What is the value of a mining degree?

The data come from the U.S. Census Bureau as part of its 2009 American Communities Survey. 

I cannot possibly repeat all the information—best go to the link and take a look at the many statistics they provide. 

Here it is enough to note that for the group Mining and Mineral Engineering, the earnings at the 75th percentile are $125,000 per year.  At the 25th percentile the number is $52,000.  Of those surveyed in this category 37 percent had a graduate degree.  By comparison the figures for Civil Engineers (many of whom work for mines) are: $103,000; $57,000; and 35 percent.  Petroleum engineers are highest with figures of: $189,000; $82,000; and 33 percent. 

While there is big difference between the top-paid petroleum engineers and the top-paid mining engineers, we must note that mining engineers come in second only to the petroleum engineers.  Civil engineers, Industrial engineers, and Marine engineers rank equal in third place. 

A nice summary of the many statistics is in the July 2011 issue of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ magazine Civil Engineering.  They note:

As a group, engineering majors were found to have a median annual income of $75,000.  For engineering majors with a graduate degree, median earnings were $99,000 or 32% higher.  After engineering, the groups with the highest median incomes were computers and mathematics ($70,000), business ($60,000), health ($60,000), and physical sciences ($59,000).  At the other end of the the spectrum, the groups with the lowest median incomes were the humanities and liberal arts ($47,000), arts ($44,000), education ($42,000), and psychology and social work ($42,000).

This is all good news for those studying engineering of any type.  But it makes me wonder why more do not study engineering.  It is fun and fascinating; a great way to live and earn; and really it is not that hard, either at university or in the working-day-world.  And no disrespect to my mining engineering friend, for it is they who say it: “Mining is the easiest engineering degree to get.”