,910
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reservoir Engineer | $144,910 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Reservoir Engineer appears on
Questions
Reservoir Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Petroleum Engineers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for petroleum engineers. It counts them within petroleum engineer, whose median pay is $144,910 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $106,270 and $197,920, and the top 10% earn $253,200 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Reservoir Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Petroleum Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 71.6% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Reservoir Engineer a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.0% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Reservoir Engineer do?
Reservoir engineers work out what is in the ground and how best to get it out. A typical task: build and history-match reservoir simulation models. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Petroleum Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Petroleum Engineers are Alaska ($206,290), Utah ($172,840), Colorado ($172,190) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Reservoir Engineer?
O*NET scores Petroleum Engineers highest on the Investigative, Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.