What kind of degree in petroleum engineering should you get?

Undergraduate programs and doctoral degrees generally lack significant differentiation, with most schools offering only one program at these levels.

Petroleum engineering degrees at the master’s degree level, however, can be master of science or master of engineering degrees. While broadly similar, these programs will serve students with different professional needs.

A master of science in petroleum engineering will focus on performing research. Students’ coursework helps to improve their familiarity with either petroleum engineering theory or research methods they can use to improve the quality and efficiency of their research.

A master of engineering in petroleum engineering, meanwhile, builds skills for engineering practice. These programs often involve an engineering project, enabling students to demonstrate the skills they have learned over the course of the program. Some such programs allow students great flexibility in the courses they take, allowing them to improve their familiarity with petroleum as a business or other disciplines that will improve their career prospects.

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What can you do with a degree in petroleum engineering?

Petroleum engineers have many different titles depending on which aspects of the extraction process they specialize in. Common specializations include completions, drilling, and production.

• Completions Engineer – Completions engineers look at how wells should be built to extract as much oil as possible. They use tubing, hydraulic fracturing, pressure control, and other techniques to optimize extraction.
• Drilling Engineer – Drilling engineers find reliable, cost-efficient ways to drill down to reach oil. They must also account for safety and environmental impact.
• Production Engineer – Production engineers oversee the work done at completed oil wells. They monitor current extraction rates, and recommend changes or maintenance if a well fails to produce as much as expected.

How much can you make with a degree in petroleum engineering?

Petroleum engineer salaries came in at more than $100,000 per year in 2018, translating to an average hourly pay of just under $50, according to Payscale.com. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows even higher salaries, close to $140,000, for a median pay of about $65 per hour.

Growth prospects in petroleum engineering also look positive for the foreseeable future. The field should add about 5,000 jobs over its 2016 numbers by 2026, showing growth that significantly outstrips the national average. Changes in oil prices, however, could significantly alter this figure.

The best petroleum engineering degrees

The rankings below highlight some of the best programs we’ve found in petroleum engineering. Each program offers high academic quality and return on investment, and students report high satisfaction. These programs typically have solid ratios of students to faculty, and graduates report incomes that justify the cost of the program.

The 10 top petroleum engineering schools in the US:

The University of Texas at Austin – Cockrell School of Engineering

So, the Cockrell School of Engineering is right at the top of our list. Whilst this article isn’t strictly numbered in order (who could decide that?), UT at Austin came up most in our research, and networking among industry professionals.

We’d probably go so far as saying the top 5 here are the ‘top 5 in the USA’, that’s as far as we’d go in risking an angry backlash…

Within the region of 7-8000 students studying 9 undergraduate degrees, and 13 graduate programs, this is a substantial school. As we all know, economies come at scale and the quality of resources available to students in unbeatable. This means that as long as you’re smart and dedicated enough, you can achieve more than you ever thought possible at a school like this.

Different reviews over the years tend to rank the Cockerel School of Engineering in the top 1 or 2 in the USA. The Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering department is particularly well respected, often coming first in undergraduate, and graduate programs.

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University of Tulsa – McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering

The Internationally acclaimed McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering at UT was another easy decision for the top few spots on this page. This department is the largest and most important on the UT campus.

With an excellent reputation and close industry links, 95% of graduates manage to secure employment within 6 months of leaving.

As with many of the top European petroleum engineering schools, the postgraduate programs have a focus on innovation and technological progress. The research departments work in co-operation with multiple governmental and industry agencies.

One key differential at UT is that undergraduates can also get involved with, and work alongside postgraduate researchers. This fosters an atmosphere of empowerment. It also helps create a backdrop of mutual respect and understanding whatever the level of experience. These qualities are crucial when working in challenging and dangerous environments.

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Colorado School of Mines

The Colorado School of Mines, also known simply as ‘mines’ benefits from many of the same situational features of all top petroleum engineering schools. Firstly, the location is close to the industries production, with many geological formations that are actively in production.

Secondly, close industry links enable collaboration, internships and information sharing. Mines has an SPE chapter and benefits from knowledge that is pooled by the most important industry body. The SPE President spoke at the school recently, and these types of events allow immersion into the industry mindset for students.

Students are also encouraged to take part in field operations in the summer break while being guided by postgraduates. An exchange program allows one semester swaps with the Petroleum Engineering Departments of the Mining University of Leoben, Austria. The same applies to the Technical University in Delft, Holland. (Both of which appeared on our list of the top oil and gas universities in Europe). Mines also has the exchange arrangement with the University of Adelaide in Australia.

Get admissions information for the Colorado School of Mines

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

The Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering (MPGE) at the University of Oklahoma has appeared on most top lists over the years. Students graduating from MPGE consistently achieve employment rates of over 90% year on year.

As with most of the other entrants on our list, the Petroleum and Geological Engineering programs are among the oldest in the country. In the workforce, graduates from MPGE are very well represented because of the numbers of successful graduates each year, and the ease of which they obtain work

This is partly down to the quality of the research departments here. MPGE have distinct departments that solve different industry problems. The departments are as follows:

• Integrated Core Characterization Center (IC3) that includes a complete Amoco Rock Physics Laboratory
• Integrated PoroMechanics Institute (iPMI)
• Well Construction Technology Center (WCTC)
• Institute for Applied Surfactant Research (IASR)
• Unconventional Shale Gas Consortium (USGC)

As well as the sheer number of graduates in the workplace, MPGE alumni are numerous at high levels in companies. This also applies to the recognized industry associations such as the Society of Petroleum Engineers of which seven have served as president.

Get admissions information for the University of Oklahoma

Texas A&M University: Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

From communicating with high-level industry sources, Texas A&M seemed to be in everyone’s top 10, in some cases the top 2 or 5! So, the home of the ‘Aggies’ comes in high up in our list.

The highly respected U.S. News & World Report ranks the Harold Vance department first in the USA for undergraduate, and third for graduate studies.

Why is Texas A&M so strong in the sector? It’s quite natural for a state to focus on its natural expertise and environmental assets. Texas is ‘oil country’ and always has been.

In a similar way to Aberdeen, Stavanger or Dubai, Texas is in the heart of an oil industry hub. When multiple leading oil and gas companies have head offices, and hundreds of smaller companies live and work in a location, there are benefits to students. The closeness between academia and industry fosters strong relationships that lead to internships, innovation and the overall betterment of the industry. Internships that involve working in the same area as you study and live make complete sense. Once suitably impressed, a company is likely to put you at the front of the queue to achieve a job upon graduation.

The USA is the leading country in the oil and gas industry and is likely to remain so. Qualifications from one of the best petroleum engineering schools, from the leading country, is likely to maximize your career potential!

Get admissions information for the Texas A & M University

The Louisiana State University

The Louisiana State Universities Craft and Hawkins Dept of Petroleum Engineering have run a highly respected program since the 1920s.

Like other entrants on our list, Louisiana is very much an oil state, featuring in the top four in the United States for the last half a century. The oil and gas industry has been responsible for approximately half of the revenue of the state during this period.

When we consider the importance of the O+G industry, the close proximity of exploration and production of hydrocarbons, it makes sense that the offered programs are cutting edge.

The fact that LSU is the flagship university in the state adds to the importance of being among the top schools in the country.

Another reason why LSU made it into our list, is because of their Petroleum Engineering Research & Technology Transfer, or PERTT, Laboratory. This is a full scale, hands-on training facility for students to understand borehole technology. If you’re not impressed by this, you might like to know that this is the only facility of its kind in a university in North America!

It’s not surprising that the oil and gas industry loves to recruit LSU Petroleum Engineering graduates and postgraduates. As well as the PERTT lab, LSU invests large resources in a number of research departments. Research areas of expertise include well control & blowout prevention, enhanced recovery, and downhole water sink technology. Alumni will leave LSU armed with strategies that can help make a difference in the field.

Get admissions information for the Louisiana State University

Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State is steeped in oil and gas history, in fact, it was on August 27, 1859, that Edwin Drake first struck oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania. This discovery, in turn, led to the first super giant oil field in Bradbury.

The first official course in petroleum engineering was offered in 1907 at Penn State entitled “Prospecting and Well Drilling”. Over the last 110 years, Penn State has stayed at the top of the rankings national and international rankings, not just for oil and gas, but for engineering in general.

The technique known as waterflooding was first developed at Penn State. There’s also a solid online learning program available, something that we’ll be covering in a future article.

As with all of our featured top schools, the Penn State research facilities are state of the art and highly regarded. Facilities available to students include a multi-phase fluid flow system laboratory and a drilling rig simulator.

Get admissions information for the Pennsylvania State University

Missouri University of Science & Technology (formerly Missouri-Rolla)

The Missouri University of S&T was originally established in 1870 and named the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (MSM) which was a name that has described the focus for most of its history.

Then in 1963, the school was known as the University of Missouri at Rolla. (Rolla being the name of the area which is famous for lead and zinc mining).

As well as mining, energy has held an equal focus. Missouri’s first operational nuclear reactor was commissioned at the school in 1961. Now in the modern day, there’s a strong drive towards alternative energy, including a solar house and car project.

Oil and gas engineering has, of course, also been a focus throughout the history of the school. Many links to major oil companies have thrived for decades, with Exxon Mobil having strong links. MU also has a respected SPE chapter as well. A focus on exchanges and internships help students move towards an international oil and gas career, with available trips to the UK, Greece and Egypt.

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Texas Tech University Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering

Texas Tech University is the third Texas-based petroleum engineering school in our list. Whilst hardly surprising, the accolade is well deserved and with good reason.

The faculty are all very experienced, with a minimum of 15 years each, and Texas Tech has one of the largest Petroleum Engineering departments in the USA. The recently booming Permian Basin receives more than their fair share of graduates every year.

One of the biggest attractions of studying here is the new Terry Fuller Petroleum Engineering Research Building which was opened in 2014 and entirely donor funded. As is the case with all top schools, Texas Tech works closely with industry. The oil and gas industry invested $22.8 million, with money coming from Apache Corp, Pioneer Natural Resources, Linn Energy, Chevron, Anadarko and Oxy Petroleum. This is a classic case of voting with chequebooks!

Take a look at the department:

Another reason why Texas Tech appears in our top 10 is that they have the largest (on campus) test well. A Petroleum Engineering Advisory board helps students to stay up to date with industry best practices.

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West Virginia University – Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering & Mineral Resources

West Virginia University (WVU) is situated close to the mighty Marcellus Shale geological formation. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering (PNGE) Department at WVU has great access to research opportunities, and industry players.

As with all of our top picks, the PNGE department boasts state of the art research facilities, with 4 distinct departments. These are the core analysis, drilling fluids, gas measurement labs and rig floor simulator.

The most frequently mentioned and famous research is probably the Marcellus Shale research department. Here, topics such as porosity and structure are examined, and enhanced extraction techniques are formulated.

High volumes of published technical papers and a 100% job placement rate on graduation show that the faculty, researchers and students all practice what they preach.

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What about all the other schools in the USA?

We’ve picked the drillers.com top 10 schools in this article, but the next 10-20 will also offer great opportunities for you. We all know that personal motivation, discipline and suitability are at least as important as the right school. In fact, many of the most respected people in the oil and gas industry worked their way up from low-level positions, and don’t have a degree. (Perhaps honorary ones!)

It might be that you need to study close to home for personal or family reasons. Perhaps you’re the type of bright student that will thrive wherever you are? The top 10 picks all had a link to a submission form to the corresponding university. Below, we have a web form for you to submit your details and get plenty of extra options to consider

Conclusion:

So, at the time of writing, we’re fairly confident that we’ve nailed the top 10 Petroleum Engineering schools in the USA.

You might be reading this a year or two later, are these still the best colleges and universities in the USA for getting into oil and gas? Are there any missing? Should one or two be deleted, because they aren’t quite major league?
 Any specific examples, reasons or facts will also be appreciated. For example, new patents and technologies created by students or professors, close ties with major companies etc.

We’re happy to keep this page updated as things change, the recent downturn has affected the numbers of new students looking to enter the industry. Salaries for Petroleum Engineering graduates have remained robust throughout good times and bad.

One other thing to consider is that most graduates are employed by around ten major oil companies. These companies foster relationships with the best engineering schools in order to have their pick of the best and brightest. This happens in other industries too, but especially so in oil and gas. This means that you ought to set your sights high and study hard to get into your first choice school.