GIS Study
Career Opportunities for
Graduating Geology Students
Produced Maps
Outcome
The states with the most projected jobs in 2021 in the mining field are Texas (820), California (650), Colorado (630), Nevada (420) and Oklahoma (390). Because of the amount of jobs available, these states would be a good place to start when looking for potential destinations for employment. The states that will have the fastest growing job demand for mining by 2021 are North Dakota (100%), Ohio (36%), West Virginia (30%), Illinois (20%) and Oklahoma (18%). These would also be good states to consider looking for jobs due to the projected increase in demand. Some states to avoid because of the projected decrease in the job market in 2021 are Montana (-100%), Georgia (-100%), Florida (-100%), Idaho (67%) and North Carolina (50%).
2016 – Highest Employment
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Texas
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California
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Colorado
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Pennsylvania
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Nevada
2016-Top 5 States with the Highest Mean Salary:
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Texas ($148,970)
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Colorado ($123,040)
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New Mexico ($122,920)
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California ($118,020)
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Alaska ($116,920)
What does this mean at the national level?
The mining industry is cyclical, with periods of highs and lows. Many factors influence the industry from regulation, over-production, environmental acts, and a national push towards clean energy. Within the next 5 years, there is a predicted increase in the overall market to follow the current decrease.
Texas and California are forecasted to have continued high employment rates and high mean annual salaries for the next half decade. The high employment rates are mostly due to the large size and population of Texas and California. Alaska has a low net amount of employees in the mining industry but have a high mean annual salary. The remote location is probably the largest influencing factor of salary.
Downloadable Data
What do they do?
Mining and Geological Engineers help to design and regulate the industry of extracting valuable minerals for manufacturing and production purposes. They help regulate safety procedures and improve efficiency for the extraction of coal, metals, and other minerals. The opportunities for these occupations are typically in remote locations, away from big cities. A portion of mining and geological engineers work near cities as sand and gravel production companies. They work on a variety of mines from underground to open pit, extracting gold, coal or beryllium. In addition to regulating safety and efficiency features of the projects, geologists also assist with the cleanup processes from water pollution to sustainability to land reclamation. Most employees have a bachelor’s degree in geology or engineering, but there are additional certifications such as Professional Engineering Licenses available.
Animation
2021 – Highest Employment
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Texas
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California
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Colorado
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Nevada
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Oklahoma