re: petroleum engineering degree

I can't imagine a female engineer not having a job. She must do absolutely horrible during interviews.

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In five years how much weight will this degree hold?

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This is a question you'll never have to ask about the four classical engineering degrees. These are, listed in order of versatility: mechanical, chemical, electrical, and civil (to a lesser extent). These degrees are focused on the fundamentals of science and engineering and aren't designed to prepare you for any specific industry. And the skills you learn will always be needed.

The new ultra-focused engineering degrees will be worthless if the industry they were invented for fall apart.

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In five years how much weight will this degree hold?

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About the same as today, the vapor pressure of paper is negligible.


Where you are five years after your degree depends much more on you than any specific industry or degree. Unless you flounder your way into an industry where the bottom falls out like I did in the early 80's. There were ChemE cow-orkers selling used cars and delivering pizza. Don't get an engineering degree unless you like the field and have an aptitude for it. The ones that didn't survive just got the degree for the income.

I would think the demand for petroleum engineers will continue to be fairly strong though.

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A friend of mine just graduated from Texas Tech a signed contact for 94k a year with a 20k signing bonus to work in houston. He starts in August. 100k a year...not to shabby

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With who, doing what?

I work in the business and I can say with certainty that either your friend is lying or he knows someone who gave him this deal

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Petroleum Engineers are making between 80 and 100K straight out of a BS degree.

Its funny everyone says this yet when they do get a job offer it is no more than mid 60's

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I agree. I've heard the 80-100k number a lot on this website and I think it's a lie. I don't doubt that some can come out and make that, but it's definitely just a few imo.

Not lying, he graduated petroleum engineering and is working for devon. He interned with them for the last two years. No one in his family is in the oil and gas industry. Why does this seem like such a shock? I know multiple people with similiar deals.

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Why does this seem like such a shock? I know multiple people with similiar deals.

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I know no one with even close to these deals, no where near and these are for people with experience.

I know people with PhD's in Petroleum Eng from A&M not getting 20k sign on bonuses.

I don't doubt 80k a year to start, but most don't get that. I don't see how you know all kinds of folks getting this.

Devon is getting their dick kicked in because LNG went to shite, why would they give out 94k salary plus 20k sign on bonus to a new grad with 6 months of intern experience?

Most people that I know getting these sweet deals are with big oil companies. They also have unbelievable GPAs basically every time. Now if we are discussing off shore jobs I don't think that is as sweet of a deal. That is not a preferable lifestyle for most people and they are making more money because of that lifestyle. I would not call these unbelievable deals the norm for every graduate.

I personally don't understand why someone would want a petroleum engineering degree over a chemical engineering degree.

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a big oil company

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I don't doubt it if you're working for BP, Exxon, etc. A couple years ago when I graduated, it was basically understaood that big oil pays the most when compared with chemical plants, paper mills, whatever. My school didn't put a lot of people in refineries and I didn't know the ones who went to work for Exxon well enough to ask about $.

I've just seen that 80k-100k number thrown around a lot on this website. I don't doubt that the top graduates can get good starting money with top companies. Were you near the top of your class? What offers did your classmates get?

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Another thing you might not understand is that most seniors sign their deal in Sept.

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This wasn't really the case at my school IIRC. I don't know if that's a big oil thing though. I also didn't go to a top school where big oil recruits.