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Petroleum Technology

Types of Degrees Petroleum Technology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Petroleum Technology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	51
Associate’s Degree	101
Bachelor’s Degree	4
Master’s Degree	56

What Petroleum Technology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Petroleum Technology emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Petroleum Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Petroleum Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Petroleum Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Operation and Control — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Petroleum Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Perceptual Speed — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Auditory Attention — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Selective Attention — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Petroleum Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.3 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.0 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Petroleum Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Quorum PGAS	Data base user interface and query software	—
Google Android	Operating system software	✓
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software	Industrial control software	—
Operating log software	Data base user interface and query software	—
AspenTech HYSYS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Work scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Petroleum Technology graduates include:

• Tank Terminal Gauger
• Oxygen Plant Operator
• Liquid Natural Gas Plant Operator (LNG Plant Operator)
• Gas Operator
• Liquefaction and Regasification Plant Operator
• Pressure Dispatcher
• Plant Specialist
• Gas Distribution Plant Operator
• Liquefied Natural Gas Operator (LNG Operator)
• Field Gauger
• Landfill Gas Technician (Landfill Gas Tech)
• Gas Plant Dispatcher
• Plant Operator
• Gas Plant Specialist
• Gas Plant Operator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Petroleum Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	58.4%
Postsecondary certificate	31.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	10.5%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Petroleum Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 88.1% of Petroleum Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	35	11.9%
Men	259	88.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Petroleum Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	206	70.1%
Hispanic or Latino	33	11.2%
Black or African American	33	11.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	9	3.1%
Two or More Races	7	2.4%
Race Unknown	2	0.7%
International Students	4	1.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Petroleum Technology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Petroleum Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$57,450
4 years	$58,393
5 years	$65,518

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $65,518 — roughly 14% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Petroleum Technology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Petroleum Technology graduates earn a median of $58,393 four years after completion — roughly 54% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians	328
Mining Technology/Technician	29
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians, Other	5

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.