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Mining Technology

Types of Degrees Mining Technology Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Mining Technology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	10

What Mining Technology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Mining Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Physics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Mining Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Mining Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Mining Technology professionals:

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Mining Technology graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Laser Specialist
• Fiber Optics Specialist
• Splicing Technician (Splicing Tech)
• Optical Fabrication Technician (Optical Fabrication Tech)
• Fiber Optics Design Technician (Fiber Optics Design Tech)
• Photonics Technician (Photonics Tech)
• Laser Scanners Technician (Laser Scanners Tech)
• Laser Technician (Laser Tech)
• Photonics Engineering Technologist
• Laser Assembly Technician (Laser Assembly Tech)
• Medical Laser Technician (Medical Laser Tech)
• Photonics Laboratory Technician (Photonics Lab Tech)
• Laser Operator
• Fiber Technician (Fiber Tech)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Mining 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	49.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	22.5%
Bachelor’s degree	8.2%
Postsecondary certificate	6.1%
Some college courses	6.0%
Less than a high school diploma	4.2%
Master’s degree	2.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.0%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Mining Technology?

Gender Distribution

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	24	82.8%
Hispanic or Latino	1	3.4%
Black or African American	1	3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	3.4%
Race Unknown	2	6.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Mining Technology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Mining Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 Technology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Mining 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
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	1,557
Biomedical Technology/Technician	1,460
Computer Engineering Technology/Technician	1,215
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other	492
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians	328
Petroleum Technology/Technician	294
Applied Engineering Technologies/Technicians	113
Composite Materials Technology/Technician	108
Audio Engineering Technology/Technician	76
Chemical Engineering Technology/Technician	63
Computer Hardware Technology/Technician	18
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians, Other	5

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.