Mining Engineers

Employers

Approximately 7,100 mining and geological engineers are employed in the United States. About 40 percent work in the mining industry itself; the others work for government agencies, engineering consulting firms, and in academia. Mining is conducted in 21 states, but more than 50 percent of all mining employees work in three states: Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The top states for employment of mining engineers in 2023 were (in descending order) California, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada.

Starting Out

Many mining engineers get their start through internships while in school. Ask your school's career services office for help with locating internship and entry-level job opportunities in mining companies. Beginning mining engineers generally perform routine tasks under the supervision of experienced engineers. Some mining companies provide starting engineers with in-house training. As engineers gain knowledge and experience, they receive increasingly difficult assignments along with greater independence to develop designs, solve problems, and make decisions.