Oil Prices by President
This page covers 14 presidential terms. 11 are measured with EIA's daily WTI spot price, which begins on Jan 2, 1986, and 3 earlier terms are measured with the monthly U.S. crude oil first purchase price, a different series shown separately.
Among the 10 completed terms with daily WTI data, the highest term average was $83.19 (Barack Obama, first term, 2009–2013) and the lowest $16.77 (Ronald Reagan, second term, 1985–1989). Adjusted for inflation to September 2026 dollars, the highest was $125.82 (Barack Obama, first term, 2009–2013) and the lowest $42.71 (Bill Clinton, first term, 1993–1997).
The largest rise from a term's first to its last published price was +147.9% (Barack Obama, first term, 2009–2013: $38.57 to $95.61); the largest fall was −46.5% (Barack Obama, second term, 2013–2017: $96.09 to $51.39).
Donald Trump's second term is in progress; its figures run through Oct 20, 2026 and it is not ranked.
Crude oil is traded in a global market (EIA). The figures here describe what prices did between inauguration dates; they do not measure the effect of any president or policy.
WTI by presidential term
| Ronald Reagan, second term | Jan 20, 1985 – Jan 20, 1989 | $25.56 Jan 2, 1986 | $19.28 Jan 19, 1989 | −$6.28 | −24.6% | $16.77 | $26.53 Jan 6, 1986 | $10.25 Mar 31, 1986 | $78.58 | $53.64 | $49.58 |
| George H. W. Bush | Jan 20, 1989 – Jan 20, 1993 | $18.85 Jan 20, 1989 | $18.40 Jan 19, 1993 | −$0.45 | −2.4% | $21.58 | $41.07 Oct 11, 1990 | $15.43 Jun 20, 1990 | $52.45 | $43.48 | $54.70 |
| Bill Clinton, first term | Jan 20, 1993 – Jan 20, 1997 | $18.35 Jan 20, 1993 | $25.40 Jan 17, 1997 | +$7.05 | +38.4% | $19.14 | $26.55 Dec 19, 1996 | $13.89 Feb 16, 1994 | $43.36 | $53.79 | $42.71 |
| Bill Clinton, second term | Jan 20, 1997 – Jan 20, 2001 | $25.10 Jan 20, 1997 | $32.12 Jan 19, 2001 | +$7.02 | +28.0% | $21.23 | $37.22 Sep 20, 2000 | $10.82 Dec 10, 1998 | $53.16 | $61.81 | $42.90 |
| George W. Bush, first term | Jan 20, 2001 – Jan 20, 2005 | $32.21 Jan 22, 2001 | $47.61 Jan 19, 2005 | +$15.40 | +47.8% | $31.38 | $56.37 Oct 26, 2004 | $17.50 Nov 15, 2001 | $61.98 | $84.12 | $57.62 |
| George W. Bush, second term | Jan 20, 2005 – Jan 20, 2009 | $47.01 Jan 20, 2005 | $35.38 Jan 16, 2009 | −$11.63 | −24.7% | $73.72 | $145.31 Jul 3, 2008 | $30.28 Dec 23, 2008 | $83.06 | $56.46 | $120.16 |
| Barack Obama, first term | Jan 20, 2009 – Jan 20, 2013 | $38.57 Jan 20, 2009 | $95.61 Jan 18, 2013 | +$57.04 | +147.9% | $83.19 | $113.39 Apr 29, 2011 | $34.03 Feb 12, 2009 | $61.55 | $139.89 | $125.82 |
| Barack Obama, second term | Jan 20, 2013 – Jan 20, 2017 | $96.09 Jan 22, 2013 | $51.39 Jan 19, 2017 | −$44.70 | −46.5% | $70.08 | $110.62 Sep 6, 2013 | $26.19 Feb 11, 2016 | $140.60 | $71.30 | $99.96 |
| Donald Trump, first term | Jan 20, 2017 – Jan 20, 2021 | $52.33 Jan 20, 2017 | $52.87 Jan 19, 2021 | +$0.54 | +1.0% | $53.02 | $77.41 Jun 27, 2018 | −$36.98 Apr 20, 2020 | $72.61 | $68.10 | $70.74 |
| Joe Biden | Jan 20, 2021 – Jan 20, 2025 | $53.16 Jan 20, 2021 | $78.56 Jan 17, 2025 | +$25.40 | +47.8% | $79.58 | $123.64 Mar 8, 2022 | $52.16 Jan 29, 2021 | $68.47 | $83.33 | $90.65 |
| Donald Trump, second term | Jan 20, 2025 – present | $76.79 Jan 21, 2025 | $107.89 Oct 20, 2026 | +$31.10 | +40.5% | $74.72 to date | $114.58 Apr 7, 2026 | $55.44 Dec 16, 2025 | $81.45 | — | $76.69 excl. October 2025, October 2026 |
EIA's daily WTI series begins on Jan 2, 1986, almost a year into Ronald Reagan's second term; that term's figures start then.
Brent by presidential term
| Ronald Reagan, second term | Jan 20, 1985 – Jan 20, 1989 | $18.63 May 20, 1987 | $18.10 Jan 19, 1989 | −$0.53 | −2.8% | $16.33 | $20.95 Aug 3, 1987 | $11.20 Oct 5, 1988 | $55.50 | $50.36 | $47.13 |
| George H. W. Bush | Jan 20, 1989 – Jan 20, 1993 | $18.15 Jan 20, 1989 | $16.98 Jan 19, 1993 | −$1.17 | −6.4% | $20.35 | $41.45 Sep 27, 1990 | $14.68 Jun 8, 1990 | $50.50 | $40.12 | $51.55 |
| Bill Clinton, first term | Jan 20, 1993 – Jan 20, 1997 | $16.70 Jan 20, 1993 | $22.87 Jan 17, 1997 | +$6.17 | +36.9% | $17.71 | $25.40 Oct 22, 1996 | $13.00 Feb 18, 1994 | $39.46 | $48.43 | $39.53 |
| Bill Clinton, second term | Jan 20, 1997 – Jan 20, 2001 | $22.86 Jan 20, 1997 | $26.29 Jan 19, 2001 | +$3.43 | +15.0% | $19.64 | $37.43 Sep 7, 2000 | $9.10 Dec 10, 1998 | $48.41 | $50.59 | $39.67 |
| George W. Bush, first term | Jan 20, 2001 – Jan 20, 2005 | $27.69 Jan 22, 2001 | $45.16 Jan 19, 2005 | +$17.47 | +63.1% | $29.41 | $52.28 Oct 22, 2004 | $16.51 Nov 15, 2001 | $53.28 | $79.79 | $54.01 |
| George W. Bush, second term | Jan 20, 2005 – Jan 20, 2009 | $44.06 Jan 20, 2005 | $43.42 Jan 16, 2009 | −$0.64 | −1.5% | $72.22 | $143.95 Jul 3, 2008 | $33.73 Dec 26, 2008 | $77.85 | $69.29 | $117.76 |
| Barack Obama, first term | Jan 20, 2009 – Jan 20, 2013 | $41.22 Jan 20, 2009 | $111.71 Jan 18, 2013 | +$70.49 | +171.0% | $91.73 | $128.14 Mar 13, 2012 | $39.41 Feb 18, 2009 | $65.78 | $163.45 | $138.47 |
| Barack Obama, second term | Jan 20, 2013 – Jan 20, 2017 | $112.72 Jan 22, 2013 | $53.18 Jan 19, 2017 | −$59.54 | −52.8% | $74.86 | $118.90 Feb 8, 2013 | $26.01 Jan 20, 2016 | $164.93 | $73.79 | $106.83 |
| Donald Trump, first term | Jan 20, 2017 – Jan 20, 2021 | $55.04 Jan 20, 2017 | $55.38 Jan 19, 2021 | +$0.34 | +0.6% | $57.95 | $86.07 Oct 4, 2018 | $9.12 Apr 21, 2020 | $76.37 | $71.33 | $77.31 |
| Joe Biden | Jan 20, 2021 – Jan 20, 2025 | $55.66 Jan 20, 2021 | $83.02 Jan 17, 2025 | +$27.36 | +49.2% | $83.97 | $133.18 Mar 8, 2022 | $54.87 Jan 28, 2021 | $71.69 | $88.06 | $95.61 |
| Donald Trump, second term | Jan 20, 2025 – present | $81.68 Jan 20, 2025 | $115.22 Oct 20, 2026 | +$33.54 | +41.1% | $80.83 to date | $138.21 Apr 7, 2026 | $59.93 Dec 16, 2025 | $86.63 | — | $82.49 excl. October 2025, October 2026 |
EIA's daily Brent series begins on May 20, 1987, so Brent figures for Ronald Reagan's second term start on that date.
Earlier terms: U.S. crude oil first purchase price
Before the daily spot series, terms are measured with EIA's monthly U.S. crude oil first purchase price: the average price paid for domestic crude oil when it first changed hands. It is a different series from WTI, is not comparable with spot prices, and is not combined with them. Only calendar months lying entirely within a term are counted. Federal price controls applied to domestic crude oil until January 1981, so figures for those terms are controlled prices.
| Gerald Ford | Aug 9, 1974 – Jan 20, 1977 | $6.70 September 1974 | $8.62 December 1976 | +$1.92 | +28.7% | $7.78 | $8.63 January 1976 | $6.70 September 1974 | $44.61 | $49.90 | $47.85 |
| Jimmy Carter | Jan 20, 1977 – Jan 20, 1981 | $8.56 February 1977 | $25.83 December 1980 | +$17.27 | +201.8% | $13.04 | $25.83 December 1980 | $8.41 April 1977 | $48.80 | $100.85 | $60.33 |
| Ronald Reagan, first term | Jan 20, 1981 – Jan 20, 1985 | $34.30 February 1981 | $25.05 December 1984 | −$9.25 | −27.0% | $28.07 | $34.59 March 1981 | $25.05 December 1984 | $131.48 | $80.16 | $97.21 |
Not shown: Richard Nixon, 1973–1974, because EIA's monthly first purchase price begins in January 1974 and covers 7 of the term's 18 full months. A term is shown when its series covers at least half of it.
Related: Oil price history by year · Prices adjusted for inflation · Price records · Price episodes
Sources
- What drives crude oil prices: Spot prices — U.S. Energy Information Administration
- The Constitution: Amendments 11-27 (Amendment XX, Section 1) — National Archives
- Past Inaugural Ceremonies — Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
- Table Definitions, Sources, and Explanatory Notes: Domestic Crude Oil First Purchase Prices — U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Executive Order 12287: Decontrol of crude oil and refined petroleum products — National Archives, Office of the Federal Register
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (daily) | $/bbl | Jan 2, 1986 – Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 20, 2026 |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RBRTE — Brent spot price FOB (daily) | $/bbl | May 20, 1987 onward | — |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | F000000__3 — U.S. crude oil first purchase price (monthly) | $/bbl | September 1974 – December 1984 | — |
| U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | CUUR0000SA0 — CPI-U, all items, NSA | index, 1982–84=100 | monthly | September 2026 |
Term boundaries are inauguration dates. Under the 20th Amendment a term begins at noon on January 20; Gerald Ford was sworn in on August 9, 1974. When January 20 fell on a Sunday (1985 and 2013) the public ceremony was held on January 21, but the term began on January 20. A term runs up to, not including, the next term's first day.
Daily WTI and Brent: the first observation counted is the first EIA spot price published on or after inauguration day (spot prices are assessed at the market close, after the noon oath), and the last is the final price published before the next inauguration day. The term average is the mean of the daily prices published within the term. Monthly and annual tables show EIA's published averages for whole calendar months and years; months and years that straddle an inauguration are marked.
U.S. crude oil first purchase price (monthly): only calendar months lying entirely within the term are counted, so the months containing inauguration dates are left out. The first and last observations are the first and last such months, and the term average is the mean of their values. This series is never combined with WTI.
A term is shown when its series covers at least half of it. Inflation adjustment: real = nominal × CPI-U(September 2026) ÷ CPI-U(month of the observation); the real term average is the mean of the adjusted observations. Observations in a month with no published CPI-U (including the latest month, until BLS publishes it) are left out of real figures, and the months left out are listed.
Last updated: Oct 21, 2026, 5:27 PM CDT. Raw values are shown in source units; any conversion is labeled. See methodology and data sources.
Download:All terms (CSV)