Program Analysis
University of North Dakota's Petroleum Engineering graduates start at $73,821/yr — above the $64,106 national average, though not by a wide margin.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 19.0x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Petroleum Engineering programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Petroleum Engineering's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 17% gap from the optimistic case.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $27,000 in median debt clears quickly against $73,821 in annual earnings.
At #4 of 18 nationally, this is a top-5% Petroleum Engineering program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Earnings grow from $73,821 to $95,721 over five years — a 30% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.