Engineering and architecture
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
Growth to 2035
+4%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
300
Time to qualify*
Minimal
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers: 93% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Prepare technical reports for use by mining, engineering, and management personnel.
- Inspect mining areas for unsafe structures, equipment, and working conditions.
- 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.
- Prepare schedules, reports, and estimates of the costs involved in developing and operating mines.
- Monitor mine production rates to assess operational effectiveness.
- Supervise, train, and evaluate technicians, technologists, survey personnel, engineers, scientists or other mine personnel.
- Examine maps, deposits, drilling locations, or mines to determine the location, size, accessibility, contents, value, and potential profitability of mineral, oil, and gas deposits.
Also called: Mine Engineer · Mining Consultant · Mining Engineer · Planning Engineer · Project Engineer · Safety Engineer · Safety Representative
Outlook and AI
Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers held 6,200 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 6,400 by 2035 (+4%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers vs. Petroleum engineer
- Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers vs. Civil engineer
- Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers vs. Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians
- Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers vs. Industrial engineer
- Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers vs. Industrial production manager
- Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers vs. Chemical engineer
- Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers vs. Environmental engineer
- Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers vs. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers vs. Civil engineering technologists and technicians