Editing Petroleum engineering (section)

=== Petroleum engineering salaries ===
Petroleum engineering has historically been one of the highest-paid engineering disciplines, although there is a tendency for mass layoffs when oil prices decline and waves of hiring as prices rise. In 2020, the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median pay for petroleum engineers was US$137,330, or roughly $66.02 per hour.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Petroleum Engineers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics|url=https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.bls.gov|language=en-us}}</ref> The same summary projects there will be 3% job growth in this field from 2019 to 2029.<ref name=":3" />

SPE annually conducts a [[salary survey]]. In 2017, SPE reported that the average SPE professional member reported earning US$194,649 (including salary and bonus).<ref name="spe salary survey1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.spe.org/industry/oil-and-gas-salary-survey/|title=Oil and Gas Pay {{!}} Salary Survey {{!}} Society of Petroleum Engineers|website=www.spe.org|access-date=2017-12-14}}</ref>  The average base pay reported in 2016 was $143,006.<ref name="spe salary survey1" /> Base pay and other compensation was on average was highest in the United States where the base pay was US$174,283. Drilling and production engineers tended to make the best base pay, US$160,026 for drilling engineers and US$158,964 for production engineers. Average base pay ranged from US$96,382-174,283.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.spe.org/industry/docs/2017-Salary-Survey-Highlight-Report.pdf|title=2017 SPE Membership Salary Survey Highlight Report-November 2017|date=January 3, 2018|website=Society of Petroleum Engineers|access-date=January 3, 2018}}</ref> There are still significant gender pay gaps, plus or minus 5% of the US average pay gap which was 18% difference in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Highlights of women's earnings in 2017 : BLS Reports: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics|url=https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/womens-earnings/2017/home.htm|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.bls.gov|language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

Also in 2016, ''U.S. News & World Report'' named petroleum engineering the top college major in terms of highest median annual wages of college-educated workers (age 25–59).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2016-05-17/top-10-college-majors-that-earn-the-highest-salaries|title=Top 10 College Majors That Earn the Highest Salaries|date=February 6, 2018|website=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref> The 2010 National Association of Colleges and Employers survey showed petroleum engineers as the highest paid 2010 graduates, at an average annual salary of $125,220.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naceweb.org/Press/Releases/Top-Paid_Majors_Among_College_Class_of_2010_(3-11-10).aspx |title=NACE |publisher=Naceweb.org |access-date=2011-12-18}}</ref> For individuals with experience, salaries can range from $170,000 to $260,000. They make an average of $112,000 a year and about $53.75 per hour. In a 2007 article, Forbes.com reported that petroleum engineering was the 24th best paying job in the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/2007/06/04/jobs-careers-compensation-lead-careers-cx_pm_0604jobs.html |title=America's Best- And Worst-Paying Jobs |magazine=Forbes |date= 2007-06-04|access-date=2011-12-18}}</ref>