ExxonMobil Relocation Package and Policy (2026)
The short answer: ExxonMobil’s relocation package pays a lump sum plus a relocation allowance to eligible hires whose home is more than 50 miles from the new work location. Campus recruits get a $12,000 lump sum, while experienced hires get a formula-based lump sum plus an expense allowance. Before you decide how to use your package, run your route through a free moving cost calculator to see real quotes.
Jump to the ExxonMobil relocation info you’re looking for:
- How ExxonMobil’s relocation works
- Moving to an ExxonMobil hub
- What you get by hire type
- Experienced, PhD, and MBA hires
- Campus recruits and professional new hires
- Summer interns and co-op students
- Are ExxonMobil relocation benefits taxed?
- The repayment clause
- The New Jersey to Houston move
- How to maximize your ExxonMobil relocation package
- Pros and cons
- FAQ
About ExxonMobil’s Relocation Package & Policy
Here is a snapshot of what ExxonMobil’s relocation guidelines and careers site describe:
| Administered by | Cartus Corporation |
|---|---|
| Who’s eligible | New hires and transfers whose departure location is more than 50 miles from the assignment location |
| Experienced, PhD, and MBA hires | Formula-based lump sum plus a Non-Specific Expense Allowance (NEA), home sale and purchase assistance, cost-of-living allowance, duplicate housing, and spousal employment assistance |
| Campus and professional new hires | $12,000 lump sum plus a relocation allowance |
| Summer interns and co-op students | Company-paid housing or a housing subsidy, one round trip, help moving personal effects ($500/month transportation subsidy for those outside the 48 contiguous states) |
| Tax treatment | Many benefits grossed up; campus lump sum is not tax-assisted |
| Repayment clause | Repay all relocation benefits if you voluntarily leave within 12 months of your effective date |
| Residency requirement | Establish residency within 90 days of your start date; benefits expire one year from your effective date of transfer |
| Sources | ExxonMobil relocation guidelines synopses for campus recruits, experienced, PhD, and MBA hires, and summer interns and co-op students (2018–2021), the ExxonMobil full-time hire careers FAQ, and employee reports on Reddit |
How ExxonMobil’s relocation works
ExxonMobil’s corporate relocation program is administered by Cartus, a third-party relocation management company. Your relocation is approved only after you complete your pre-employment requirements. Cartus will contact you to start the process three to four months before your start date. You should connect with your Cartus relocation consultant before starting any phase of your move or incurring expenses.
Eligibility comes down to distance. ExxonMobil pays relocation benefits when your departure location is more than 50 miles from your assignment location. The underlying test follows IRS criteria: for campus and experienced hires, the guidelines require that your new commute be at least 50 miles greater than your old one. Per ExxonMobil’s experienced-hire guidelines, benefits are not provided to new hires already living in a large metro area near their assignment, such as Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, or Philadelphia.
Two timing rules matter. You need to establish residency within 90 days of your start date, shown by a home purchase or a lease of at least six months, and your benefits expire one year from your effective date of transfer. If you are engaged, the person you’re engaged to is only covered as a dependent if you marry within 90 days of your start date.
Pro tip: ExxonMobil’s lump sum is yours to manage, so the less you spend on the move itself, the more you keep. Compare full-service movers against containers and other options with the moveBuddha Moving Cost Calculator before you book.
The relocation guidelines cited throughout this guide are ExxonMobil’s official, publicly posted synopses for campus recruits, experienced, PhD, and MBA hires, and summer interns and co-op students, dated 2018 to 2021. The structure still matches ExxonMobil’s current careers site, but specific dollar amounts may have been updated since.
Moving to an ExxonMobil hub?
Most ExxonMobil relocations land in Texas and along the Gulf Coast, anchored by the company’s Houston-area campus. Moving costs vary a lot by route and home size, so get quotes before you make any budget assumptions.
- Houston, Texas (corporate headquarters and research hub): See our guides to the best movers in Houston, popular moving routes to Houston, and how much movers cost in Houston
- Baytown and Beaumont, Texas (refining and chemical operations): See our guide to the best movers in Beaumont
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana (refinery and chemical complex): See our guide to the best movers in Baton Rouge
- Clinton Township and northern New Jersey (origin for the Houston consolidation): See our guide to the best movers in New Jersey and car shipping costs for a long-haul move to Texas
What ExxonMobil’s relocation package includes by hire type
ExxonMobil runs three distinct relocation programs. What you receive depends on whether you are an experienced, PhD, or MBA hire; a campus recruit; or an intern or co-op student.
| Benefit | Experienced, PhD, and MBA | Campus and new grad | Intern and co-op |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lump sum payment | Formula-based, tax-assisted | $12,000 flat, not tax-assisted | None |
| Relocation allowance or Non-Specific Expense Allowance (NEA) | NEA | Relocation allowance based on monthly salary | None |
| Miscellaneous Expense Allowance (MEA) | Yes, 100% of monthly salary midpoint for your level, up to a cap | No | No |
| Household goods shipment | Full shipment plus temporary storage | Covered within the lump sum | Small truck, trailer, or parcel shipment only |
| Car shipment | Auto and recreational vehicle shipment | Covered within the lump sum | Mileage lump sum or $500/month subsidy |
| Temporary or interim housing | Interim living and up to 60 days duplicate housing | Covered within the lump sum | Company-paid housing or subsidy |
| Home sale assistance | Yes, amended value or guaranteed offer | No | No |
| Home purchase assistance | Yes, customary closing costs | No | No |
| Cost-of-living allowance (COLA) | Yes, up to two years | No | No |
| Spousal employment assistance | Yes, up to $2,500 | No | No |
| Repayment clause | Yes, 12 months | Yes, 12 months | Not stated |
Experienced, PhD, and MBA hires
Experienced hires receive ExxonMobil’s most complete relocation package. It starts with a lump sum and an allowance, but it adds full home sale and purchase support and a cost-of-living allowance.
Lump sum and the NEA
The experienced-hire lump sum is not a flat number. It is calculated based on your new location, whether you are a homeowner or renter at the new location within your first 90 days, and your number of eligible dependents. It covers your home selection trip, dependent care during that trip, the final move trip, interim living, and en route travel. Unlike the campus lump sum, the experienced-hire lump sum is tax-assisted.
On top of the lump sum, ExxonMobil’s careers site says experienced and PhD hires receive a Non-Specific Expense Allowance (NEA), paid roughly seven to 10 business days after you start. The NEA is meant to cover relocation costs that the policy does not specifically cover or that exceed what the policy reimburses. ExxonMobil’s internal guidelines also describe a Miscellaneous Expense Allowance (MEA) calculated at 100% of the monthly salary midpoint for your classification level, up to a cap.
Home sale assistance
Homeowners can sell through ExxonMobil’s amended value or guaranteed offer program. A guaranteed offer acts as a safety net while you market the home through a Cartus-registered broker. If your sale meets the program conditions, you can earn a seller’s incentive of 3% of the net sales price. Eligible homes must be within 50 miles of your current work location, wholly owned, and your primary residence. Your home sale options stay open for 12 months from your effective date.
Home purchase assistance
When you buy at the new location, ExxonMobil reimburses customary buyer’s closing costs, as long as you close within 12 months of your effective date and within 50 miles of your new work location. The guidelines name Chase and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage as preferred lenders with direct billing of eligible closing costs.
Cost-of-living allowance, duplicate housing, and spousal assistance
Three more benefits round out the experienced-hire package.
- Cost-of-living allowance (COLA): When you move to a higher-cost area, ExxonMobil may pay a COLA for up to two years. This is calculated by a third-party vendor based on your old and new locations, dependents, and salary midpoint. You get half paid up front and the rest at 12 months and two years.
- Duplicate housing: If you are carrying housing costs at the new location while marketing your old home under the amended sale program, ExxonMobil covers eligible duplicate housing expenses for up to 60 days.
- Spousal employment assistance: ExxonMobil reimburses up to $2,500 in actual expenses to help a relocating spouse find work. This includes resume help, coaching, job-search travel, and license or certification fees.
Household goods, car, and storage
Experienced hires receive a full household goods shipment plus auto and recreational vehicle shipment, governed by ExxonMobil’s separate domestic shipping guidelines. Shipment includes 30 days of temporary storage, with another 30 days available with approval. Renters leaving a lease can be reimbursed for forfeited security deposits and additional rent to cancel a lease, capped at the equivalent of three months’ rent.
Campus recruits and professional new hires
If you are joining ExxonMobil straight from a university program or as an early-career professional, your relocation comes as a lump sum payment plus a relocation allowance, paid when you qualify by moving more than 50 miles.
The $12,000 lump sum
ExxonMobil’s campus recruit guidelines describe a $12,000 non-accountable lump sum. Non-accountable means you do not submit receipts, and you keep whatever you do not spend on the move. The payment is intended to cover your home selection trip, the final move trip, interim living at the new location, shipping your household goods and car, closing down your old home, and setting up the new one. Cartus pays it no sooner than four months before your start date.
That $12,000 figure is corroborated outside the policy documents. A chemical engineer on Reddit described receiving “a single 12k lump sum” for an ExxonMobil domestic relocation.
The relocation allowance
On top of the lump sum, campus and professional new hires receive a relocation allowance meant to cover miscellaneous incidental expenses. The allowance is based on your monthly salary, and is typically paid seven to 10 business days after you start.
Note that the lump sum is not tax-assisted. ExxonMobil does not gross it up for taxes, so the $12,000 is treated as taxable income and your take-home portion will be lower.
Summer interns and co-op students
Interns and co-op students do not receive a cash lump sum. Instead, ExxonMobil covers the practical costs of getting you to your assignment for the term, as long as your new work location is 50 miles or more from your school or permanent residence.
Housing and travel
ExxonMobil provides company-paid housing or a housing subsidy, with the exact amount varying by location and the length of your assignment. The program also reimburses one round trip between your school or permanent residence and your new work location, by economy airfare, bus, rail, or personal car at the company mileage rate. If you drive, ExxonMobil expects an average of 400 miles per day to reimburse lodging.
Moving your personal effects
Rather than a full household goods shipment, ExxonMobil pays for a rental truck or van 10 feet or smaller, a rental trailer 10 feet or smaller pulled by your own car, parcel shipment through a carrier like UPS or FedEx, or round-trip mileage for a second car. It will not pay for hitches, trucks or trailers over 10 feet, furniture shipment, or towing a personal vehicle behind a rental truck. Interns living outside the 48 contiguous states may instead receive a fixed $500 per month transportation subsidy.
Pro tip: Because the intern moving benefit is capped at a small truck, trailer, or parcel shipment, a moving container or a small-load specialist is often the most cost-effective way to handle a dorm or one-bedroom move. Compare options in our guide to the best moving container companies.
Interns and co-ops: no cash, and a hard cap
A 10-foot truck or trailer is the ceiling. Anything bigger is on you, so pick the cheapest method that fits.
Moving container
$1k–$3k
Usually the best value for a dorm or one-bedroom load
Rental truck, 10 ft
$700–$2k
Reimbursable, but you drive it and load it yourself
Parcel shipment
$300–$900
Cheapest option if you are shipping boxes and no furniture
Are ExxonMobil relocation benefits taxed?
Yes. The 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended the old moving-expense exclusion, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July 2025, made that permanent for tax years beginning in 2026. Relocation benefits are now fully taxable income for civilian employees, with active-duty military and certain intelligence-community members the only exceptions. ExxonMobil tax-assists many of its relocation benefits by grossing them up, using the IRS supplemental rate of 22% for federal tax plus applicable state, Social Security, and Medicare taxes.
ExxonMobil acknowledges that this is tax assistance, not tax protection. The company pays toward your relocation tax liability, but the assistance may not cover your full tax bill. The experienced-hire MEA is partly intended to help offset any shortfall.
Not every benefit is treated the same way. The table below summarizes how ExxonMobil’s guidelines classify common benefits for tax purposes.
| Benefit | Reported (W-2) | Tax-assisted (grossed up) |
|---|---|---|
| Lump sum payment (experienced hires) | Yes | Yes |
| Lump sum payment (campus recruits) | Yes | No |
| MEA or NEA | Yes | Yes |
| Household goods shipment (incl. 30-day storage) | Yes | Yes |
| Duplicate housing | Yes | Yes |
| Home sale loss | Yes | Yes |
| Home sale incentive payment | Yes | No |
| Cost-of-living allowance (COLA) | Yes | No |
| Home sale through Cartus | No | No |
All taxable payments appear in the Imputed Income section of your payroll statement, and any gross-up shows up in the Payments section. At year end, Cartus sends a Relocation Summary Package and the amounts are reported on your W-2.
The ExxonMobil relocation repayment clause
ExxonMobil’s relocation guidelines include a repayment clause. If you voluntarily terminate your employment within 12 months of your effective date, or do not relocate, you are required to repay all of the relocation benefits paid to you. The documents do not describe the repayment as prorated, so a departure at 11 months could carry the same obligation as one at one month.
On Reddit, one ExxonMobil employee summarized the clause as “all or nothing,” where leaving before a year means you owe it all and reaching a year clears you. Others in the thread report the company recovering the balance, and cite amounts in the $12,000–$20,000 range once household goods, car shipment, and tax assistance are included.
If there is any realistic chance you leave within your first year, keep the relocation funds accessible so a clawback does not catch you short. For more on how these clauses work and how to negotiate them, see our guide to negotiating a relocation package.
Not prorated. Leave at month 11 and you may owe the same as leaving at month one.
Employees report exposure in the $12,000 to $20,000 range once household goods, car shipment and tax assistance are counted. A cheaper move keeps more of that money liquid.
Smart approach
Compare movers, spend only what the move requires, and hold the remainder in reserve until you clear month 12.
Risky approach
Spend the full lump sum on the first mover you call, then face a full clawback if you take another offer inside a year.
The New Jersey to Houston move
ExxonMobil announced in 2024 that it would close its Clinton Township, New Jersey research campus in Hunterdon County and consolidate its corporate research operations in Houston. Most of the employees on the 757-acre campus were offered the opportunity to relocate, with the closures phased and expected to be complete by 2028.
Separately, ExxonMobil shareholders voted on May 27, 2026 to move the company’s legal incorporation from New Jersey to Texas, where it has been headquartered since 1989. The redomicile measure passed with 71.3% support. The incorporation change is a legal matter, but it underscores the company’s center of gravity shifting to Texas.
For employees offered a Houston move, the relocation would generally run under ExxonMobil’s standard guidelines through Cartus. If you are weighing the offer, our work relocation decision tool can help you think through whether the move makes sense for you.
How to maximize your ExxonMobil relocation package
Spend less than your lump sum
The campus-hire lump sum is non-accountable, so every dollar you do not spend on the move is yours to keep. A move using a budget-friendly container or a vetted long-distance mover can leave thousands in your pocket. Price your route on the moving cost calculator before you commit to a moving method.
Confirm whether your lump sum is tax-assisted
Campus lump sums are not grossed up, while experienced-hire lump sums are. That difference can be several thousand dollars in take-home value. Confirm the tax treatment of your specific payment so you budget around the real after-tax amount.
Contact Cartus before you spend anything
ExxonMobil’s guidelines warn that starting a phase of your move or incurring expenses before contacting your Cartus consultant can jeopardize eligibility for certain benefits. Wait for Cartus to set up your file, then move through the steps in order.
Time your home sale and purchase inside the windows
For experienced hires, home sale options stay open for 12 months from your effective date. Home purchase closing costs are only reimbursed if you close within 12 months and within 50 miles of your new work location.
Use spousal employment assistance if your partner is job hunting
The up to $2,500 spousal employment benefit is easy to overlook. If your spouse was employed at your old location or recently finished a degree, the benefit can reimburse resume help, coaching, job-search travel, and license fees.
Watch the repayment window before you accept another offer
Because the repayment clause is all-or-nothing within 12 months, the cost of an early exit can wipe out the value of the package.
Pros and cons of ExxonMobil’s relocation package
- $12,000 lump sum for campus recruits; keep what you don’t spend
- Relocation allowance on top of the lump sum
- Full home sale and purchase assistance for experienced hires
- Cost-of-living allowance for up to two years in higher-cost areas
- Up to $2,500 in spousal employment assistance
- Many benefits grossed up for taxes
- Administered by Cartus, a dedicated relocation management company
- 12-month all-or-nothing repayment clause
- Campus lump sum is not tax-assisted
- Interns and co-op students get no cash lump sum
- Tax assistance is not full tax protection
- No benefits for hires already living in major metro areas near the assignment
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FAQ
Does ExxonMobil pay for relocation?
Yes. ExxonMobil offers relocation benefits to eligible new hires and transfers whose departure location is more than 50 miles from their assignment location. Campus and professional new hires receive a lump sum payment plus a relocation allowance. Experienced, PhD, and MBA hires receive a lump sum plus a Non-Specific Expense Allowance (NEA), along with home sale and purchase assistance, a cost-of-living allowance, duplicate housing, and spousal employment assistance. Summer interns and co-op students receive company-paid housing or a housing subsidy, travel, and help moving personal effects.
How much is ExxonMobil’s relocation lump sum?
ExxonMobil’s published campus recruit guidelines list a $12,000 non-accountable lump sum to cover home finding, interim living, and the final move. For experienced, PhD, and MBA hires, the lump sum is not a flat number. It is calculated based on the new location, your homeowner or renter status within the first 90 days, and your number of eligible dependents. The campus lump sum is not tax-assisted, while the experienced-hire lump sum is tax-assisted. These figures come from ExxonMobil relocation guidelines dated 2018 to 2021, so confirm current amounts in your e-Offer.
What is ExxonMobil’s relocation allowance?
For campus recruits and professional new hires, the relocation allowance covers miscellaneous incidental expenses and is based on your monthly salary. For experienced and PhD hires, the equivalent is the Non-Specific Expense Allowance (NEA), which covers relocation costs not specifically covered by the policy or that exceed what the policy reimburses.
Does ExxonMobil have a relocation repayment clause?
Yes. According to ExxonMobil’s relocation guidelines, if you voluntarily terminate your employment within 12 months of your effective date, or do not relocate, you are required to repay all of the relocation benefits paid to you. The documents do not describe the repayment as prorated. Employees on Reddit describe it as all-or-nothing, with the balance recovered by check or ACH.
Who administers ExxonMobil’s relocation?
ExxonMobil’s relocation is administered by Cartus, a third-party relocation management company. Cartus contacts you after your relocation is approved, but no sooner than three to four months before your start date. Relocation is approved only after you complete your pre-employment requirements. You should contact your Cartus relocation consultant before starting any phase of your move or incurring expenses.
Are ExxonMobil relocation benefits taxed?
Yes. The 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended the moving-expense exclusion, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July 2025, made that permanent for tax years beginning in 2026, so relocation benefits are fully taxable income for civilian employees. ExxonMobil tax-assists many benefits by grossing them up, using the IRS supplemental rate of 22% for federal tax plus applicable state, Social Security, and Medicare taxes. ExxonMobil is explicit that this is tax assistance, not full tax protection, so it may not cover your entire tax liability. The campus lump sum is not tax-assisted. The experienced-hire lump sum, MEA or NEA, household goods shipment, home sale loss, and duplicate housing are tax-assisted. All payments appear in the Imputed Income section of your payroll and are reported on your W-2.
Does ExxonMobil’s relocation cover home sale and purchase?
For experienced, PhD, and MBA hires, yes. ExxonMobil’s guidelines include home sale assistance through an amended value or guaranteed offer program, a 3% seller’s incentive when you use a Cartus-registered broker, and home sale loss assistance. They also include home purchase assistance that reimburses customary buyer’s closing costs when you close within 12 months and within 50 miles of your new work location. Campus recruits, interns, and co-op students do not receive home sale or purchase assistance.
Is ExxonMobil relocating employees to Houston?
Yes. ExxonMobil announced in 2024 that it would close its Clinton Township, New Jersey research campus and consolidate corporate research in Houston. Most affected employees were offered the opportunity to relocate to Houston, with closures phased through 2028. Employees offered a Houston move would generally relocate under ExxonMobil’s standard relocation guidelines administered by Cartus.
Relocation packages by company
Relocation policies vary widely between employers. We’ve researched specific company programs, drawing on public policy documents and employee reports so you can see exactly what to expect before you negotiate.
- Adobe relocation package
- Accenture relocation package
- Amazon relocation package
- AMD relocation package
- Apple relocation package
- Boeing relocation package
- Capital One relocation package
- Caterpillar relocation package
- Chevron relocation package
- Cummins relocation package
- Ford relocation package
- General Motors relocation package
- Goldman Sachs relocation package
- Google relocation package
- Home Depot relocation package
- IBM relocation package
- Intel relocation package
- JPMorgan Chase relocation package
- Lockheed Martin relocation package
- Marathon Petroleum relocation package
- Meta relocation package
- Microsoft relocation package
- Northrop Grumman relocation package
- Nvidia relocation package
- Oracle relocation package
- Raytheon relocation package
- Salesforce relocation package
- Samsung relocation package
- Tesla relocation package
- Walmart relocation package
- Wells Fargo relocation package
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