Mining Engineering Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Design and operation of mines for extracting minerals and resources.
Starting Salary
$50K
median
Mid-Career
$110K
salary
ROI Payback
3 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
3%
rate
Mining Engineering Overview
Design and operation of mines for extracting minerals and resources.
Category
Engineering
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
65%
Enrollment Trend
stable
Online Available
Limited
Underemployment
10%
Lifetime Premium
$880K
Female Graduates
15%
Mining Engineering Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$17,100
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$17,100
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$862,900
Lifetime earnings premium ($880,000) minus net degree cost ($17,100)
Mining Engineering Salary Progression
Common Mining Engineering Careers
Mining Engineer
Mine Manager
Geological Engineer
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Mining Engineering
#1
Colorado School of Mines
#2
Virginia Tech
#3
Penn State
#4
University of Arizona
#5
Missouri S&T
Related Majors
Mining Engineering Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Mining Engineering Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for mining engineering programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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