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Uncertain Future For Petroleum Engineers

In Vladimir Alvarado's petroleum engineering class, there are no signs enrollment is shrinking, although job prospects are getting slim. (Stephanie Joyce)
In Vladimir Alvarado's petroleum engineering class, there are no signs enrollment is shrinking, although job prospects are getting slim. (Stephanie Joyce)

Six months ago, joining a petroleum engineering program seemed like a good investment. With starting salaries above $100,000 and endless optimism about the shale revolution, enrollment climbed in many programs across the country.

But now that there is an oil price slump, some students are reevaluating their decision. And some departments are already worried about what will happen if low prices stick around. From the Here & Now Contributors Network, Stephanie Joyce of Inside Energy reports.

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  • Stephanie Joyce, energy and natural resources reporter for Wyoming Public Radio and a contributor to Inside Energy, a collaborative journalism initiative among public media. She tweets @stephaniemjoyce.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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