15 Best Paying Jobs In Coal Mining In 2022: Top Picks

If you work in the coal mining sector, you might have the chance to work on fascinating projects that have an impact on production and the global economy. This sector offers a variety of jobs for any level of education or experience, including both white-collar and blue-collar positions. It’s crucial that you consider your options to determine which career path best fits your experience and professional objectives before making a decision.

First, what are the best paying jobs in coal mining? 

The post will give 15 picks. They are surveyors, mine supervisors/mill superintendents, occupational health safety and environmental professionals, geophysicists, metallurgists, geologists, engineers, project controls & site managers, project director/ drilling operations director, coal miner, production miner, underground miner, quarry worker, mining technician, and mine laborer.

Please read the next post where I will provide you with more specific information.

Best Paying Jobs In Coal Mining

Surveyors

Salary: $165,000

In the mining industry, surveyors play a crucial role. Surveyors are one of the best paying jobs in coal mining. By updating layouts and keeping records, they help businesses measure both open-cut and underground mines and maintain a proper mine plan. Also quite nice is the pay.

Senior level and chief surveyor salaries can range from $80,000 to $160,000 annually while starting salaries for entry-level positions are typically between $55,000 and $130,000.

Mine Supervisors/ Mill Superintendents

Salary: $168,000

These positions provide excellent pay, just like any supervisory position. Mine supervisors’ yearly salaries range from $70,000 to $165,000 for underground and open pit supervisors, compared to $168,000 for mine supervisors (operations/maintenance). An annual salary of over $168,000 is possible for a mill superintendent at a processing facility. It is one of the best paying jobs in coal mining.

Occupational Health Safety And Environmental Professionals

Salary: $190,000

Professionals in environmental protection and health safety are compensated as two important segments of the mining industry. A top-level OHS can earn up to $190,000 annually, while an OHS officer is paid between $50,000 and $115,000. It is also one of the best paying jobs in coal mining.

Geophysicists

Salary: $200,000

Gravity, magnetic, electrical, and seismic techniques are used in geophysical studies of the planet. As they conduct surveys to find minerals or ground water, they play a crucial role in the mining industry. It is one of the best paying jobs in coal mining.

Metallurgists

Salary: $220,000

A metallurgist’s job focuses primarily on the extraction and refinement of various metals. A Senior Metallurgist can make close to $220,000 per year while a Graduate Metallurgist can start out making $50,000 to $90,000. The amount of money mining companies will pay you depends on your level of experience. It is one of the best paying jobs in coal mining.

Geologists

Salary: $230,000

Usually, there are two categories of geologists employed in the mining industry: Geologists who specialize in exploration and mining. Graduate Mine Geologists is one of the best paying jobs in coal mining. Exploration geologists, who find and assess resources, can make between $90,000 and $160,000 annually.

Engineers

Salary: $240,000

The esteemed Engineer position comes in at number three on our list. The salary range for this profession, which includes positions such as planning engineer, civil engineer, and electrical engineer, which is one of the best paying jobs in coal mining. Simply put, it depends on the business and scale of the current operations. Drill and blast engineers, as well as materials and handling engineers, make between $150,000 and $230,000 per year in salary.

Project Controls & Site Managers

Salary: $350,000

Project Controls Manager and Site General Manager are two of the best paying jobs in coal mining, making them two of the highest paid managerial positions in the sector. Other important positions pay between $200,000 and $280,000 annually, including managers of drilling operations, technical services, and mines.

Project Director/ Drilling Operations Director

Salary: $400,000

Project directors and drilling operations directors hold the title of best paying mining positions. These jobs are by far the most lucrative in the sector, with salaries that can exceed $400,000.

The project director is in charge of the overall organization, management, and execution of projects, offering guidance and practical knowledge throughout the entire process. This is the profession for you if you want to earn money.

Coal Miner

Salary:$52,500

Coal miner is one of the best paying jobs in coal mining. Although some advancement is possible, the moderate range of salaries indicates that the pay in this position will be consistent regardless of skill level, location, and years of experience. According to recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, there are not many companies currently hiring for the position of coal miner in the United States. To find jobs with more active opportunities, you can look up related job titles.

Production Miner

Salary:$51,000

Currently, Production Miner in the United States is one of the best paying jobs in coal mining. According to skill level, location, and years of experience, there may be numerous opportunities for advancement and increased pay. This wide range of salary potential supports this theory. According to recent activity on ZipRecruiter, few employers are currently hiring for the position of production miner, so there is not a very active job market in the United States. To find jobs with more active opportunities, you might try looking up titles that are related.

Underground Miner

Salary:$49,500

Underground mechanics assist underground miners by using their expertise and knowledge of gasoline and diesel engines. As an underground mechanic, you troubleshoot and fix machines that are underground to aid in digs and excavations. These machines can range from small gas engines in hand tools to large diesel parts of heavy machinery. You have been hired to maintain this machinery and work with the miners to make sure it is operating according to safety and productivity standards. While on the job site, you might operate machines that are above ground. Your main duties are to increase safety and aid in the productivity of the miners.

Quarry Worker

Salary:$44,000

To loosen blasted stone in a quarry, a worker uses a pick, shovel, steam hose, and other specialized tools. You could also shape the loose rock that has been loosened as a quarry worker by cleaning any blemishes off the stone pieces. You need to have the strength to lift heavy objects and the stamina to stand for extended periods of time to work in a quarry. The majority of employers offer on-the-job training, but they might also ask you to submit to a background check and drug test. See more about Best Paying Jobs In Broadcasting

Mining Technician

Salary:$44,000

The majority of mining technician salaries in the US are one of the best paying jobs in coal miningAlthough some advancement is possible, the moderate range of salaries indicates that the pay in this position will be consistent regardless of skill level, location, and years of experience. The American job market for mining technicians is moderately active, according to recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, and there are a number of companies hiring.

Mine Laborer

Salary:$43,500 

In the United States, the majority of mine laborer salaries currently fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles, or $29,500 and $43,500, respectively. Although some advancement is possible, the moderate range of salaries indicates that the pay in this position will be constant regardless of skill level, location, and years of experience. According to recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, there are a few companies hiring in the United States for Mine Laborer positions.

A Large Wage Gap In A Small Engineering Occupation

How much mining and geological engineers make is a complex question with a complicated answer. It might appear easy at first. A median salary of $94,240 was reported for the occupation by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This represents a modest increase over the $92,220 median salary for all engineers and is more than 2.5 times the $37,690 median salary for all occupations.

The median wage, though, only partially tells the story. The median salary is the amount that falls in the middle of the pay range for all employees, and in this particular occupation, that range is very wide. The BLS estimates that the lowest paid mining and geological engineers take home less than $54,700 annually. The highest earners received pay above $160,320. The difference between the highest and lowest paying jobs in the same profession now stands at a whopping $106,230, or the “wage gap.”

Since there are only 8,200 mining and geological engineers employed in the United States, the six-figure salary is all the more surprising given the small size of the profession. See more about 29 Best Paying Jobs In Apparel

Prepare For A Mining And Geological Engineering Career

Earning your bachelor’s degree is just one step in preparing for your career if you are interested in becoming a mining engineer or geological engineer, especially if you want one of the highest paying positions. You also need a ton of experience. In order to obtain senior-level positions, you might also need to pass two professional exams in order to obtain your Professional Engineering (PE) license.

Although mining and geological engineering programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the BLS found that only a small number of engineering schools provide these programs. See more about Best Jobs In The U.S. Army

What Is Mining Career?

Any occupation that involves seeking out, removing, and processing solid minerals that are found naturally in the earth is referred to as a career in mining and quarrying. The beneficiation process, which entails crushing extracted materials into particles and then classifying the particles as either waste or mineral, is another career option. The mineral fragments can then be further processed or ready for use, depending on the mining professionals’ needs.

Individual mines and quarries are typically managed and operated by mining professionals. However, some manage and run mines and quarries that are owned by other people under a contract or for a fee. Some examples of minerals they may search for, extract, and process include:

• Coal
• Copper
• Crushed rocks
• Iron
• Limestone
• Ore
• Potash
• Zinc

Why Are Mining Careers Important?

Because of the importance of minerals in the world and their overall effect on the global economy, mining careers are significant. The mining industry is a key component of sectors like building, chemical, construction, and utilities. The non-metallic minerals sector, which includes the production of cement, ceramics, glass, and lime, as well as everyday electronics, all depend on mining.

FAQs

The Bottom Line

What are the best paying jobs in the coal mining?

Deposits of valuable minerals, metals, oil, natural gas, and other resources can be found below the Earth’s surface. Finding and mining those resources involves the work of mining engineers, geological engineers, and mining safety engineers. Pay for the most lucrative positions in mining and geological engineering can exceed $160,000, while wages for the least lucrative positions are typically in the mid-$50,000 range. A bachelor’s degree in mining engineering or geological engineering is required if you want to work in this field and earn a high salary, with a focus on geological science, mine design, mineral identification, and geological and engineering field methods.

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