Petroleum Engineers pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $95,090 a year or less, while the top 10% make $283,790 or more. The middle half of petroleum engineers in Denver earn between $119,890 and $214,500.
- $95K10th
- $120K25th
- $175KMedian
- $214K75th
- $284K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $179,920 | $14,993 | $86.50 |
| Median | $174,580 | $14,548 | $83.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $119,890 | $9,991 | $57.64 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $214,500 | $17,875 | $103.12 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Petroleum Engineers salary after taxes in Denver
On the average salary of $179,920, a single filer in Denver takes home about $127,033 a year, or $10,586 a month and $4,886 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for petroleum engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $179,920 buys what about $170,086 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 3.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Petroleum Engineers salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 1st of 3 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Denver$179,920
- Grand Junction$151,330
- Greeley$145,690
Highest-paying cities for petroleum engineers
Anchorage, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($203,250).
- Anchorage, AK$203,250
- Midland, TX$184,150
- Denver, CO$179,920
- Dallas, TX$178,520
- Houston, TX$177,780
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Petroleum Engineers salary in Denver: questions
How much do petroleum engineers make an hour in Denver?
$86.50 an hour on average, and $83.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level petroleum engineers salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $95,090 a year and the 25th percentile is $119,890, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the petroleum engineers take-home pay in Denver?
About $127,033 a year ($10,586 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $179,920. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do petroleum engineers earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($169,205).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2171; area Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.0%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 4.83, this job is 4.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.