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Job outlook for mine engineers in the United States
Mine engineer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected mine engineer job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 100 new jobs for mine engineers are projected over the next decade.
Mine engineer salaries have increased 0% for mine engineers in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,705 mine engineers currently employed in the United States.
There are 3,627 active mine engineer job openings in the US.
The average mine engineer salary is $83,246.
Are mine engineer jobs in demand?
Mine engineer job and salary trends over time
Mine engineer jobs over time
Mine engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,705 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,152 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,157 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,905 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,091 | 0.00% |
Average mine engineer salary over time
Mine engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $83,246 | $40.02 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $80,903 | $38.90 | --1.2% |
| 2023 | $81,870 | $39.36 | --2.1% |
| 2022 | $83,636 | $40.21 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | $83,175 | $39.99 | --0.3% |
Mine engineer jobs by state
Most common states for mine engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 171 | 25% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 603 | 7% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 60 | 6% |
| 4 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 318 | 5% |
| 5 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 255 | 5% |
| 6 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 333 | 4% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 282 | 4% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 177 | 4% |
| 9 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 111 | 4% |
| 10 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,314 | 3% |
| 11 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 184 | 3% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 140 | 3% |
| 13 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 54 | 3% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 38 | 3% |
| 15 | Alaska | 739,795 | 23 | 3% |
| 16 | Vermont | 623,657 | 19 | 3% |
| 17 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 17 | 3% |
| 18 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 595 | 2% |
| 19 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 190 | 2% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 63 | 2% |
Most common cities for mine engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bessemer | 2 | 8% | $63,659 |
| 2 | Pocatello | 1 | 2% | $81,899 |
| 3 | New Orleans | 2 | 1% | $72,443 |
| 4 | Lakewood | 1 | 1% | $89,863 |
| 5 | Phoenix | 5 | 0% | $87,935 |
| 6 | Chandler | 1 | 0% | $87,881 |
| 7 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $65,654 |
Mine Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of mine engineer experts
Michigan Technological University
What general advice would you give to a Mine Engineer?
Dr. John Gierke: Interests in geology and earth processes and working outside are the common elements that all geological engineers admit are the 'draws' to the discipline. Many of our students also enjoy being a student in a small department where everyone knows each other, including the faculty. The flip side of being a small discipline is a lack of discipline-specific professional attributes, such as professional licensure. There is no geological engineering discipline-specific professional engineering exam, graduates and professionals must take the exam in a cognate discipline, like civil engineering, or in general engineering. The flip side of 'getting' to be outdoors is the travel and work in remote, sometimes harsh, environments. Lastly, the cyclic nature of commodity industries, like metals, minerals, and petroleum, sometimes results in abrupt career changes during downturns. Despite the fluctuations, however, the geological engineering discipline is broad and professionals are well prepared to apply their knowledge and skills honed in one subdiscipline to another.
What Mine Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. John Gierke: Geological engineers primarily work on earth resources (petroleum, minerals, groundwater) development projects, including exploration. Geological engineers also work in construction projects dealing with earth materials, such as dams, foundations, and the stability of slopes. Entry-level geological engineers primarily are involved in field work, interpreting rock and soil samples, collecting samples, and geotechnical testing, among other field-testing activities. With time they evolve into positions that use data from the field in designing systems and making decisions regarding resource development and earthen construction.
What will help Mine Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. John Gierke: The geological engineering profession is a very small discipline. In the U.S., there exist only 13 accredited programs. Despite the small number of programs, enrollments in geological engineering are also few compared to more-widely known engineering disciplines. Geological engineers provide unique knowledge and skills to earth resource projects, so the demand for professionals typically exceeds the supply. Therefore, from a professional outlook perspective, there is always a good time to graduate as a geological engineer as long as graduates are flexible in terms of the industry they prefer. During downturns in petroleum or particular minerals/metals, opportunities in those industries can experience pauses, but typically there are always opportunities in construction, water resources development, slope stability, and aggregate resource development.