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Mining & Petroleum Technology

Types of Degrees Mining & Petroleum Technology Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Mining & Petroleum Technology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	51
Associate’s Degree	106
Bachelor’s Degree	4
Master’s Degree	66

What Mining & Petroleum Technology Majors Need to Know

Programs in Mining & Petroleum Technology build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Mining & Petroleum Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Mining & Petroleum Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Mining & Petroleum Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.9 / 7
Processing Information	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Mining & Petroleum Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software	Industrial control software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Geographic information system GIS systems	Geographic information system	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Laser Specialist
• Gas Technician (Gas Tech)
• Liquefaction Plant Operator
• Gas Plant Dispatcher
• Landfill Gas Technician (Landfill Gas Tech)
• Liquefaction and Regasification Plant Operator
• Oxygen Plant Operator
• Liquid Natural Gas Plant Operator (LNG Plant Operator)
• Gas Specialist
• Oil and Gas Specialist
• Operator
• Tank Terminal Gauger
• Gas Controller
• Plant Operator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	52.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	17.9%
Postsecondary certificate	15.6%
Bachelor’s degree	5.0%
Some college courses	3.7%
Less than a high school diploma	2.6%
Master’s degree	1.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Mining & Petroleum Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 88.7% of Mining & Petroleum Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	37	11.3%
Men	291	88.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	230	70.1%
Hispanic or Latino	34	10.4%
Black or African American	39	11.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	10	3.0%
Two or More Races	7	2.1%
Race Unknown	4	1.2%
International Students	4	1.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Mining & Petroleum Technology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$57,450
4 years	$58,393
5 years	$65,518

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $65,518 — roughly 14% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Mining & Petroleum Technology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates earn a median of $58,393 four years after completion — roughly 54% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering Technologies	91,975
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	11,920
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	11,391
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	10,798
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,702
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,196
Engineering-Related Fields	8,633
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	5,996
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	5,089
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians	3,938
ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS	3,883
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians	3,275

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.