by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major” ranking.
Petroleum Engineering is the 223rd most popular major in the country with 1,256 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, petroleum engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $83,917 and had an average of $25,780 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major” ranking analyzed 29 colleges that offered a degree in petroleum engineering. That schools that top this list have a program in petroleum engineering in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major” list to help you make the college decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Marietta College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major. Located in Marietta, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 35 diplomas to qualified ’s petroleum engineering students in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Montana Technological University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major. This small school is located in Butte, Montana, and it awarded 34 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Petroleum Engineering at Montana Technological University
Out of the 29 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology landed the #3 spot on the list. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology is a small public school situated in Socorro, New Mexico. It awarded 24 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colorado School of Mines. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Golden, Colorado, and it awarded 86 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Petroleum Engineering at Colorado School of Mines
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Tulsa. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. University of Tulsa is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 50 ’s petroleum engineering degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Petroleum Engineering at University of Tulsa
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking. Odessa, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s petroleum engineering degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.
University of North Dakota came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking. Grand Forks, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s petroleum engineering degrees to 53 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full University of North Dakota Petroleum Engineering Report
Missouri University of Science and Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized school located in Rolla, Missouri that handed out 34 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Petroleum Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology
University of Wyoming came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Laramie, Wyoming, and it awarded 41 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
West Virginia University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. WVU is located in Morgantown, West Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 74 ’s petroleum engineering degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Petroleum Engineering at West Virginia University
With a ranking of #11, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. Norman, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s petroleum engineering degrees to 84 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Full University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Petroleum Engineering Report
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. Louisiana State University is a large school located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that handed out 74 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Louisiana State University Petroleum Engineering Report
Texas A&M University - Kingsville came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking. Texas A&M Kingsville is a medium-sized public school situated in Kingsville, Texas. It awarded 16 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Saint Francis University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #14. This small school is located in Loretto, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 6 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Petroleum Engineering at Saint Francis University
Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. Texas A&M College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 195 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M College Station
University of Louisiana at Lafayette ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. Lafayette, Louisiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s petroleum engineering degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #17, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. UT Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 123 ’s petroleum engineering degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Texas Tech University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking. Texas Tech University is a large public school situated in Lubbock, Texas. It awarded 50 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
University of Houston did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #19. UH is located in Houston, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 56 ’s petroleum engineering degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Petroleum Engineering at University of Houston
University of Alaska Fairbanks ranked #20 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. UAF is a medium-sized school located in Fairbanks, Alaska that handed out 6 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Full University of Alaska Fairbanks Petroleum Engineering Report
With a ranking of #21, University of Kansas did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major list. KU is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s petroleum engineering degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #22. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a medium-sized public school situated in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. It awarded 7 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Mississippi State University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking. Mississippi State University is a large public school situated in Mississippi State, Mississippi. It awarded 15 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read full report on Petroleum Engineering at Mississippi State University
University of Southern California did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #24. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s petroleum engineering degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Stanford University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Petroleum Engineering Major ranking. Stanford University is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 4 ’s petroleum engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies