Petroleum Engineers vs Materials Engineers
Median pay is about $32k 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 | Petroleum Engineers | Materials Engineers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $144,910, higher | $112,860 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $106,270, higher | $88,080 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $197,920, higher | $142,720 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +2.0% Growing | +7.5% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 1,000 | 1,300 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 3.6 / 5 | 3 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 26th pct | 35th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Petroleum Engineers
- Active Learning
Only Materials Engineers
- Science
Both lean on reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, writing, speaking.
More comparisons
Compare Petroleum Engineers with
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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.