The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) declared bachelor’s degrees in petroleum engineering
as the highest-paid engineering major in the US, posting an average salary projection of $100,750. The findings are reported in NACE’s Winter 2026 Salary Survey which contains annual salary projections for class of 2026 college graduates.
“We’re seeing that most employers anticipate upping their salaries, which is especially good news given that hiring is expected to be flat for the class of 2026,” said Shawn VanDerziel, NACE president and CEO.
The survey is comprised of data collected by surveying NACE employer members from 8 October–30 November 30 2025. NACE reported that a total of 150 surveys were returned—a 20.3% response rate. Of those responding, 9.3% were from the New England region, 9.3% were from the Plains, 8.7% were from the Rocky Mountain/Far West, 16.1% were from the Southwest, 12% were from the Southeast, 15.3% were from the Mideast, and 29.3% were from the Great Lakes.
Findings of the report include:
- Engineering graduates (bachelor’s degree) are projected to be the second-highest-paid category of majors for the class of 2026, with an overall average that is up 3.1%, from $78,731 last year to $81,198.
- Business, engineering, and computer sciences disciplines dominate the list of specific bachelor’s degree majors in demand.
- Class of 2026 engineering (master’s degree) majors have a high salary projection of $92,873, despite the fact that their average is 1.3% lower than last year’s average of $94,086.
Oil and gas companies who participated in the survey include Chevron, EOG Resources, McDermott International, and Phillips 66.
Click here to see the Winter 2026 Salary Survey executive summary.