Angle-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AR-XPS) can be used for non-destructive sample depth profiling. Here we demonstrate the power of this technique for determination of thicknesses of thin films with sub-nanometer resolution under high vacuum (HV) conditions as well as under environmentally relevant conditions (0.1 Torr). The experiments where performed on native silicon oxide using a differentially pumped Scienta Omicron R3000 HP analyser and a high pressure adapted Scienta Omicron MX650 monochromated aluminium K α x-ray source, at the Philadelphia environmental XPS (E-XPS) system. The data are presented in Review of Scientific instruments (F. Mangolini, 83 (2012) 093112)