How to Become a Mining Engineer in Utah: Salary & Requirements (2026)
Quick answer: The median mining and geological engineer salary in Utah is $125,520 per year - 18% above the national median of $106,220 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The career requires a 4-year degree: ABET-accredited bachelor’s in mining or geological engineering.
How to Become a Mining Engineer in Utah
1. Earn an ABET-accredited bachelor’s
Mining engineering or geological engineering - a handful of specialized programs nationally.
2. Use mine experience
MSHA-experienced candidates with operator backgrounds are actively recruited.
3. Start as a mine or planning engineer
Coal, metals, aggregates, and industrial-minerals operations hire at the bachelor’s level.
4. Pursue the PE
Standard for senior, consulting, and regulatory sign-off roles.
5. Advance
Chief engineer, mine management, or consulting.
Requirements in Utah
The education path is national - ABET-accredited bachelor’s in mining or geological engineering - while licensing runs through the Utah state board of professional engineers: PE license common for senior and consulting roles. Verify current requirements with the Utah state board of professional engineers before enrolling, as details change.
Mining Engineer Salary in Utah
| Wage level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| Utah entry level (10th percentile) | $83,340 |
| Utah 25th-75th percentile | $108,170 - $142,160 |
| Utah median | $125,520 |
| Utah top earners (90th percentile) | $178,600 |
| U.S. median | $106,220 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. State employment: 230.
The Utah Job Market: Mining Engineer
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employed in Utah | 230 |
| Jobs per 1,000 in the state | 0.13 |
| Concentration vs U.S. (location quotient) | 3.38 |
| Mean annual wage in Utah | $127,460 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. With a location quotient of 3.38, Utah employs mining engineers at a noticeably higher concentration than the national average: a strong local market for the credential.
Salary Nationwide
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th | $67,490 |
| 25th | $85,280 |
| 50th (median) | $106,220 |
| 75th | $136,590 |
| 90th | $169,990 |
Job Outlook
| Year | Employment |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 7,000 |
| 2034 projected | 7,000 |
| Percent change | +0.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a mining and geological engineer make in Utah?
The median annual wage for mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers in Utah is $125,520 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 18% above the national median of $106,220.
How to become a mining and geological engineer in Utah?
The core path is the same nationwide - ABET-accredited bachelor's in mining or geological engineering - with licensing through the Utah state board of professional engineers: PE license common for senior and consulting roles. See the steps on this page.
How many mining engineers work in Utah?
BLS counts about 230 mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers employed in Utah (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Mining Engineer in Nearby States
- Mining Engineer in Tennessee
- Mining Engineer in Texas
- Mining Engineer in Virginia
- Mining Engineer in West Virginia
Related
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers (SOC 17-2151), Utah and national
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
| O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones) | U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.) | O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13) |