Best Petroleum Engineering Universities in the World
clickHere

Best Petroleum Engineering Universities in the World

5 mins read6.8K Views Comment
Talk to Expert Icon BlueTalk to Expert
clickHere
Raj
Raj Vimal
Assistant Manager Editorial
Updated on Sep 17, 2025 11:11 IST
Petroleum engineering is offered in some of the best universities worldwide. Employment scopes for the graduates in the field of petroleum engineering, after having a valuable degree from the institutions, include opportunities in oil and gas companies, consultancy firms, and even government organisations.
Best Petroleum Engineering Universities in the World

Choosing the right university is important for Indian students who aspire to build a strong career in Petroleum Engineering. The demand for global energy is increasing day by day. Due to this, the demand for skilled engineers related to oil, gas, renewables, and emerging energy transitions is also increasing.

University of Texas at Austin, the University of Alberta and Texas A&M University are some of the best petroleum engineering universities in the world. These institutes not only offer quality education but also an internationally accepted degree. This article will be helpful for those Indian students who want to know about the top universities in the world for petroleum engineering. We have covered information like updated university rankings, admission requirements, salary insights, and career prospects tailored for Indian students.

Table of content
  • Why Study Petroleum Engineering Abroad?
  • Best Petroleum Engineering Universities in the World
  • Best Petroleum Engineering Universities: Eligibility
  • Petroleum Engineering Jobs

Why Study Petroleum Engineering Abroad?

Here are some reasons to study abroad from the best petroleum engineering schools in the world:

  • Interesting work profile: Working on complicated projects that call for both technical know-how and ingenuity is a part of petroleum engineering. The job of engineers in this industry ranges from the discovery of new oil and gas reserves to the development of innovative drilling and production techniques.
  • Job prospects: As per the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, in May 2021, the median annual wage of a petroleum engineer stood at $130,850. Moreover, 1,700 new job openings are projected annually in the upcoming decade.
  • Contribution to the environment: Petroleum engineers can contribute to environmental sustainability by creating petroleum extraction and refining processes that are more efficient and do less damage to the environment.

Some of the best petroleum universities in the world include the University of Texas (Austin), Texas A&M University, Colorado School of Mines, etc. All these universities provide high-quality petroleum engineering courses that can offer excellent job opportunities.

Best Petroleum Engineering Universities in the World

It is important for students who wish to pursue petroleum engineering to know the best universities in the world which offer petroleum engineering. The table given below provides the top 10 petroleum engineering universities in the world (based on U.S. News & World Report Rankings):

University QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Engineering - Petroleum
University of Texas - Austin 1
University of Alberta 2
Texas A&M University 3
University of Adelaide 4
KFUPM, Saudi Arabia 5
Imperial College of London, UK 6
Khalifa University, UAE 7
Middle East Technical University, Turkiye 8
Universidade of Sao Paulo, Brazil 9
The University of Manchester, UK 10

Note: It is important for students to do their own research, as rankings for the best oil and gas universities in the world might change based on different criteria used by different ranking indices.

Best Petroleum Engineering Universities: Eligibility

The admission requirements for these universities may vary, but generally, applicants will need to have completed a bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field. They may also be required to submit GRE scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Additionally, some universities may require international students to provide proof of English language proficiency through tests like TOEFL or IELTS. It is best to consult each university's admissions website for their specific requirements.

The admission requirements for the top petroleum engineering universities in the world vary as on the university and course requirements. However, the following points provide an overview of the admission requirements for the best petroleum engineering schools in the world:

Score Predictor

Predict your IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE in just 4 steps!

Share 12th Board, Percentage, english score
Get estimated scores or IELTS, TOEFL & PTE


  • Class 12th exams with certain subjects such as Advanced Functions, Calculus & Vectors, Chemistry, English, and Physics (may vary according to university).
  • SAT or ACT scores (may vary according to university).
  • GRE or GMAT scores (may vary according to university).
  • English language proficiency test scores: IELTSTOEFL, or Duolingo score.
  • Latest resume.
  • Statement of Purpose (SOP).
  • LORs (Letters of recommendation).
  • Essay.

Petroleum Engineering Jobs

Petroleum engineers can choose from a wide range of jobs both domestically and internationally. Reservoir engineers, drilling engineers, production engineers, completion engineers, and operations engineers are a few of the frequently occurring positions in the field of petroleum engineering. These experts do jobs like locating, evaluating, and managing energy resources, planning and carrying out drilling operations, examining geological data, and managing the operation of large-scale energy projects. Employees with a degree in petroleum engineering frequently command high incomes and enjoy possibilities for professional development and progress.

Petroleum Engineering Salary

Salary ranges for petroleum engineers can vary depending on a variety of variables, including the level of education, level of experience, region, and nature of the profession. However, petroleum engineering is often seen as a highly lucrative profession. If you complete your petroleum engineering from one of the top petroleum engineering universities in the world, you stand a chance of receiving a top percentile remuneration. As per the U.S. News & World Report, the following details have been observed for petroleum engineers when it comes to salaries and job prospects:







  • Petroleum Engineering is in 2nd position in the Best Engineering Jobs.
  • Petroleum Engineering jobs are at the 17th spot in the Best Paying Jobs.
  • Petroleum Engineering is ranked 51st position in the 100 Best Jobs.
  • The median salary of petroleum engineers was $130,850 in 2021, of which, the top 25% earned $167,750 in 2021 and the lowest 25% earned $100,880 in 2021.

Check: Which Engineering has Highest Salary Abroad?

Top Oil and Gas Companies

Some of the top oil and gas companies in the world include Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (Saudi Aramco), Exxon Mobil Corp., Shell, TotalEnergies, Chevron Corp., BP, Marathon Petroleum Corp., Valero Energy Corp., Gazprom, ConocoPhillips, etc.

Now that students are aware of the best petroleum engineering universities in the world, they must do their own research about the course curriculum and career outcomes before making a final decision. For help with university applications, students seeking to study abroad can contact our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors. The comments section below allows candidates to contact us as well.

Q:   What is the #1 university in UK?
Q:   What is the acceptance rate of Hertfordshire University?
Q:   How much PTE score is required for UK Student visa for degree level and above courses?
Recommendation

Explore popular universities

Harvard University

Cambridge, USAPrivate

111 courses
₹ 17.64 L - 80.31 L
Technical University of Munich

Munich, GermanyPublic

223 courses
₹ 0 - 40.83 L
Deakin University

Burwood, AustraliaPublic

233 courses
₹ 9.38 L - 47.27 L
Coventry University

Coventry, UKPublic

493 courses
₹ 4.8 L - 27.04 L
Curtin University - Australia

Perth, AustraliaPublic

268 courses
₹ 7.74 L - 54.66 L
115 courses
₹ 37.27 L - 1.17 Cr
Stanford University

Stanford, USAPrivate

137 courses
₹ 26.37 L - 1.32 Cr
King's College London

London, UKPublic

376 courses
₹ 11.78 L - 73.37 L
Birmingham City University

Birmingham, UKPublic

348 courses
₹ 8.99 L - 29.92 L
Charles Sturt University

Albury, AustraliaPublic

38 courses
₹ 12.48 L - 40.91 L
Is this recommendation relevant?
Which stage are you in your study abroad journey?

Pick your stage and get free guidance from counsellors who've helped thousands get into top universities.

Research IconStarting research
Shortlist IconShortlisting colleges
Exam IconExam preparation
SopLor IconSOP/LOR writing
Scholarship IconScholarship & finance
Visa IconVisa application
About the Author
author-image
Written by
Raj Vimal
Assistant Manager Editorial
Hi, I am Raj. I help Indian students figure out study abroad without the confusion. For 8+ years, mostly in Ed-Tech, I have written about the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. I cover what peo Read Full Bio
Explore popular study destinations
Resources for you
Understand the process step by step by referring to these guides curated just for you