Best Colleges with Petroleum Engineering Degrees in the U.S.
Petroleum engineers must master mathematics and the sciences -- physics, chemistry and geology -- in order to locate, extract, process, refine, and transport crude petroleum and natural gas for the earth?s energy needs. Math and science are important, but a great deal of computer knowledge is also required due to the increasing reliance on technology. A petroleum engineering degree will prepare individuals to handle the complex tasks of locating and analyzing reserves and obtaining oil through drilling and other mediums.Students complete a rigorous curriculum in areas that include hydrocarbon safety, oil and gas law, drilling, petroleum geology, oil and gas exploration and production, reservoir operations, and petroleum and natural gas production. Petroleum engineering also involves economic evaluation, data management operations and analysis, finance and accounting, environmental assessments, and safety issues. Training will provide individuals with the skills needed to offer technical advice to achieve economical and satisfactory progress, devise methods to improve oil and gas well production, and determine the need for new or modified tool designs. Petroleum engineers work in different fields of expertise: economics, reservoir engineering, completions/production engineering, and drilling engineering. And due to the nation?s increased interest in going green, motivated petroleum engineers are always needed to discover new, more environmentally sound procedures.
The Best Petroleum Engineering Colleges of 2019
| Rank | School Name | Location | Description | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado School of Mines | Golden, CO |
Colorado School of Mines offers 3 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a medium sized public university in a large suburb. In 2015, 209 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 171 Bachelor's degrees, 28 Master's degrees, and 10 Doctoral degrees. |
Based on 4 Reviews |
Read more: Colorado School of Mines Reviews | |
| 2 | Stanford University | Stanford, CA |
Stanford University offers 4 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a large private university in a large suburb. In 2015, 13 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 11 Master's degrees, 2 Doctoral degrees. |
Based on 64 Reviews |
Read more: Stanford University Reviews | |
| 3 | Texas A & M University-College Station | College Station, TX |
Texas A & M University-College Station offers 3 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a large public university in a small city. In 2015, 293 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 181 Bachelor's degrees, 92 Master's degrees, and 20 Doctoral degrees. |
Based on 92 Reviews | ||
| 4 | The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX |
The University of Texas at Austin offers 3 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a large public university in a large city. In 2015, 200 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 126 Bachelor's degrees, 53 Master's degrees, and 21 Doctoral degrees. |
Based on 100 Reviews |
Read more: The University of Texas at Austin Reviews | |
| 5 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA |
University of Southern California offers 4 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a large private university in a large city. In 2015, 90 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 87 Master's degrees, 3 Doctoral degrees. |
Based on 52 Reviews |
Read more: University of Southern California Reviews | |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | University Park, PA |
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus offers 3 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a large public university in a small city. In 2015, 185 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 137 Bachelor's degrees, 24 Master's degrees, and 24 Doctoral degrees. |
Based on 132 Reviews | ||
| 7 | University of Tulsa | Tulsa, OK |
University of Tulsa offers 4 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a medium sized private university in a large city. In 2015, 96 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 68 Bachelor's degrees, 20 Master's degrees, and 8 Doctoral degrees. |
Read more: University of Tulsa Reviews | ||
| 8 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX |
Texas Tech University offers 4 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a large public university in a mid sized city. In 2015, 160 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 129 Bachelor's degrees, 23 Master's degrees, 5 Doctoral degrees, and 3 Certificates degrees. |
Based on 28 Reviews |
Read more: Texas Tech University Reviews | |
| 9 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | Baton Rouge, LA |
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College offers 3 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a large public university in a mid sized city. In 2015, 165 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 147 Bachelor's degrees, 15 Master's degrees, and 3 Doctoral degrees. |
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| 10 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | Norman, OK |
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus offers 3 Petroleum Engineering Degree programs. It's a large public university in a mid sized suburb. In 2015, 156 students graduated in the study area of Petroleum Engineering with students earning 125 Bachelor's degrees, 26 Master's degrees, and 5 Doctoral degrees. |
Based on 40 Reviews |
Read more: University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Reviews |
List of Petroleum Engineering Schools in the U.S.
| School Logo | School Name | Average tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO |
4/5
|
19 : 1 | 6,054 |
|
Stanford University Stanford, CA |
5/5
|
6 : 1 | 16,980 |
|
Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX |
3/5
|
21 : 1 | 63,813 |
|
|
The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX |
3/5
|
18 : 1 | 50,950 |
|
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA |
5/5
|
16 : 1 | 43,401 |
|
|
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA |
4/5
|
16 : 1 | 47,307 |
|
|
University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK |
5/5
|
13 : 1 | 4,671 |
|
|
Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX |
3/5
|
25 : 1 | 35,859 |
|
|
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA |
3/5
|
24 : 1 | 31,524 |
|
|
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK |
3/5
|
22 : 1 | 27,428 |
|
Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO |
3/5
|
22 : 1 | 8,886 |
|
University of Houston Houston, TX |
3/5
|
30 : 1 | 42,704 |
|
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA |
4/5
|
7 : 1 | 28,649 |
|
West Virginia University Morgantown, WV |
2/5
|
14 : 1 | 28,776 |
|
University of Wyoming Laramie, WY |
2/5
|
17 : 1 | 12,648 |
|
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM |
2/5
|
15 : 1 | 2,150 |
|
University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA |
3/5
|
27 : 1 | 17,508 |
|
Marietta College Marietta, OH |
5/5
|
12 : 1 | 1,331 |
|
University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT |
3/5
|
19 : 1 | 31,592 |
|
University of Kansas Lawrence, KS |
3/5
|
12 : 1 | 27,259 |
|
University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND |
2/5
|
20 : 1 | 14,951 |
|
Montana Tech of the University of Montana Butte, MT |
2/5
|
15 : 1 | 2,130 |
|
Texas A & M University-Kingsville Kingsville, TX |
2/5
|
23 : 1 | 9,207 |
|
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Odessa, TX |
2/5
|
37 : 1 | 6,077 |
|
University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK |
2/5
|
14 : 1 | 8,638 |
Find Local Colleges Offering Petroleum Engineering Degrees
Getting a Petroleum Engineering Degree Online
Schools offering online Petroleum Engineering degrees
Online Petroleum Engineering degrees are available at a variety of different schools with as many as 92 degrees earned at the most popular school. Read more below about all schools that have offered online Petroleum Engineering degrees. If you are interested learning more about getting a degree online, check out our page dedicated to online degree information.
| School Name | Certificate | Associate's | Bachelor's | Master's | Doctoral |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A & M University-College Station | 0 | 0 | 0 | 92 | 0 |
| University of Southern California | 0 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 0 |
- 1 Certificates
- 2 Master's
What degrees do people get in Petroleum Engineering?
| Degree Level | Program Length | Colleges | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate's | 2-year Length | 2 Colleges | 1 Graduates |
| Bachelor's | 4-year Length | 23 Colleges | 1,688 Graduates |
| Certificates | < 1 year Length | 5 Colleges | 7 Graduates |
| Doctoral | 1-2 year Length | 13 Colleges | 107 Graduates |
| Master's | 1+ years Length | 22 Colleges | 536 Graduates |
Petroleum Engineering Degree Overview
When it comes to choosing a Petroleum Engineering degree, there are many selections for a traditional degree as well as higher education selections. The most normal path for those earning a degree in Petroleum Engineering can expect a standard two to four years to earn a degree. The most common Petroleum Engineering degree earned was a bachelor's degree and it also has the widest range of school possibilities as well. The second most popular Petroleum Engineering degree that people obtain is a master's degree which implies a focus on higher learning. This demonstrates that the degree requires dedication to schooling and you may want to seek more than a four year time commitment. Although an associate's degree is offered at some schools, getting a traditional degree is not very common. With your goals in mind, look for the Petroleum Engineering degree that can match your flexibility and needs in addition to finding a school with the right opportunities for you to earn that degree.
Average cost of college for a Petroleum Engineering degree
Average Tuition and Fees for a 2 year Degree
| Average Tuition and Fees | School Control | Student Residence |
|---|---|---|
| $2,972 | Public | In-State |
| $4,124 | Public | Out-of-State |
Average Tuition and Fees for a 4 year Degree
| Average Tuition and Fees | School Control | Student Residence |
|---|---|---|
| $8,797 | Public | In-State |
| $41,750 | Private | In-State |
| $21,835 | Public | Out-of-State |
| $41,750 | Private | Out-of-State |