Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RIC
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.
Also called: Mine Engineer, Mining Consultant, Mining Engineer, Project Engineer, Planning Engineer, Safety Engineer, Safety Representative.
O*NET 17-2151.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $106,220
- Middle half earn $85,280 to $136,590. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree
- 79% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
- US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034
- +1% · Slower than average
- 7,000 jobs in 2024, projected 7,000. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Mining and geological engineers".
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
- Devise solutions to problems of land reclamation and water and air pollution, such as methods of storing excavated soil and returning exhausted mine sites to natural states.
- Prepare schedules, reports, and estimates of the costs involved in developing and operating mines.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0 / 5
- Writing4.0 / 5
- Speaking4.0 / 5
- Critical Thinking4.0 / 5
- Active Listening3.9 / 5
- Mathematics3.8 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology4.5 / 5
- Mathematics4.4 / 5
- English Language3.6 / 5
- Production and Processing3.6 / 5
- Design3.6 / 5
- Administration and Management3.4 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic85
- Investigative76
- Artistic9
- Social14
- Enterprising29
- Conventional61
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- mine geologist · DE Geologe im Bereich Montangeologie/Geologin im Bereich Montangeologie · FR géologue minier/géologue minière
- geological engineer · DE Ingenieurgeologe/Ingenieurgeologin · FR ingénieur géologue/ingénieure géologue
- mining geotechnical engineer · DE Ingenieur Geotechnik und Bergbau/Ingenieurin Geotechnik und Bergbau · FR ingénieur géotechnicien des mines/ingénieure géotechnicienne des mines
- environmental mining engineer · DE Umweltschutzingenieur Bergbau/Umweltschutzingenieurin Bergbau · FR ingénieur environnement-responsable mines et carrières/ingénieure environnement-responsable mines et carrières
- mine ventilation engineer · DE Ingenieur Grubenbewetterung/Ingenieurin Grubenbewetterung · FR ingénieur en ventilation minière/ingénieure en ventilation minière
- quarry engineer · DE Steinbruchingenieur/Steinbruchingenieurin · FR ingénieur carrières/ingénieure carrières
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Civil engineers (2121)94,100 employed
- Mechanical engineers (professional) (2122)94,400 employed
- Aerospace engineers (2126)41,700 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €61,714 |
| Germany | €59,529 |
| Ireland | €56,877 |
| Austria | €55,374 |
| Netherlands | €53,595 |
| Sweden | €43,567 |
| France | €41,515 |
| Spain | €35,735 |
| Italy | €33,649 |
| Portugal | €26,072 |
| Poland | €14,380 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the higher third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +1.35. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-2151).
Related careers
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