Aerospace Engineers vs Petroleum Engineers
Median pay is about $10k higher for Petroleum Engineers. Both usually start with the same education: bachelor's.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Aerospace Engineers | Petroleum Engineers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $134,960 | $144,910, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $106,110 | $106,270, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $169,690 | $197,920, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +8.3% Growing fast, higher | +2.0% Growing |
| Openings a year | 3,800 | 1,000 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 3.2 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | High | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 65th pct | 26th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Aerospace Engineers
- Science
Only Petroleum Engineers
- Active Learning
Both lean on critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, writing, speaking.
More comparisons
Compare Aerospace Engineers with
Compare Petroleum Engineers with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.