State comparison · 2025
Petroleum Engineers salary: California vs Colorado
Petroleum Engineers in Colorado earn a median of $172,190. In California, $143,590. After cost-of-living, the gap is 22.3% — not 16.6%.
Nominal pay gap
-16.6%
California vs Colorado
COL-adjusted gap
-22.3%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
California
Petroleum Engineers
- Median
- $143,590
- p25
- $126,500
- p75
- $171,980
- p10
- $61,780
- p90
- $207,370
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- +300%
Colorado
Petroleum Engineers
- Median
- $172,190
- p25
- $112,070
- p75
- $214,220
- p10
- $92,590
- p90
- $264,960
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 103.1
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.