If you have just come across this posting, welcome. It seems to rank high with Google. The topic being mining salaries, wages, and executive compensation that is understandable. There is indeed information on salaries in this posting, so please read on. May I, however, urge you also to take a look at more recent postings on this blog on mining salaries, wages, benefits, and executive compensation. Here are some links:
- 2011 Mine Exploration Salaries
- 2011 Mining Consultant Exploration Salaries
- 2011 Canadian Mine Wages
- 2011 Canadian Mine Salaries
- 2011 Canadian Mine Benefits
- 2011 Canadian Major Mining Company Executive Compensation
- 2011 U.S. Mine Wages
- 2010 to 2011 Coal Mine Salary
- 2010 US Coal Mine Wages
- 2010 US Coal Mine Salaries
- 2010 U.S. Coal Mine Executive Compensation
- US Mining Executives’ Compensation
- 2010 – 2011 Mine Salaries
- 2011 US Mine Wages
- How to earn in the top 10 %
To make it even easier, we have collated all the blog postings noted above, and more, at this link. Take a look for a detailed look at mining wages, salaries, and excutive compensation.
Now for the original posting: From the National Association of Colleges and Employees (NACE), which bills itself as a site “dedicated to the employment of the college educated” comes this report on the salaries of new graduates:
Engineering majors dominate the list of top-paid bachelor’s degrees. NACE’s Winter 2010 Salary Survey shows that engineering disciplines account for eight of the 10 most highly paid degrees. The only non-engineering related degrees in the top 10 were computer science and information sciences and systems. (See Figure 1.) Petroleum engineering earned the highest starting salary reported at the bachelor’s degree level—$86,220—more than one-and-one-half times the average starting salary reported for bachelor’s degree graduates as a whole ($48,351). “While a variety of factors play a role in determining salaries, new graduates with degrees in the technical fields tend to benefit from their relatively low supply. There is more competition for their skills, driving up their salary offers,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.
We note with interest the starting salary of mining engineers at $64,552. You can flesh out this one number by looking at the CostMine wage and salary reports.
I also notice with concern, the absence of civil engineers on this list. No wonder the nation’s infrastructure is in need of upgrade. Probably there are too many civil engineers relative to mining engineers, and that is why there are so many civil engineers working on or for mines–they are just cheaper. One day we will have to survey the contribution of civil engineers to mining. Meanwhile send your offspring to study the listed engineering degrees shown on Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: Top-Paid Bachelor’s Degrees
| Major | Average Salary Offer |
| Petroleum Engineering | $86,220 |
| Chemical Engineering | $65,142 |
| Mining & Mineral Engineering (incl. geological) | $64,552 |
| Computer Science | $61,205 |
| Computer Engineering | $60,879 |
| Electrical/Electronics & Communications Engineering | $59,074 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $58,392 |
| Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering | $57,734 |
| Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering | $57,231 |
| Information Sciences & Systems | $54,038 |
| Source: Winter 2010 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers. Data represent offers to bachelor’s degree candidates where 10 or more offers were reported. | |
hello sir i have just joined in mining engineering.when i have taken this course many people told me that its a dangerous job.and they also said that mechanical engineering is better than mining.but i choose mining eng.please mail me your openion sir.i am waiting for your reply…..
Mining Engineering a dangerous job? Sure, if you lick your computer cable or put your head through the monitor. Obviously you’re too dumb for common sense so I doubt you’ll finish either of those degrees. Christ…..
Amen brother.
what about geomatics. it seems like nobody is saying nothing about them i hope i can know the average salary of a surveyor.
hellow sir,
i am a mining engineer(Diploma).resently i am job in india in cement plant of jaypee group. i would like to knoe that can i get the job in canada as a mining engineer
hoping for your favorabal reply
my email id is viren151@rediffmail.com
hi i have bachelors degree in mining engineering(excavation) and 2 years experience in open pit mine(top quartzite mineral) excavation…. here in iran average payment is about 1000$ per month which is too low… im planning to study petroleum engineering for master but i have good mining background and i know different mining softwares such as datamine comfar surfer Arcgis Rockworks gps utility … im a little confused wether to change my magor or study in the same magor (mining engineering) i like to know ur openion…
Hello All,
I am a junior/intermediate level mining engineer in Canada. I saw lots of questions on the board but few answer. I though I’d put some comments to the questions.
Is it Dangerous? Speaking for Canadian operations only (as that is my experience) I must say NO. We have lower ‘lost time accident rates’ than many other industries (such as health care). There has been a huge push for health and safety in the last 30 year and i consider driving to work more dangerous than being underground. Engineers normally spend little of their time underground anyway. There are jobs that are more dangerous than others but most accidents are the result of negligence
Cement plant? huh. I would say that getting your degree to be recognized in Canada will the hardest part for you. Applying experienced gained at a cement plant is a bit of stretch.
Pay… It is very good. The pay I see in the above article seems very accurate for entry level positions. Foreigners keep in mind that the cost of living in Canada is relatively high. Average rent for a one bedroom apartment in Sudbury (a large mining city/town in Canada) is about 700-900 Canadian Dollars a month. Income tax is around 30% of your income. Plus a month car payment and all of a sudden that 65k turns into 20k of disposable income. Still very good for an entry level position.
Most comments have come from people outside Canada. I would say your language skills are very very important if you even want to consider applying for work here. Most mining jobs in Canada are absolutely dominated by white males with very little/no foreigners. Why? I have no idea. Personally, I field that if you can’t communicate well you are little use to the people around you no matter how smart you are. Engineering to me is problem solving and communication. From the level English proficiency I see in the the comments I would say that its not good enough. The mining industry in Canada is very slow to adapt to changing times. But that’s just my opinion
I have just completed senior high and i have intrest in joining the minning sector as an engineer. I am from Botswana. I am well aware of my interlectual capabilieties. The reason i am not sure about this course is because people tell me that the life span of mines is very short and will close down soon and i am not sure about the vaccancies
hi friends im a student of mining engineering and studying in buitems quetta balochistan pakistan. different people says about mining engineering that miningis a dangerous field but i like it please give comments about mining field
[...] you can earn in mining. That I can understand. One example: since its first posting in 2010, Mining engineers’ starting salaries in top ten, has been read by almost 8,000 people. I have tried to keep the posting up-to-date by adding [...]
Hi, I am study A levels in the UK and am going to university next summer, I have been offered a placement to study a Msci in Geology at the Royal School of MInes (Imperial College London) or a BEng in Mining Engineering at the Camborne School of Mines. I am intrested in working in Mining either in Australisa or the US/ Canada, so recomendations on which course?
Hi Yasmin, Just saw your posting and both these courses are excellent, I myself did mining at RSM and have many friends at CSM. It really depends on what you want to do in mining, the CSM course is more related to production and techniques whereas the Geology course would be predominantly geology. You need to decide what you want to do in mining, you can get jobs in both subjects within mines, however management and production planning tends to be the domicile of the mining engineer and geologists tend focus on the exploration and structural geology aspects within the mines. It just depends on what you prefer to do, geology does offer a way into the petroleum industry that a mining course does not. In balance there are probably more opportunities for geologists, but there are more geologists also.
please help me am confuss which coarse i must take between mining and civil engineering please…..reply me its urgent please
I am a high school student interested in the Mining-Engineering field. Which Ontario universities would you say offers the best degree program?
Hi Guys,
Mining is a great career (so far for me anyhow) and really there is nothing to think about.
I studied at WASM (Western Australian School of Mines in Kalgoorlie). I graduated at the age of 21 and got my first job doing an 8/6 FIFO roster at an U/G Nickel mine earning 120k +bonus+super (401 equviilant in Australia). WASM hasin the past and continue to boost a 100% employment rate for all of their graduates. The average Mining Engineers slary for the year that I went through was 105k (average salary in Australia is 55k).
Due to the insatiable demand for mining professionals in Australia, the opportunities that you are afforded is unparrallel. 12 months after I started my graduate job, I asked for a 20k pay rise and got it. 12 after that I asked for a 30k pay rise and was denied, so I told a friend I was unhappy and with in 10 minutes got a call from his boss who offered me a 50k pay rise. I worked for this guy for 6 months and he left, 3 weeks later he asked me to join him at his new job and offered me a 60k pay rise.
I am 25 years old now, work in Perth (a capital city) with 20% of my time in various African countries, I fly business class and earn 250k a year.
My story is not unique amongst the mining engineers that I went to unior have worked with. I can truely say there is no other industry that will give you the opportunity to do this.
Hope that helps you make your mind up.