Occupations › SOC 17-2171
Petroleum Engineers
SOC 17-2171. Offered wages, prevailing wage levels and sponsoring employers on H-1B labor condition applications, with PERM counts.
Employers filed 191 labor condition applications for Petroleum Engineers (SOC 17-2171) in fiscal years 2025–2026, 187 of them certified.
The median offered wage is $144,000 a year (quartiles $110,000–$182,934), close to the $122,221 median across all occupations; the median prevailing wage cited is $129,210. Level I is the most common prevailing wage level (31% of filings).
PERM applications for the occupation number 48 with a median offered wage of $141,522.
H-1B labor condition applications
Employer-specific case information was provided to OFLC by employers who submitted foreign labor certification applications. These are not employer responses to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' survey. Wage levels I–IV are as stated on the application. Data through 30 Jun 2026.
Applications by fiscal year
Prevailing wage levels
Level I 31%Level II 29%Level III 13%Level IV 24%Not stated 3%
| Measure | SOC 17-2171 | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| Median offered wage | $144,000 | $122,221 |
| 25th–75th percentile | $110,000–$182,934 | — |
| Share at Level I or II | 60% | 56% |
| Share certified | 98% | 98% |
Wages annualised from the rate and unit on the application; medians use up to 4,000 sampled applications per occupation (190 here).
Offered wages by employer
The list names employers that have a page on this site (organisations above the size floor); the totals above count every record in the files.
Worksite states
Texas 143 · Colorado 9 · California 7 · Louisiana 5 · New Mexico 5 · Alaska 4 · Utah 4 · Wyoming 3 · New Jersey 2 · Ohio 2
PERM labor certification
PERM applications as disclosed by OFLC; FY2024 covers the new Form 9089 only. Status is as recorded at the data date. Data through 30 Jun 2026.
Median offered wage on PERM applications: $141,522.
| Employer | City | PERM applications |
|---|---|---|
| Murphy Exploration & Production Company USA | Houston | 5 |
| Kappa North America Inc. | Houston | 2 |
| ConocoPhillips Company | Houston | 2 |
| Liberty Oilfield Services | Denver | 2 |
| Gladiator Energy LLC | Houston | 2 |
| McKinsey & Company, Inc. United States | New York | 2 |
| Expro Americas, LLC | Houston | 1 |
| EOG Resources, Inc. | Houston | 1 |
| Kiewit Energy Group, Inc. | Omaha | 1 |
| Hydrogeo LLC | Houston | 1 |
| Kosmos Energy LLC | Dallas | 1 |
| Ulterra Drilling Technologies, LP | Fort Worth | 1 |
| AES Drilling Fluids LLC | Houston | 1 |
| DeGolyer and MacNaughton Corp. | Dallas | 1 |
| Audubon Engineering Operations, LLC | Houston | 1 |
The list names employers that have a page on this site (organisations above the size floor); the totals above count every record in the files.
Questions and answers
What is the H-1B salary for Petroleum Engineers?
The median offered wage on labor condition applications for SOC 17-2171 is $144,000 a year, with the middle half between $110,000 and $182,934; the median prevailing wage cited is $129,210.
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Petroleum Engineers?
Occidental Petroleum Corporation (11), ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company (7), EOG Resources, Inc. (7), Chevron USA Inc. (6), BP America Inc. (6)
Which wage level is most common for Petroleum Engineers?
Level I: Level I 31%, Level II 29%, Level III 13%, Level IV 24% of filings.
How many PERM applications name Petroleum Engineers?
48 in fiscal years 2024–2026, median offered wage $141,522.
Source: OFLC LCA and PERM disclosure files, fiscal years 2025–2026, through 30 Jun 2026. Occupation pages are built for SOC codes with at least 50 applications. How H-1B wage levels work.