This degree program offers coursework that prepares students to plan, operate, design, and close mines.

Degree Benefits:

  • Competitive pay (median salary for Mining Engineers is $93,800*)
  • Job growth (4% for Mining Engineers)*
  • Multiple opportunities for personal and professional growth

Career Options Include:

  • Mining Engineer
  • Civil Engineer
  • Teacher

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Mining and Geological Engineers, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mining-and-geological-engineers.htm (visited March 24, 2022).

Find an online bachelor's or master's degree:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What you need to understand about online or campus learning is that the amount of time it takes to complete courses entirely depends on your commitment to studying.


A typical bachelor's degree requires 120 to 129 credits to complete the course, which can take around 4 years for full-time students. Students that already have an associates degree, could complete this within 2 years depending on the amount of courses and classes they take each semester. Online training usually takes 4 years but can take up to 7 years since most students only study part-time. In fact, most online schools have a time limit to complete programs, where they give you 7 years to complete the program and if you don't finish in that time you will lose credits earned toward your degree.


Another example is studying for a master's degree full-time on campus can take 2 years to complete, where studying online for the same course can take 3 to 4 years depending on how many courses you complete each semester. However, you should also be aware that, if you devote more time to studying than most on-campus students; if you complete courses during the summer and maintain a full course load each year, you will be able to finish your degree in less than 4 years.

Before choosing a major there are some important facts you should know about.


We consider the choice of major to be an important decision for students when selecting Mining Engineering schools or programs. Mining Engineering is a broad field, and it has a wide potential for developing specializations and expertise. The student should pause and study the situation carefully. It is important to connect the choice of school with the career goals and employment objectives. Students should be sure that the school is well-equipped to provide high-quality Mining Engineering education in the subject areas of greatest interest.


Students must look at the curriculum to determine if the subject will be covered thoroughly and in the areas of study that will be most beneficial.

The two most prominent types of bachelor levels in Mining Engineering are: Bachelor of Arts degree (BA degree) and a Bachelor of Science degree (BS degree). A BA degree normally requires pupils to take fewer concentration courses as well as to focus more on discovering about Mining Engineering. These students have a little bit more flexibility when it pertains to customizing their education to meet their occupation objectives as well as goals.


The Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering, on the other hand, is much less concentrated on exploration and even more targeted to a specific focus. Bachelor of Science students, usually, focus specifically on the area of their major and have a tendency to be more career focused. Bachelor's degrees in the clinical field, for example, are most likely to be a Bachelor of Science degree. You can find some sample classes for a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering below:

  • Data Mining Project
  • Rock Fragmentation and Mechanics
  • Applied Data Science With Python Specialization
  • Mastering Software Development in R Specialization
  • Master of Machine Learning and Data Science
  • Machine Learning With Python
  • Introduction to Machine Learning
  • Mine Design
  • Mine Ventilation
  • Surveying
  • Mineral Processing and Resource Law

The graduation rate is an important piece of information. It measures the performance of the entire student body, and it is a good predictor of the experience each applicant can expect. Time is money when it comes to an education in Mining Engineering. The longer time for completion means more tuition and fee payments. Each year in addition to the expected four years, adds about 25% to the total costs of a Mining Engineering degree. The longer it takes to graduate also means the less time a student is in the workforce earning an income from their Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering investment.


National statistics measure on-time degree completion using four-year and six-year marks. Private schools across the US and for all majors have a range of 53% on-time graduation and 65.6% within six years. In these schools, students can expect to finish on time if they attend full time and within six years with some part-time attendance. Public schools show a 35% on-time rate at four years and 59% at the six-year mark. Students at these schools must plan carefully to ensure that they can complete the requirements for on-time graduation.

Accreditation is an important part of selecting a school for Mining Engineering education. Much depends on accreditation and the type of accreditation. There are two main types of accreditation; regional and national. Regional accreditation agencies work with research-based schools, private schools, public schools, and some for-profit schools. National accreditation works primarily with for-profit and career-related education.


Regional Accreditation


There are two types of regional accreditation; they are Mining Engineering program accreditation and institutional accreditation. Institutional accreditation uses a group of states as the base to compare the school with other colleges and universities; the group of states comprises the region assigned by the Department of Education.


Programmatic Accreditation looks at specific programs or parts of a college or university. This type of accreditation has the same type of respect and acceptance as regional accreditation for institutions. Regional employers and other educational institutions regard regional accreditation as proof of high-quality education.


National Accreditation


National accreditation has a Faith-based branch and a career- related education branch. Faith-based institutions have a different set of standards that recognize the role of faith in instruction. The for-profit branch of national accreditation covers the special purpose and non-traditional schools such as vocational schools. The career-related education requires standards that place appropriate weight on general knowledge and education. Some regionally accredited schools do not accept credits from career-related schools.


Did you know that your salary is not always just based on what level of degree you received, but it also could be based on what school you attended? Many employers actually have their own rankings and rating systems of schools. That is to say, if you received your degree from a college that was accredited by a low rated agency, your salary may actually be decreased by a certain percentage where a high-ranked, well-known, accredited school, can raise that mark significantly.

The cost will depend on several factors. Are you pursuing your Mining Engineering degree online or in a traditional setting? If you attend your courses on campus, you will also need to pay for food, room and board, and other fees. This can increase the cost of your Mining Engineering education significantly unless you have a plan in place to keep these costs low. If you attend a public, state school, it will depend on whether or not you are a resident. In-state students usually pay much lower rates than out-of-state students. However, this can be overcome by attending classes online, as most institutions charge in-state rates for all online courses. Either way, you need to research the costs for each Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering program you are considering applying to, as each institution will have their own rates.

Schools can provide valuable assistance for Mining Engineering graduates that seek employment after graduation. The programs can be formal, such as job banks and employment centers that present graduating students and graduate credentials to prospective employers and host interviews.


Depending on the college, they may have resources that can enhance employment and career opportunities for their Mining Engineering graduates. Most schools have an extended community of alumni, donors, and corporate and business support. Alumni groups offer opportunities for networking as well as for sharing information and experiences. The corporate and business community support may include opportunities for internships or other hands-on learning experiences.