Petroleum Engineers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $127,610 a year or less, while the top 10% make $206,230 or more. The middle half of petroleum engineers in Los Angeles earn between $133,050 and $178,870.
- $128K10th
- $133K25th
- $167KMedian
- $179K75th
- $206K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $161,650 | $13,471 | $77.72 |
| Median | $167,000 | $13,917 | $80.29 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $133,050 | $11,088 | $63.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $178,870 | $14,906 | $86.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Petroleum Engineers pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Petroleum engineers in Los Angeles earn 9% more than the California average ($147,940) and about the same as the U.S. average ($157,150). At the median the gap is +15% against the U.S. median of $144,910.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $161,650 | $167,000 | $127,610 | $206,230 | 330 |
| California | $147,940 | $143,590 | $61,780 | $207,370 | 1,060 |
| United States | $157,150 | $144,910 | $81,440 | $253,200 | 18,060 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Petroleum Engineers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $161,650, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $110,812 a year, or $9,234 a month and $4,262 every two weeks. Taxes take 31% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for petroleum engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $161,650 buys what about $142,340 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 6.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Petroleum Engineers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 3rd of 5 California metro areas for this job; Sacramento pays the most ($168,400).
- Sacramento$168,400
- Oxnard$162,800
- Los Angeles$161,650
- San Francisco$150,800
- Bakersfield$137,320
Highest-paying cities for petroleum engineers
Anchorage, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($203,250).
- Anchorage, AK$203,250
- Midland, TX$184,150
- Denver, CO$179,920
- Dallas, TX$178,520
- Houston, TX$177,780
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Petroleum Engineers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do petroleum engineers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$77.72 an hour on average, and $80.29 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level petroleum engineers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $127,610 a year and the 25th percentile is $133,050, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the petroleum engineers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $110,812 a year ($9,234 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $161,650. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do petroleum engineers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($157,150).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2171; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.45, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.45).
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