How much do Petroleum Engineers make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

Percentile spread

For Petroleum Engineers, the published 10th percentile is $95,090 and the 90th percentile is $283,790. The difference is $188,700, which is 108.1% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $119,890 to the 75th at $214,500, covers $94,610.

The mean annual wage is $179,920, which sits above the median of $174,580. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO median is 20.5% higher than the national median of $144,910 for Petroleum Engineers. In 2024 national prices the local median is $165,038, which is 13.9% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 1.4% higher than the Colorado median of $172,190.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is 105.782, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $174,580 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Petroleum Engineers at $165,038 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

2 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Petroleum Engineers. Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO ranks 1st of 3 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Greeley, CO is 82 miles away, with a median of $132,240 and employment of 300. That median is 24.3% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $132,008, against $165,038 here.
• Grand Junction, CO is 193 miles away, with a median of $161,940 and employment of 50. That median is 7.2% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $169,613, against $165,038 here.

Employment share

Petroleum Engineers accounts for 0.06% of wage-and-salary employment in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (900 of 1,609,350). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (18,060 of 155,495,730). The local share is 4.81 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.