# How much money do Miners make? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 7, 2007, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701 "2007-08-07T02:35:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Enlightening\_Meditation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Enlightening\_Meditation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enlightening_Meditation)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701/21 "2012-10-29T21:02:21Z")
This thread was started 5+ years ago. Oh well, it’s never too late to add on. $20 to $30 per hour seems common for at least some of the mining jobs in Appalachia. Although, entry level is likely less depending on the current commodities market. A couple of my college buddies became mining engineers, and they make great coin well above $100,000. However, they work and live out in the middle of nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![DaveBfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DaveBfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveBfd)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701/22 "2012-10-29T21:19:25Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Is that “ridiculous” as in “a lot” or “not a lot,” as I have no scale for these things. I don’t know if one foot is three hours of work, or a half hour of work, how hard that work is, or what even a foot means in this context, as mines aren’t one-dimensional. I would explain but I want to clarify with them before misinforming because I realized as I posted it wouldnt be much use ;). All I know at the moment is they make around 400+ a shift. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701/23 "2012-10-29T21:22:30Z")
> [@DaveBfd](#): > > I would explain but I want to clarify with them before misinforming because I realized as I posted it wouldnt be much use ;). All I know at the moment is they make around 400+ a shift. OK, that sounds like a pretty good payday to me. That said, I’m not sure you could pay me enough to work in a mine. I’ve been inside two working mines before, and they didn’t seem like fun places to be in (granted, these were not in the US.) ---
**Author:** ![NorNev77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b782af/32.png) [@NorNev77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NorNev77)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701/24 "2012-12-24T21:58:58Z")
> [@Staylor0360](#): > > I work in Nv for barrick gold co. I make $26 a hour and I get a 4 to 5 k for being safe and a lot of extras. I work 10-12 hours a day and I work 7 days and get 7 off. And all the over time I want. > It is the easyest job and in no way is it durty.lol it is funny how every one thinks mining is un safe or hard it is very safe. we have nice equipment with xm radio ac and heat.Most new miners in open pit mines at barrick start out a $19-20 a hour and more. And move up fast. The pay is even better for under ground miners they make around $30 a hour and a nice amount of extra money for being safe. There are a lot of differnt jobs in mining. Thanks Staylor0360, I currently live in Reno NV and i’m interested in working in the mines, I would like to get some more info from you about this. Could you PM me? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![gunchris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@gunchris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunchris)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701/25 "2012-12-24T22:03:20Z")
there are some gold miners I know, in general its 20 to thirty an hour to start. I wish I could go do it but I would never last, its rough work and they do this stupid thing where you have to change from night to days every other month or so. I could do it if I could get regular hours but altering my sleep habits is impossible - i can either work nights or days. I cant keep jumping back and forth. ---
**Author:** ![gunchris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@gunchris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunchris)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701/26 "2012-12-24T22:06:46Z")
> [@Staylor0360](#): > > I work in Nv for barrick gold co. I make $26 a hour and I get a 4 to 5 k for being safe and a lot of extras. I work 10-12 hours a day and I work 7 days and get 7 off. And all the over time I want. > It is the easyest job and in no way is it durty.lol it is funny how every one thinks mining is un safe or hard it is very safe. we have nice equipment with xm radio ac and heat.Most new miners in open pit mines at barrick start out a $19-20 a hour and more. And move up fast. The pay is even better for under ground miners they make around $30 a hour and a nice amount of extra money for being safe. There are a lot of differnt jobs in mining. Wow, I stand corrected. A friend works at hycroft out side of winnemucca and he tells me basically the same thing-except that you have to work days one month and nights the next…is it the same for you? ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701/27 "2012-12-25T19:13:18Z")
I am a retired miner and I have a son in law who is a miner and he is at work today. When I asked my daughter how much he is making an hour today, $79 and change for this 12 hour shift. (and yesterday also). I used to sign up to work holidays for the premium wages. 😉 As for why would anyone work in a dirty dangerous occupation? Well there are dangers in everything and when working in a dangerouse field, one gets used to it and someone standing on the outside would definitely feel much more at risk than the one doing the job every day. And as for MSHA mine inspectors, they work full time to make mining a safe occupation. And their isn’t a day care center in operation they couldn’t shut down. If they were put in charge of safety on a public playground there would be Concertina wire keeping everyone out! :smack: 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701/28 "2012-12-25T22:07:28Z")
DO miners get paid for the transit time from the surface to the working area? The few shows I’ve seen about mining agree that it can be a rather long trip down to the working area. I hope they’ve got bathrooms down there. ---
**Author:** ![Miners\_wife](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@Miners\_wife](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miners_wife)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701/29 "2013-08-21T04:18:43Z")
> [@pool](#): > > In light of the recent [Mining Incident](http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/06/utah.mine/index.html) I have a question. How much do Miners make? For one thing it seems like you would have to pay someone a lot of money to do such a dangerous job, but then again I don’t think there are a lot of people waiting in line to do this kind of work. How much does a regular miner make? What about the equivalent of a foreman? Is there any special skills needed for this line of work besides being a tough bastard? I guess it’s where you are and your qualifications. My husband is a raise mined in northern ontario Canada earning 170,000 a year- certainly a bread winners salary accompanied by easy living- accompanied by my paralegal salary … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-do-miners-make/414701.md?page=1)