Prevailing Wage for Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
The prevailing wage for Mine Engineer roles in the U.S. is set by DOL and varies by city and experience level. Whether your offer is for a Mining Consultant, Planning Engineer, or Project Engineer position, DOL assigns four wage levels based on experience and job complexity. The floor differs significantly across metro areas, so location matters as much as title.
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Entry-level mine engineers with limited professional experience, typically working under close supervision on defined tasks. Candidates who recently completed a relevant engineering degree and have little to no independent project responsibility generally fall here.
The most common filing level for mine engineers. Applies to candidates with moderate experience who work with some independence, handle routine to moderately complex assignments, and may provide guidance to junior staff without holding supervisory authority.
Experienced professionals with a strong track record on complex mining or geological projects. These engineers work independently, exercise considerable judgment, and often serve as technical leads or subject-matter resources within their organization.
Senior mine engineers or mining consultants at the top of their field. Fully competent professionals who set technical direction, manage cross-functional projects, and may supervise teams or hold principal responsibility for site safety programs.
Prevailing Wage for Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Mine Engineer and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title-aliasing on LCA filings
Employers sometimes file LCAs under adjacent SOC codes such as Geoscientists (SOC 19-2042) for roles that closely match mine engineer duties. Confirm the SOC code on your LCA matches 17-2151 so the correct prevailing wage floor applies to your offer.
Account for remote-site wage rules on your LCA
Mine engineers frequently work at extraction sites far from a company headquarters. DOL requires the LCA wage to reflect the worksite location, so a remote desert or mountain site may fall in a low-wage OES area even if the employer is headquartered in a high-wage metro.
Treat signing bonuses carefully in wage compliance
Signing bonuses paid as a lump sum at hire are typically excluded from the DOL wage calculation. Only recurring salary counts toward the prevailing wage floor, so a low base salary dressed up with a one-time bonus may not satisfy compliance requirements.
Find employers who have sponsored mine engineers before
Mining sponsorship is concentrated in a relatively small set of extraction and engineering firms. Migrate Mate shows historical visa sponsorship counts by employer, so you can identify which companies have actually sponsored Safety Engineer or Mine Engineer roles rather than guessing from job listings.
Jobs for Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Mine EngineerPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 17-2151.00 alongside Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Mine Engineer Prevailing Wage
Mine Engineer Prevailing Wage
Mine Engineer positions fall under SOC 17-2151.00 (Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Mining Consultant Prevailing Wage
Mining Consultant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Mining Consultant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-2151.00 (Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Mining Engineer Prevailing Wage
Mining Engineer Prevailing Wage
Mining Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 17-2151.00 (Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Planning Engineer Prevailing Wage
Planning Engineer Prevailing Wage
Planning Engineer positions fall under SOC 17-2151.00 (Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Project Engineer Prevailing Wage
Project Engineer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Project Engineer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-2151.00 (Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Safety Engineer Prevailing Wage
Safety Engineer Prevailing Wage
Safety Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 17-2151.00 (Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Safety Representative Prevailing Wage
Safety Representative Prevailing Wage
Safety Representative positions fall under SOC 17-2151.00 (Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for mine engineer roles?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data, collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to calculate prevailing wages for each occupation by metropolitan area. For mine engineers under SOC 17-2151, OFLC assigns a wage to each of the four experience levels based on the salary distribution in the worksite's OES survey area. Employers must certify on the LCA that they will pay at least that level for the position.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to my offer?
DOL's four levels reflect increasing experience and independence. Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision. Level 2 applies to moderately experienced professionals working with some independence. Level 3 covers technical leads with complex project responsibility. Level 4 is reserved for senior engineers who set direction and may manage programs. Your level should correspond to what the job actually requires, not just the title, and should be documented consistently across the LCA and I-129 petition.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same mine engineer role differ so much by city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, which capture local salary markets rather than a single national figure. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, and the wage floor is drawn from that specific OES area. Markets with concentrated mining activity and tight engineering labor supply tend to push wages higher, while areas with fewer competing employers may survey at lower levels. That geographic link is why the floor for this occupation swings substantially from one metro to another.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS reviews the LCA as part of the H-1B or other visa petition. If the offered wage falls below the certified prevailing wage for the worksite and level, USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence or deny the petition outright. For green card cases, a PERM application filed with a below-floor wage can be denied by OFLC. The employer may not make up the shortfall with bonuses or equity that are excluded from the wage calculation.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a mine engineer position in a specific U.S. city?
The OFLC Wage Search tool allows you to look up the current DOL prevailing wage for SOC 17-2151 by selecting your worksite metro area and wage level. You can also check recent LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages employers have certified for Mining Consultant and Safety Engineer positions in specific locations. Migrate Mate filters job listings by visa type and location, showing which employers have a track record of sponsoring this occupation so you can focus your search on realistic prospects.
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