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Mining & Petroleum Technology Major

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Mining & Petroleum Technology

25 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
#318 in Popularity
$62,890 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Mining & Petroleum Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many mining and petroleum technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Associate Degree 210
Basic Certificate 129
Undergraduate Certificate 81
Bachelor’s Degree 25

What Mining & Petroleum Technology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to mining and petroleum tech were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Mining & Petroleum Tech Majors

Mining and Petroleum Tech majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

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  • Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Mining & Petroleum Tech Majors

When studying mining and petroleum tech, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

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  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Abilities for Mining & Petroleum Tech Majors

As a mining and petroleum tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

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  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Mining & Petroleum Technology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with mining and petroleum tech:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Geological Sample Test Technicians 16.0% $53,300
Geophysical Data Technicians 16.0% $53,300
Mechanical Engineering Technologists 5.2% $63,200
Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining 23.4% $47,860

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Mining & Petroleum Technology?

25 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
20% Percent Women
36% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 25 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mining and petroleum technology in 2021, making it rank #318 in popularity. This major tends to be male dominated. About 80% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of mining and petroleum tech majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 0
Black or African American 9
Hispanic or Latino 0
White 16
International Students 0
Other Races/Ethnicities 0

How Much Do Mining & Petroleum Technology Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of mining and petroleum technology students with a bachelor’s degree is $59,846 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $59,846 (25th percentile) and $59,846 (75th percentile).

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One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to mining and petroleum tech.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $52,780 to $65,720 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to mining and petroleum tech. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Mining & Petroleum Technology Major  ( 52780 to 65720 )
0K
250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with mining and petroleum tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for mining and petroleum tech careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 7.7%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 16.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 5.5%
Some College Courses 3.8%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 17.4%
Bachelor’s Degree 34.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 0.6%
Master’s Degree 13.3%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 1.3%
Post-Doctoral Training 0.0%

Online Mining & Petroleum Technology Programs

In 2020-2021, 47 schools offered a mining and petroleum tech program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 24 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 1 0
Associate’s Degree 34 1
Bachelor’s Degree 0 0
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 0 0
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Mining & Petroleum Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a mining and petroleum tech grad is $62,890 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 58% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $459,800 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to mining and petroleum tech.

Major Number of Grads
Industrial Production Technology 11,906
Electromechanical Engineering Technology 10,593
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology 8,964
Environmental Control Technology 8,690
Electronics Engineering Technology 8,592
Engineering-Related Fields 6,736
Mechanical Engineering Technology 6,013
General Engineering Technology 4,676
Construction Engineering Technology 4,330
Quality Control Technology 3,824
Computer Engineering Technology 3,595
Engineering Technology (Other) 1,768
Architectural Engineering Technology 1,290
Energy Systems Technologies 1,256
Civil Engineering Technology 1,187
Engineering-Related Technologies 989
Nuclear Engineering Technology 220
Nanotechnology 114

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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