Develop methods to extract oil and gas from below the Earth's surface. Median salary in Fort Collins: $148K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Fort Collins, Colorado. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Petroleum Engineers in Fort Collins earn approximately 2% higher than the US national median for this role — a $3,000 premium on annual base salary. This reflects Fort Collins's position as a higher-cost labor market where employers must match local wage norms.
Adjusted for Fort Collins's cost-of-living index (112), the median Petroleum Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $132,143 in a US-average-cost city. That's $12,857 less purchasing power than the national median — the higher nominal salary doesn't fully offset local costs.
Only 15% of Petroleum Engineer positions offer remote flexibility, meaning the Fort Collins salary above represents what local employers actually pay — not a remote-anywhere rate. Geographic constraints reinforce the local market, so the salary range above is more directly applicable than for remote-friendly roles.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $155K by 2030.
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The median Petroleum Engineer salary in Fort Collins, CO is $148,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Fort Collins–CO metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Petroleum Engineers in Fort Collins with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $113,000 and $148,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $148,000 to $193,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $193,000 to $246,000 or more.
Fort Collins has a cost of living index of 112 compared to the US national average of 100. Living costs in Fort Collins are close to the national average. Colorado has a 4.55% state income tax rate.
Bachelor's in Petroleum Engineering. 15% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.