Petroleum Engineeringat The University of Texas at Austin
Graduates earn $86,761/yr in their first year — about 35.0% above the national Petroleum Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,032K; scenarios range from $868K to $1,089K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UT Austin
This program consistently ranks among the nation's best, a reputation that fuels its graduates' exceptional career starts. Being located in Texas, you're at the epicenter of the energy industry, providing unparalleled access to internships and full-time roles with major operators and service companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Halliburton right from campus. The program’s rigorous curriculum and strong industry connections mean you'll be highly sought after for specialized roles in reservoir management, drilling optimization, and production engineering. This direct pipeline into a high-demand, high-skill sector largely explains the robust early career earnings. However, given the industry's evolving landscape and the increasing role of automation, prioritize developing strong data analytics and computational skills to adapt your expertise for future energy challenges.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UT Austin's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Petroleum Engineering
How UT Austin stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UT Austin
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UT Austin, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Petroleum Engineering at UT Austin
How does The University of Texas at Austin's Petroleum Engineering program score?
A score of 74/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. The University of Texas at Austin's Petroleum Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Petroleum Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Petroleum Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 48% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.