Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers (SOC 17-2151) earn a median $106,220 a year ($51.07 an hour) in the United States, with 6,080 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers do
Mining and geological engineers study the ground to decide whether and how it can be developed, and they design the systems used to extract minerals or build underground. They conduct subsurface surveys of potential mining or construction sites to learn the characteristics of the site, then select locations and plan surface or underground operations. The plans specify processes, ground support systems and equipment for extraction that is safe, economical, and environmentally sound. Day to day, they prepare technical reports for mining, engineering, and management staff, inspect mine areas for unsafe structures, equipment, and working conditions, and pick or develop methods of locating and extracting minerals based on the deposit and cost. The occupation differs from geoscientists, who study the Earth but do not usually design extraction, and from petroleum engineers, who work on oil and gas wells instead of mines. They also supervise and train technicians and survey personnel, prepare schedules and cost estimates for developing and running mines, and monitor production rates to judge operational effectiveness.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Geological Engineer, Exploration Engineer, Coal Mine Inspector, Engineer, Field Engineer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $32.45 | $41.00 | $51.07 | $65.67 | $81.73 | $55.49 | 6,080 |
| Annual | $67,490 | $85,280 | $106,220 | $136,590 | $169,990 | $115,410 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $40.59 | $58.71 | $76.03 | $81.62 | $84.59 | $68.79 | 520 | 0.03 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $84,430 | $122,120 | $158,130 | $169,770 | $175,940 | $143,080 | ||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $33.65 | $49.50 | $63.30 | $63.74 | $85.96 | $59.97 | 90 | 0.05 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $69,990 | $102,960 | $131,660 | $132,580 | $178,800 | $124,740 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $40.07 | $52.01 | $60.34 | $68.34 | $85.86 | $61.28 | 230 | 0.13 | 3.38 |
| Annual | $83,340 | $108,170 | $125,520 | $142,160 | $178,600 | $127,460 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $40.22 | $47.53 | $59.92 | $67.83 | $96.00 | $64.30 | 300 | 0.91 | 23.22 |
| Annual | $83,670 | $98,870 | $124,630 | $141,080 | $199,670 | $133,750 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $32.02 | $48.33 | $59.46 | $59.88 | $64.78 | $53.08 | 110 | 0.13 | 3.35 |
| Annual | $66,600 | $100,520 | $123,680 | $124,540 | $134,740 | $110,400 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $39.61 | $46.70 | $49.10 | $59.95 | $83.44 | $54.73 | 690 | 0.21 | 5.42 |
| Annual | $82,390 | $97,130 | $102,130 | $124,700 | $173,560 | $113,830 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $32.15 | $37.59 | $46.55 | $59.45 | $78.99 | $50.77 | 670 | 0.23 | 5.98 |
| Annual | $66,870 | $78,180 | $96,820 | $123,650 | $164,310 | $105,590 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $40.59 | $58.71 | $76.03 | $81.62 | $84.59 | $68.79 | 520 | 0.03 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $84,430 | $122,120 | $158,130 | $169,770 | $175,940 | $143,080 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $41.15 | $47.03 | $51.68 | $63.08 | $78.29 | $57.73 | 470 | 0.30 | 7.74 |
| Annual | $85,590 | $97,810 | $107,500 | $131,210 | $162,850 | $120,080 | ||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $30.78 | $38.14 | $47.10 | $57.99 | $65.70 | $47.18 | 440 | 0.63 | 16.20 |
| Annual | $64,010 | $79,330 | $97,960 | $120,620 | $136,650 | $98,130 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $48.32 | $67.85 | $83.55 | $86.03 | $97.80 | $78.31 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.33 |
| Annual | $100,510 | $141,120 | $173,790 | $178,940 | $203,430 | $162,880 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $68.60 | $75.42 | $80.18 | $84.59 | $88.07 | $78.58 | 160 | 0.15 | 3.76 |
| Annual | $142,690 | $156,870 | $166,770 | $175,940 | $183,180 | $163,450 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $34.67 | $42.68 | $69.34 | $76.03 | $84.45 | $63.44 | 180 | 0.03 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $72,110 | $88,770 | $144,230 | $158,130 | $175,650 | $131,960 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $32.26 | $46.41 | $67.83 | $142.00 | $142.00 | $82.21 | 80 | 0.44 | 11.22 |
| Annual | $67,090 | $96,540 | $141,080 | $295,350 | $295,350 | $171,000 | ||||
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | Hourly | $41.96 | $54.82 | $63.35 | $70.90 | $87.56 | $63.80 | 160 | 0.19 | 4.84 |
| Annual | $87,280 | $114,020 | $131,770 | $147,470 | $182,130 | $132,700 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $32.15 | $37.59 | $44.76 | $50.25 | $67.83 | $47.57 | 520 | 0.33 | 8.31 |
| Annual | $66,870 | $78,180 | $93,100 | $104,510 | $141,080 | $98,940 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $40.07 | $45.17 | $54.95 | $68.37 | $93.42 | $61.10 | 250 | 0.11 | 2.68 |
| Annual | $83,340 | $93,960 | $114,290 | $142,200 | $194,310 | $127,100 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $34.67 | $42.68 | $69.34 | $76.03 | $84.45 | $63.44 | 180 | 0.03 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $72,110 | $88,770 | $144,230 | $158,130 | $175,650 | $131,960 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $68.60 | $75.42 | $80.18 | $84.59 | $88.07 | $78.58 | 160 | 0.15 | 3.76 |
| Annual | $142,690 | $156,870 | $166,770 | $175,940 | $183,180 | $163,450 | ||||
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | Hourly | $41.96 | $54.82 | $63.35 | $70.90 | $87.56 | $63.80 | 160 | 0.19 | 4.84 |
| Annual | $87,280 | $114,020 | $131,770 | $147,470 | $182,130 | $132,700 | ||||
Top industries employing mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services employ 32.2% of mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers nationally (1,960 jobs) at a median $97,420 a year ($46.84 an hour), followed by Metal Ore Mining (20.9%) and Coal Mining (10.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 1,960 | 32.2% | $97,420 | $46.84 |
| Metal Ore Mining NAICS 212200 | 1,270 | 20.9% | $102,130 | $49.10 |
| Coal Mining NAICS 212100 | 620 | 10.2% | $104,050 | $50.03 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 480 | 7.9% | $145,020 | $69.72 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 350 | 5.8% | $131,660 | $63.30 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (6,080). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $97,090 for mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers in May 2021 and $106,220 in May 2025, with employment of 7,370 and 6,080.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $97,090 | $46.68 | 7,370 |
| May 2022 | $97,490 | $46.87 | 7,390 |
| May 2023 | $100,640 | $48.39 | 7,040 |
| May 2024 | $101,020 | $48.57 | 6,770 |
| May 2025 | $106,220 | $51.07 | 6,080 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
30 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $76.03 | $158,130 | $84,430 | $175,940 | 520 | 0.03 | 0.73 |
| 2 | Oklahoma profile | $63.30 | $131,660 | $69,990 | $178,800 | 90 | 0.05 | 1.31 |
| 3 | Utah profile | $60.34 | $125,520 | $83,340 | $178,600 | 230 | 0.13 | 3.38 |
| 4 | Alaska profile | $59.92 | $124,630 | $83,670 | $199,670 | 300 | 0.91 | 23.22 |
| 5 | Idaho profile | $59.46 | $123,680 | $66,600 | $134,740 | 110 | 0.13 | 3.35 |
| 6 | Wyoming profile | $57.21 | $119,010 | $96,590 | $158,000 | 210 | 0.74 | 18.81 |
| 7 | Florida profile | $56.49 | $117,500 | $82,300 | $213,310 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.13 |
| 8 | Indiana profile | $54.64 | $113,640 | $74,200 | $146,160 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.47 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $51.77 | $107,690 | $68,990 | $157,150 | ** | ** | ** |
| 10 | Nevada profile | $51.68 | $107,500 | $85,590 | $162,850 | 470 | 0.30 | 7.74 |
| 11 | Montana profile | $50.68 | $105,410 | $78,690 | $129,850 | 110 | 0.21 | 5.31 |
| 12 | Virginia profile | $50.46 | $104,960 | $67,490 | $157,260 | 150 | 0.04 | 0.92 |
| 13 | Kentucky profile | $49.67 | $103,300 | $76,120 | $139,730 | 230 | 0.11 | 2.91 |
| 14 | Alabama profile | $49.29 | $102,530 | $57,540 | $183,090 | 90 | 0.04 | 1.04 |
| 15 | Arizona profile | $49.10 | $102,130 | $82,390 | $173,560 | 690 | 0.21 | 5.42 |
| 16 | Texas profile | $48.35 | $100,580 | $79,990 | $169,640 | 160 | 0.01 | 0.30 |
| 17 | Tennessee profile | $48.26 | $100,390 | $54,390 | $130,070 | ** | ** | ** |
| 18 | South Carolina profile | $47.50 | $98,790 | $68,090 | $139,760 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.41 |
| 19 | West Virginia profile | $47.10 | $97,960 | $64,010 | $136,650 | 440 | 0.63 | 16.20 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $46.78 | $97,310 | $65,220 | $143,130 | 140 | 0.03 | 0.82 |
| 21 | Colorado profile | $46.55 | $96,820 | $66,870 | $164,310 | 670 | 0.23 | 5.98 |
| 22 | Oregon profile | $46.25 | $96,210 | $68,640 | $147,420 | 90 | 0.05 | 1.17 |
| 23 | Wisconsin profile | $46.13 | $95,950 | $64,660 | $165,900 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.35 |
| 24 | Minnesota profile | $44.04 | $91,610 | $61,550 | $138,850 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.63 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania profile | $41.84 | $87,020 | $48,540 | $160,990 | ** | ** | ** |
| 26 | Ohio profile | $41.45 | $86,210 | $60,800 | $179,310 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.34 |
| 27 | New York profile | $39.52 | $82,200 | $69,880 | $154,330 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.12 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $33.80 | $70,310 | $51,010 | $98,460 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Missouri profile | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.01 | 0.33 |
| – | New Mexico profile | * | * | * | * | 270 | 0.31 | 7.97 |
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-2151 Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-2151, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-2151.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.