A person working as Petroleum Engineer in Kuwait typically earns around 1,340 KWD. Salaries range from 670 KWD (lowest) to 2,070 KWD (highest).
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Petroleum Engineer salaries in Kuwait vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Minimum Salary 670 KWD |
Median 1,240 KWD |
Maximum 2,070 KWD |
Salaries for the position Petroleum Engineer in Kuwait range from 670 KWD (starting salary) to 2,070 KWD (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
With a median salary of 1,240 KWD, half of the professionals who work as Petroleum Engineer in Kuwait earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Petroleum Engineer in Kuwait earn less than 1,020 KWD, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 1,410 KWD while 25% earn more.
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Petroleum Engineer in Kuwait compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 780 KWD to 1,090 KWD. About 20% of salaries are below the 780 KWD mark, while 10% fall within the range of 1,090 KWD to 1,230 KWD. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 1,230 KWD.
0 - 2 Years | 800 KWD | |
2 - 5 Years | +32% | 1,060 KWD |
5 - 10 Years | +34% | 1,420 KWD |
10 - 15 Years | +19% | 1,700 KWD |
15 - 20 Years | +8% | 1,830 KWD |
20+ Years | +7% | 1,960 KWD |
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Petroleum Engineer and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 800 KWD.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 1,060 KWD, 32% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 1,420 KWD, 34% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 1,700 KWD, 19% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 1,830 KWD, 8% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 1,960 KWD, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Bachelor's Degree | 1,150 KWD | |
Master's Degree | +58% | 1,810 KWD |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Petroleum Engineer in order to make a comparison.
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 1,150 KWD.
At this level, the average salary becomes 1,810 KWD, 58% more than the previous level.
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Kuwait costs anywhere from 6,350 KWD to 19,000 KWD and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Petroleum Engineer in Kuwait, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 6%.
Male | 1,370 KWD | |
Female | -6% | 1,300 KWD |
Individuals working as Petroleum Engineer in Kuwait are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 8% every 28 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 4% granted to employees every 29 months.
The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
63% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 37% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 6% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus | 37% | |
No Bonus | 63% |
The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
The main two types of jobs | |
Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Petroleum Engineer in Kuwait is 4 KWD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining | -100% | |
Assistant Yard Manager | 1,120 KWD | -16% |
Associate Analyst | 1,330 KWD | -1% |
Associate Landman | 560 KWD | -58% |
Auxiliary Equipment Operator | 490 KWD | -63% |
Biomass Plant Technician | 600 KWD | -55% |
Biomass Power Plant Manager | 1,740 KWD | +30% |
Carbon Capture and Storage Specialist | 1,240 KWD | -7% |
Chemical Plant Operator | 940 KWD | -30% |
Chief Contract Compliance Engineer | 1,220 KWD | -9% |
Chief Renewable Energy Officer | 2,130 KWD | +59% |
Chief Sustainability Officer | 1,990 KWD | +49% |
Completions Engineer | 1,100 KWD | -18% |
Cost Controller | 890 KWD | -33% |
Cost Engineer | 1,210 KWD | -10% |
Crude Oil Marketing Representative | 1,250 KWD | -7% |
Deep-sea Mining Engineer | 1,380 KWD | +3% |
Dispatcher | 530 KWD | -60% |
Distribution Manager | 1,720 KWD | +29% |
Dragline Operator | 580 KWD | -57% |
Driller Offsider | 440 KWD | -67% |
Dump Truck Driver | 450 KWD | -66% |
Electric and Gas Operations Manager | 2,800 KWD | +110% |
Energy Advisor | 1,770 KWD | +32% |
Energy Analyst | 1,660 KWD | +24% |
Energy Auditor | 1,490 KWD | +11% |
Energy Dispatch Director | 2,140 KWD | +60% |
Energy Efficiency Auditor | 1,300 KWD | -3% |
Energy Efficiency Consultant | 1,400 KWD | +5% |
Energy Modeler | 1,140 KWD | -15% |
Energy Policy Analyst | 1,200 KWD | -10% |
Energy Storage Engineer | 1,250 KWD | -7% |
Energy Technical Assistant | 740 KWD | -45% |
Energy Technical Manager | 1,420 KWD | +6% |
Energy Technical Support Manager | 1,430 KWD | +7% |
Energy Technical Trainer | 1,020 KWD | -24% |
Engineering Geologist | 2,120 KWD | +58% |
Exploration Manager | 1,990 KWD | +49% |
Field Safety Auditor | 1,370 KWD | +2% |
Fluids Engineer | 1,200 KWD | -10% |
Fuel Cell Engineer | 1,270 KWD | -5% |
Fuel Cell Technician | 610 KWD | -54% |
Fuels Handler | 540 KWD | -60% |
Gas Compressor Operator | 530 KWD | -60% |
Gas Distribution Plant Operator | 990 KWD | -26% |
Gas Supply Manager | 1,790 KWD | +34% |
Geologist | 2,140 KWD | +60% |
Geophysicist | 2,270 KWD | +70% |
Geothermal Engineer | 1,350 KWD | +1% |
Geothermal Production Manager | 2,050 KWD | +53% |
Geothermal Technician | 850 KWD | -36% |
HSE Engineer | 1,220 KWD | -9% |
HSE Officer | 750 KWD | -44% |
HSE Supervisor | 860 KWD | -36% |
HSEQ Administrator | 860 KWD | -36% |
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Engineer | 1,390 KWD | +4% |
Inspector | 1,060 KWD | -21% |
Instructor | 1,010 KWD | -25% |
Instrument Designer | 930 KWD | -30% |
Lead Technical Field Advisor | 1,610 KWD | +20% |
Lithium Ion Battery Engineer | 1,080 KWD | -19% |
Logistics and Tool Coordinator | 990 KWD | -26% |
Maintenance Engineer | 1,180 KWD | -12% |
Maintenance Superintendent | 1,120 KWD | -16% |
Material Controller | 810 KWD | -39% |
Methane Detection and Mitigation Specialist | 1,130 KWD | -16% |
Mine Engineer | 1,170 KWD | -13% |
Mine Surveyor | 1,290 KWD | -4% |
Mining Project Administrator | 1,050 KWD | -22% |
Mining Project Assistant | 870 KWD | -35% |
Mining Project Controls Consultant | 1,270 KWD | -5% |
Mining Project Coordinator | 1,100 KWD | -18% |
Mining Project Engineer | 1,160 KWD | -13% |
Mining Project Manager | 1,450 KWD | +8% |
Mining Site Manager | 1,630 KWD | +22% |
Mining Team Leader | 1,290 KWD | -4% |
Natural Gas Engineer | 1,250 KWD | -7% |
NDT Technician | 710 KWD | -47% |
Net Zero Energy Consultant | 1,610 KWD | +20% |
Oil Service Unit Operator | 650 KWD | -51% |
Oil Trader | 1,570 KWD | +17% |
Oilwell Pumper | 460 KWD | -66% |
Petroleum Engineer | 1,340 KWD | +0% |
Petroleum Geologist | 2,240 KWD | +67% |
Petroleum Pump System Operator | 670 KWD | -50% |
Petroleum Technician | 720 KWD | -46% |
Photovoltaic Engineer | 1,270 KWD | -5% |
Pipeline Technician | 440 KWD | -67% |
Power Coordinator | 700 KWD | -48% |
Power Plant Operations Manager | 2,280 KWD | +70% |
Power Plant Operator | 1,010 KWD | -25% |
Radio Operator | 540 KWD | -60% |
Reliability Engineer | 1,210 KWD | -10% |
Renewable Energy Consultant | 1,810 KWD | +35% |
Renewable Energy Engineer | 1,390 KWD | +4% |
Renewable Energy Policy Analyst | 1,450 KWD | +8% |
Reservoir Engineer | 1,070 KWD | -20% |
Risk Analyst | 1,410 KWD | +5% |
Roughneck | 1,250 KWD | -7% |
Scaffolder | 750 KWD | -44% |
Shutdown Engineer | 950 KWD | -29% |
Smart Grid Analyst | 1,240 KWD | -7% |
Smart Grid Engineer | 1,280 KWD | -4% |
Solar Energy Installation Manager | 1,760 KWD | +32% |
Solar Energy Systems Engineer | 1,260 KWD | -6% |
Solar Photovoltaic Installer | 810 KWD | -39% |
Solar Thermal Technician | 700 KWD | -48% |
Supply Operations Manager | 2,040 KWD | +52% |
Sustainability Analyst | 1,560 KWD | +17% |
Sustainability Architect | 1,470 KWD | +10% |
Sustainability Specialist | 1,830 KWD | +37% |
Sustainable Energy Consultant | 1,530 KWD | +14% |
System Development Advisor | 1,370 KWD | +2% |
Tanker Truck Driver | 460 KWD | -66% |
Unconventional Oil and Gas Engineer | 1,320 KWD | -1% |
Utility Operator | 620 KWD | -54% |
Waste-to-Energy Specialist | 1,640 KWD | +23% |
Wind Energy Project Manager | 1,710 KWD | +28% |
Wind Farm Technician | 820 KWD | -39% |
Wind Turbine Technician | 970 KWD | -28% |
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Kuwait is 10% on average across all career fields.
Private Sector | 1,230 KWD | |
Public Sector | +10% | 1,360 KWD |
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 1,240 KWD and 1,410 KWD. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
The base salary for a careers like Petroleum Engineer in Kuwait ranges from 670 KWD to 1,020 KWD. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary