Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
Conduct subsurface surveys to identify the characteristics of potential land or mining development sites. May specify the ground support systems, processes, and equipment for safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction or underground construction activities. May inspect areas for unsafe geological conditions, equipment, and working conditions. May design, implement, and coordinate mine safety programs.
- Median pay
- $106,220
- Doing it now
- 6,200
- By 2035
- Up 3.8%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
a year
across the country
300 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Inspect mining areas for unsafe structures, equipment, and working conditions.
- 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.
- Examine maps, deposits, drilling locations, or mines to determine the location, size, accessibility, contents, value, and potential profitability of mineral, oil, and gas deposits.
- Prepare schedules, reports, and estimates of the costs involved in developing and operating mines.
- Monitor mine production rates to assess operational effectiveness.
- Design, implement, and monitor the development of mines, facilities, systems, or equipment.
- Select or develop mineral location, extraction, and production methods, based on factors such as safety, cost, and deposit characteristics.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Geological/Geophysical EngineeringSee 20 colleges that teach it
- Mining and Mineral EngineeringSee 16 colleges that teach it
- Civil EngineeringSee 313 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Analytical and curious
Organised and precise
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $106,220 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.