Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers Salary
The median pay for a mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers in Virginia is $104,960/year ($50.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $110,729 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $105K get you in Virginia?
About mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $105K locally vs. $106K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $90K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,049/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineer a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $105K locally vs. $106K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers?
Virginia pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $106K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $111K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers make in Virginia?
The median is $104,960 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,490, and experienced mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers can clear $157,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,392/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 25.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers salary go in Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers salary is worth about $110,729 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.