Petroleum Engineeringat The University of Texas Permian Basin
Graduates earn $61,299/yr in their first year — about 4.0% below the national Petroleum Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $907K; scenarios range from $775K to $951K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Texas Permian Basin
The University of Texas Permian Basin places you squarely in the epicenter of North American oil and gas production. This program offers unparalleled direct exposure to the Permian Basin's operational heart, fostering deep connections with regional exploration and production companies, drilling contractors, and service firms. Your career path here often begins with hands-on roles directly in the field—think production optimization, reservoir management, or drilling supervision.
This regional specialization means you'll gain invaluable practical experience, though your initial earnings trajectory might differ slightly from graduates of programs in major corporate hubs. While the petroleum industry is cyclical, and automation is increasingly impacting routine tasks (the AI risk you see), UTPB's program is well-regarded for its practical relevance. To ensure long-term career resilience, consider developing strong project management skills or specializing in data analytics for energy operations alongside your core engineering expertise.
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 University of Texas Permian Basin'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 University of Texas Permian Basin stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Texas Permian Basin
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Texas Permian Basin, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Petroleum Engineering at University of Texas Permian Basin
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Petroleum Engineering at The University of Texas Permian Basin?
A score of 69/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Petroleum Engineering field.
Will AI replace Petroleum Engineering careers?
With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $775,485 in decade earnings vs $951,272 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.