Petroleum Engineers vs Mechanical Engineers
Median pay is about $41k 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 | Mechanical Engineers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $144,910, higher | $104,110 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $106,270, higher | $84,130 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $197,920, higher | $132,590 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +2.0% Growing | +11% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 1,000 | 17,800 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 3.6 / 5 | 3 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 26th pct | 77th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Petroleum Engineers
- Active Learning
Only Mechanical Engineers
- Mathematics
Both lean on reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, writing, speaking.
More comparisons
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.