How many colleges in California offer Petroleum Engineering programs?

CampusPin currently lists 267 U.S. colleges and universities in California that offer Petroleum Engineering programs. The list updates daily as institutions report new program offerings to IPEDS.

What's the tuition for a Petroleum Engineering program in California?

Among the 50 Petroleum Engineering programs listed in California, published in-state tuition ranges from $1,104 to $57,946 (median around $10,217). Public institutions are typically lower for in-state students than private ones. Always verify the current cost of attendance with each school before applying.

What jobs can a Petroleum Engineering degree lead to?

A Petroleum Engineering degree commonly leads to roles such as Petroleum Engineer, Drilling Engineer, Reservoir Engineer, Production Engineer. Typical pay (early-career; BLS figures are occupation-wide medians): Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 petroleum engineers median $141,280)..

Can I apply to a Petroleum Engineering program in California with the Common App?

Many Petroleum Engineering programs in California accept the Common Application. CampusPin tags each school's Common App acceptance, use the Common App filter on /results to narrow to programs you can apply to with one application.

Petroleum Engineering · California

Petroleum Engineering colleges in California

CampusPin lists 267 U.S. colleges in California that offer Petroleum Engineering programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Petroleum engineering applies math, geology, and fluid mechanics to find and extract oil and gas, suiting students who want hands-on work where earth science meets engineering design.

Schools in California that offer Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum Engineering programs in California: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 267 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

267

Public / private

24 / 26

Universities / 2-year

44 / 6

Cities represented

In-state tuition range

$1,104–$57,946

Median in-state tuition

$10,217

Lowest published in-state tuition

Barstow Community College

$1,104

Most selective

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

30% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

California State University-Fullerton

41,793 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Petroleum Engineering program

Reservoir engineering and fluid-flow through porous media
Drilling engineering and well-completion design
Petroleum geology and formation evaluation
Rock and fluid properties (petrophysics and PVT analysis)
Production engineering and artificial-lift methods
Reservoir and well simulation software
Well logging, testing, and data interpretation
Health, safety, and environmental controls for energy operations
Senior capstone design of a field or well-development plan

Where a Petroleum Engineering degree can lead

Petroleum Engineer
Drilling Engineer
Reservoir Engineer
Production Engineer
Completions Engineer
Energy Analyst

Typical pay: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 petroleum engineers median $141,280).

Petroleum engineering is the study of how to locate, drill for, and bring crude oil and natural gas out of the ground safely and efficiently. Students learn to read the behavior of fluids trapped in underground rock, design wells that reach those reservoirs, and plan the equipment and systems used to extract, transport, and process what comes up to the surface. Coursework blends earth science with mechanical and chemical engineering: you study rock and fluid properties, the physics of flow through porous formations, drilling and well-completion methods, and the safety and environmental controls that govern energy operations. Unlike geology, which centers on understanding the earth itself, petroleum engineering focuses on the practical design and operation of recovery systems; and unlike chemical engineering, which spans many process industries, it concentrates specifically on subsurface hydrocarbon resources from reservoir to surface facility.

The standard entry credential is a bachelor's degree, and programs lean heavily on quantitative engineering science, laboratory work in rock and fluid testing, reservoir and drilling simulation software, and a senior design project that ties the coursework into a realistic field or well plan. Some employers and roles value professional engineering licensure earned through state boards, and certain programs carry programmatic engineering accreditation; prospective students should verify licensure expectations and a program's accreditation status directly before enrolling. Graduates work for energy producers, oilfield service firms, drilling and completions contractors, consulting and analysis groups, and government or regulatory agencies, often splitting time between office modeling work and on-site or field operations, with roles such as reservoir, drilling, production, and completions engineer.

In federal data for the closely related occupation of petroleum engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $141,280 and projects employment to grow about 1.3% from 2024 to 2034; a bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.

Petroleum Engineering in other states

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Find more Petroleum Engineering schools

Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 267+ Petroleum Engineering programs in California by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

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