Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Petroleum Engineers salary really buy you in Texas?
Texas is 2.5% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Texas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 97.5, meaning prices are 2.5% lower the national average. A Petroleum Engineers earning $164,860 in Texas has the equivalent purchasing power of $169,087 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) | $89,990 | $92,297 | +$2,307 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $123,450 | $126,615 | +$3,165 |
| Median (P50) | $164,860 | $169,087 | +$4,227 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $220,330 | $225,979 | +$5,649 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $283,500 | $290,769 | +$7,269 |
Texas's cost of living is close to the national average, so $164,860 keeps most of its value at $169,087 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 97.5, Texas is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Petroleum Engineers is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Texas's cost of living, $164,860 nominal nets out to $169,087 in real purchasing power — a small 2.6% gain. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Petroleum Engineers.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Petroleum Engineers, Texas places #4 of 16 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Petroleum Engineers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Texas ranks #4 out of 16 states for Petroleum Engineers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Petroleum Engineers take-home pay in Texas after taxes →
A Petroleum Engineers in Texas earns a median salary of $164,860 per year. After adjusting for Texas's cost of living (RPP=97.5), the real purchasing power is $169,087 — 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: $164,860 x (100 / 97.5) = $169,087. 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.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.