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Mining Engineer I Salary in the United States

How much does a Mining Engineer I make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Mining Engineer I in the United States is $72,720 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.

However, a Mining Engineer I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $82,750
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $65,060 to $77,970
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,086
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Mining Engineer I Salaries

A Mining Engineer I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Mining Engineer I Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Mining Engineer Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $80,510.
  • California: $80,210.
  • Massachusetts: $79,140.

Top Paying Cities for Mining Engineer Is

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $91,720
  • San Francisco: $90,710
  • Oakland: $88,800

What Skills Can Increase a Mining Engineer I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 16.67% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Data Analytics (Mentioned in 1.67% Job Postings): Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, and is used in different business, science, and social science domains. In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively. Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes, while business intelligence covers data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing mainly on business information. In statistical applications, data analysis can be divided into descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new features in the data while CDA focuses on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive analytics focuses on application of statistical models for predictive forecasting or classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All of the above are varieties of data analysis.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.67% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 16.67%
Data Analytics 1.67%
Microsoft Office 1.67%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Mining Engineer I's salary.

  • Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 28%.
  • Strategic Thinking: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Risk Management $93,082
28%
Strategic Thinking $85,082
17%
Consulting $82,901
14%
Get Latest Data

Mining Engineer I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Mining Engineer I salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $84,490. While startup companies pay approximate $71,563.

Mining Engineer I Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $71,563
Growth Stage 51~500 $75,655
Established 501~5000 $81,622
Enterprise 5000+ $84,490

How Education impacts a Mining Engineer I's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Mining Engineer Is enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Mining Engineer I with a Bachelor's Degree is between $65,896 and $71,122).

Mining Engineer I Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Mining Engineer I
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 10.3%
High School 10.3%
Associates 3.4%
Bachelors 69.0%
Masters 13.8%
Doctorate 3.4%
View as Graph

Mining Engineer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Mining Engineer I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$65,060
Average $72,720/year
$77,970
$5,422
Average $6,060/month
$6,498
$1,251
Average $1,398/week
$1,499
$31
Average $35/hour
$37
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $77,970 $6,498 $1,499 $37
Average $72,720 $6,060 $1,398 $35
25th Percentile $65,060 $5,422 $1,251 $31

Mining Engineer I Salary Growth & Career Path

Mining Engineer I

Next Role

Advancement

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Mining Engineer I, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Oil & Gas Drilling Engineer II $137,200 89%
Intermediate Reservoir Engineer $163,300 125%
Mine Planning Engineer II $94,600 30%

Most common benefits for Mining Engineer I

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Mining Engineer I

Here are companies hiring for Mining Engineer I and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Mining Engineer I

1. Is mining engineering in demand in USA?

Mining engineering remains a viable career in the USA, with a projected job growth of 2% from 2023 to 2033. Despite this modest growth, approximately 400 openings for mining and geological engineers are expected annually. Salaries for mining engineers range from $61,250 to $80,240, with a median salary of $70,840, reflecting the profession's value in the industry.

2. Do mining jobs pay well?

Mining jobs can offer competitive salaries. For Mining Engineers, the salary ranges from a minimum of $61,250 to a maximum of $80,240, with a mid-salary of $70,840. This indicates that mining positions can be financially rewarding, especially compared to other roles in the industry.

3. What is the highest mining job?

The highest paying jobs in mining include positions such as Project Director and Drilling Operations Director. A Mining Engineer can expect a salary range from $61,250 to $80,240, with a median salary of $70,840. Other high-paying roles are Mine Manager, Geologists, Project Managers, Metallurgists, and Geophysicists.

4. What is the highest paid engineer?

The highest paid engineer roles typically include Big Data Engineers, earning between $140,000 and $180,000, and Petroleum Engineers, with salaries starting at $100,000. In comparison, Mining Engineers have a salary range of $61,250 to $80,240, with a mid-salary of $70,840, making them competitive but not the highest earners in the engineering field.

5. How much do mining engineers make?

Mining engineers typically earn between $61,250 and $80,240 annually. The average salary is around $70,840. Entry-level positions may start at the lower end, while experienced professionals can reach the higher end of the salary range.

6. Where do mining engineers make the most money?

Mining engineers in the United States can earn varying salaries based on location. The average salary ranges from a minimum of $61,250 to a maximum of $80,240, with a mid-salary of $70,840. Notably, cities like Mojave, CA, and Austin, TX, report significantly higher earnings, reaching up to $171,676 and $163,698, respectively.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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