Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 14 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians pays
Career outlook for Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians graduates
The job market for the occupations Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other | 67,300 | +1.5% | $77,390 | Associate's degree |
| Service unit operators, oil and gas | 45,200 | +0.4% | $57,980 | No formal educational credential |
| Gas plant operators | 16,200 | -8.8% | $83,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians | 9,800 | +1.5% | $48,390 | Associate's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians vs similar majors
How Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians stacks up against the closest fields in Engineering Technologies on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technologies · this major | Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician | Engineering-Related Fields | Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 70 B | 97 A | 90 A | 91 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $68,554 | $132,815 | $109,982 | $89,857 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $57,141 | $101,386 | $89,179 | $71,410 |
| ROI vs cost | +199% | +1,058% | +700% | +461% |
| Typical debt | $18,521 | $10,555 | $25,304 | $22,024 |
| Colleges offering it | 14 | 3 | 52 | 43 |
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis and Clark Community College Godfrey, IL | Certificate | $72,698 | — | +8,171% | Strong return |
| 2 | Bismarck State College Bismarck, ND | Certificate | $106,364 | — | +5,875% | Strong return |
| 3 | Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont, WV | Certificate | $91,275 | — | +5,459% | Strong return |
| 4 | Bossier Parish Community College Bossier City, LA | Certificate | $86,196 | — | +3,748% | Strong return |
| 5 | Nicholls State University Thibodaux, LA | Certificate | $75,285 | — | +2,239% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford Bradford, PA | Certificate | $69,850 | — | +1,519% | Strong return |
| 7 | Lackawanna College Scranton, PA | Certificate | $74,122 | — | +1,360% | Strong return |
| 8 | Fletcher Technical Community College Schriever, LA | Certificate | $60,205 | — | +1,344% | Strong return |
| 9 | Navarro College Corsicana, TX | Certificate | $59,525 | — | +880% | Strong return |
| 10 | Nicholls State University Thibodaux, LA | Associate's | $71,690 | $17,417 | +728% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA | Certificate | $69,850 | — | +717% | Strong return |
| 12 | Navarro College Corsicana, TX | Certificate | $54,529 | — | +543% | Strong return |
| 13 | Houston City College Houston, TX | Certificate | $44,842 | $19,625 | -112% | Poor return |
| 14 | Laredo College Laredo, TX | Certificate | $23,321 | — | -3,839% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.