Mining and Geological Engineers Salary
Mining and geological engineers in the U.S. earned a median of $106,220 a year ($51.07 an hour) and a mean of $115,410 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median is higher than 87% of the 825 occupations with a published median.
Also called Mine Engineer, Mining Engineer, Planning Engineer in job listings. These are O*NET job titles. BLS publishes one figure for the whole occupation, not by specialty, experience or employer; Entry-Level vs. Experienced Pay explains how to read the percentile band.
- Median annual
- $106,220
- Median hourly
- $51.07
- Mean annual
- $115,410
- Jobs on record
- 6,080
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
Which states pay mining and geological engineers the most?
Among the 28 states where BLS published a median, California is highest at $158,130, +49% against the national median of $106,220.
Mining and geological engineers are most concentrated in Alaska, at 0.91 of every 1,000 jobs, a location quotient of 23.22, which means the occupation's share of jobs there is 23.22 times its national share. Among metro areas the highest location quotient is 101.71, in Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area.
- $70,310 to $91,610
- $95,950 to $98,790
- $100,390 to $103,300
- $104,960 to $117,500
- $119,010 to $158,130
- Not published
Territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands) are in the table below.
| State | Median | Hourly | Against U.S. | Price-adjusted | Jobs | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $158,130 | $76.03 | +49% | $142,820 | 520 | 0.03 | 0.73 |
| Oklahoma | $131,660 | $63.30 | +24% | $149,881 | 90 | 0.05 | 1.31 |
| Utah | $125,520 | $60.34 | +18% | $126,962 | 230 | 0.13 | 3.38 |
| Alaska | $124,630 | $59.92 | +17% | $121,758 | 300 | 0.91 | 23.22 |
| Idaho | $123,680 | $59.46 | +16% | $129,516 | 110 | 0.13 | 3.35 |
| Wyoming | $119,010 | $57.21 | +12% | $128,394 | 210 | 0.74 | 18.81 |
| Florida | $117,500 | $56.49 | +11% | $113,621 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.13 |
| Indiana | $113,640 | $54.64 | +7% | $121,763 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.47 |
| Illinois | $107,690 | $51.77 | +1% | $107,735 | |||
| Nevada | $107,500 | $51.68 | +1% | $107,523 | 470 | 0.30 | 7.74 |
| Montana | $105,410 | $50.68 | -1% | $111,374 | 110 | 0.21 | 5.31 |
| Virginia | $104,960 | $50.46 | -1% | $103,814 | 150 | 0.04 | 0.92 |
| Kentucky | $103,300 | $49.67 | -3% | $114,575 | 230 | 0.11 | 2.91 |
| Alabama | $102,530 | $49.29 | -3% | $115,432 | 90 | 0.04 | 1.04 |
| Arizona | $102,130 | $49.10 | -4% | $101,443 | 690 | 0.21 | 5.42 |
| Texas | $100,580 | $48.35 | -5% | $103,630 | 160 | 0.01 | 0.30 |
| Tennessee | $100,390 | $48.26 | -5% | $109,274 | |||
| South Carolina | $98,790 | $47.50 | -7% | $105,377 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.41 |
| West Virginia | $97,960 | $47.10 | -8% | $109,456 | 440 | 0.63 | 16.20 |
| Michigan | $97,310 | $46.78 | -8% | $101,136 | 140 | 0.03 | 0.82 |
| Colorado | $96,820 | $46.55 | -9% | $93,953 | 670 | 0.23 | 5.98 |
| Oregon | $96,210 | $46.25 | -9% | $93,082 | 90 | 0.05 | 1.17 |
| Wisconsin | $95,950 | $46.13 | -10% | $101,971 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.35 |
| Minnesota | $91,610 | $44.04 | -14% | $92,891 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.63 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,020 | $41.84 | -18% | $89,185 | |||
| Ohio | $86,210 | $41.45 | -19% | $92,925 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.34 |
| New York | $82,200 | $39.52 | -23% | $76,167 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.12 |
| North Carolina | $70,310 | $33.80 | -34% | $74,539 | |||
| Arkansas | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Connecticut | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Delaware | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| District of Columbia | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Georgia | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Guam | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Hawaii | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Iowa | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Kansas | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Louisiana | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Maine | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Maryland | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Massachusetts | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Mississippi | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Missouri | BLS did not publish a figure | 40 | 0.01 | 0.33 | |||
| Nebraska | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| New Hampshire | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| New Jersey | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| New Mexico | BLS did not publish a figure | 270 | 0.31 | 7.97 | |||
| North Dakota | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Puerto Rico | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Rhode Island | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| South Dakota | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Vermont | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Virgin Islands | BLS did not publish a figure | ||||||
| Washington | BLS did not publish a figure |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. A location quotient above 1 means the job is a larger share of local employment than of U.S. employment. BLS does not publish a figure where the sample is too small.
Which state pays mining and geological engineers the most after cost of living?
Among the 28 states where BLS published a median, Oklahoma pays mining and geological engineers the most after cost of living: its $131,660 median is worth $149,881 a year at average U.S. prices (May 2025 BLS median adjusted by BEA price parities), ahead of California at $142,820 and Idaho at $129,516.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The price-adjusted figure divides a state's median by its price level.
Highest-paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $173,790 | 30 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $166,770 | 160 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $144,230 | 180 |
| Anchorage, AK | $141,080 | 80 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $131,770 | 160 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $131,660 | 70 |
| Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $127,970 | 60 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $125,980 | 30 |
| Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $124,630 | 180 |
| Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $120,830 | 360 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan file, May 2025.
Has pay for mining and geological engineers kept up with prices?
No: the median for mining and geological engineers fell 16.4% after inflation from 2015 to 2025, from $127,123 to $106,220 in May 2025 dollars (BLS OEWS, adjusted with CPI-U). Real pay was below its 2015 level in 2016 to 2024, with a low of $103,399 in 2024. Before inflation, the median went from $94,040 to $106,220.
| Year | Median as published | In May 2025 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $94,040 | $127,123 |
| 2016 | $93,720 | $125,412 |
| 2017 | $94,240 | $123,787 |
| 2018 | $92,250 | $117,872 |
| 2019 | $91,160 | $114,431 |
| 2020 | $93,800 | $117,606 |
| 2021 | $97,090 | $115,942 |
| 2022 | $97,490 | $107,219 |
| 2023 | $100,640 | $106,377 |
| 2024 | $101,020 | $103,399 |
| 2025 | $106,220 | $106,220 |
Source: BLS OEWS national files, 2015 to 2025; adjusted with CPI-U for May of each year (BLS, via FRED). Occupation definitions changed in 2018 and 2021, so a code's earliest years can cover a slightly different job.
Which industries employ mining and geological engineers?
| Industry | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $97,420 | 1,960 |
| Metal Ore Mining | $102,130 | 1,270 |
| Coal Mining | $104,050 | 620 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $145,020 | 480 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $131,660 | 350 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $115,600 | 310 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | $111,810 | 290 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $158,920 | 250 |
Highest-paying industries with at least 1,000 such jobs: Metal Ore Mining ($102,130); Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services ($97,420).
Source: BLS OEWS research estimates by 4-digit industry, May 2025.
What is the job outlook?
BLS projects employment of mining and geological engineers to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035 (about 200 more jobs), with about 300 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving; its 2025 base of 6,200 jobs is wider than the 6,080 OEWS jobs above because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed. The typical entry-level education is bachelor's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
What is the fatal injury rate for architecture and engineering occupations?
BLS publishes no rate for mining and geological engineers alone; architecture and engineering occupations had a fatal injury rate of 0.7 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2024 (margin of error 0.03), against 3.3 for all workers.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, hours-based rates, 2024, published February 19, 2026. Every occupation's rate.
What the work involves
- Prepare technical reports for use by mining, engineering, and management personnel.
- Inspect mining areas for unsafe structures, equipment, and working conditions.
- Test air to detect toxic gases and recommend measures to remove them, such as installation of ventilation shafts.
- Select or develop mineral location, extraction, and production methods, based on factors such as safety, cost, and deposit characteristics.
- Select locations and plan underground or surface mining operations, specifying processes, labor usage, and equipment that will result in safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction of minerals and ores.
- Implement and coordinate mine safety programs, including the design and maintenance of protective and rescue equipment and safety devices.
Source: O*NET 30.3 task statements for SOC 17-2151.
Compare with related jobs
Related occupations from O*NET, same occupation group first; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Sources used on this page
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: pay and jobs by occupation, state and metro area. bls.gov/oes
- Regional Price Parities, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: the price-adjusted state column. bea.gov
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: the inflation adjustment of past pay. bls.gov/cpi
- Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: projected growth and openings. bls.gov/emp
- Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: the fatal injury rate. bls.gov/iif
- O*NET 30.3, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor: duties and related occupations. dol.gov