What does a Petroleum Engineers salary really buy you in Texas?
Texas is 2.5% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Texas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 97.5, meaning prices are 2.5% lower the national average. A Petroleum Engineers earning $153,200 in Texas has the equivalent purchasing power of $157,128 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Texas's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $83,750 | $85,897 | +$2,147 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $119,680 | $122,748 | +$3,068 |
| Median (P50) | $153,200 | $157,128 | +$3,928 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $202,550 | $207,743 | +$5,193 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $232,340 | $238,297 | +$5,957 |
Texas's cost of living is close to the national average, so $153,200 keeps most of its value at $157,128 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Petroleum Engineers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Texas ranks #7 out of 23 states for Petroleum Engineers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Petroleum Engineers in Texas earns a median salary of $153,200 per year. After adjusting for Texas's cost of living (RPP=97.5), the real purchasing power is $157,128 — a +2.6% difference.
Texas's cost of living is 2.5% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Texas is 97.5 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Petroleum Engineers in Texas: $153,200 x (100 / 97.5) = $157,128. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Petroleum Engineers in Texas enjoys 2.6% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.