Mining Engineering Salary in South African Rands

An average mining engineer earns around R29 400 per month, which makes it R170 on an hourly basis. It is a popular and reputable profession with a lot of financial benefits, which is why most engineering students are planning to enter this field. If you are one such student and want to know what to expect from this job, here is a complete guide on the mining engineering salary in South Africa. So, dive right in to know more.

Mining Engineering Salary in South Africa

Mining engineers have a high salary per annum, given the scope of mining in the country and their technical expertise. Here is a breakdown of the payscale, salary range, and median salary of mining professionals in the country. So, let’s get to know more.

Salary Range

Mining engineers in South Africa earn from R15 300 to R45 000 (highest to lowest) in South Africa, which makes an hourly wage of R170. Do consider that it is not a legally mandated salary, and can get below and above this amount based on your expertise, gender, skill set, and city station.

Percentile

The official median salary of mining engineers in SA is around R26 800, which means half the workforce in this profession is earning this salary. In comparison, the 25th percentile (25% of the workforce) earning is R22 200, whereas the 75th percentile (75% of the workforce) earning is R30 400.

Fringe Benefits

The plus of the mining engineering profession is that it has a number of fringe benefits, including housing allowance, rent allowance, transportation, medical waiver, medical insurance, and so on, apart from the salary. That said, it partially depends on what company you are working in. This is because some urban stations do not provide employees with such benefits.

Comparison with America

In comparison, the average salary of a mining engineer in the USA ranges from $79,000 to $130,000 per year. The 25th percentile of this salary is around $61,000 and the 75th percentile of this salary is $110,000 per year. This is relatively more than those in South Africa, given the economic structure and hourly wage.

Professional Responsibilities of Mining Engineers

Mining engineers are responsible for safely removing minerals for manufacturing usage. These professionals work in offices to find efficient ways to extract oil and gas. Here are some duties you are required to perform as a mining engineer in South Africa.

• Surveying the site for feasible drilling tests
• Using CAD packages to plan and design tunnels and shafts
• Supervising the mining structures for gas and oil extraction
• Safely carrying out mining
• Monitoring the effects of mining on the environment and surroundings
• Managing budgets for extractions
• Writing reports, giving presentations on feasible ways to mine

Factors that Influence Mining Engineering Salary in South Africa

There are a number of factors that affect your salary as a mining engineer in South Africa, including your qualification, level of expertise, gender, sector, and city of employment. So, let us discuss these things in detail and check how they are influencing your engineering salary.

Qualification/ Education

The first thing that plays a significant role in determining your salary as a mining engineer in South Africa is the degree. It is a highly technical job that requires you to have a professional university education. Here is the average salary scale for people with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in engineering.

• Bachelor’s Degree

Professionals with a bachelor’s degree have an average salary of around R24 500.

• Master’s Degree

Mining engineers with a Master’s qualification earn around R34 000, which is 34% more than that of level one.

Education Level	Salary Range
Bachelor’s Degree/ Undergraduate	R24 500
Master’s Degree/ Graduate	R34 000

Level of Experience

Your expertise and skill set are other factors that can influence your salary as a mining engineer in South Africa. It is pretty obvious that people with twenty years of experience will earn more than ten years of expertise, and so on. So, let us discuss how much you get paid with different levels of experience.

• Less than 2 Years of Experience

For people with less than two years of experience, the estimated salary is around R17 400 per month.

• 2-5 Years of Experience

Employees with experience between two and five years of expertise earn anywhere around R23 300, which is 34% more than those in the previous level.

• 5-10 Years of Experience

Moreover, professionals with five to ten years of experience have an expected salary of R30 300, which is approximately 30% more than the people in the previous category.

• 10-15 Years of Experience

Moving forward, professionals having ten to fifteen years of experience can earn anywhere around R36 700, which is 21% more than employees in the previous level.

• 15-20 Years of Experience

Professionals who have experience of around fifteen to twenty years of expertise earn around R40 100, which is 9% more than those in the previous category.

• More than 20 Years of Experience

Finally, employees with more than 20 years of experience have an earning of around R42 200, which is 5% more than those in the previous level.

Level of Experience	Estimated Salary (Per Month)
Less than 2 Years	R17 400
2-5 Years	R23 300
5-10 Years	R30 300
10-15 Years	R36 700
15-20 Years	R40 100
More than 20 Years	R42 200

Public Vs. Private Sector

Are private mining engineers getting more paid than those in the private sector? This is the question most asked by the students planning to pursue this field. So, let us discuss the salary difference between professionals working in these two sectors.

Public Sector	R32 400	7% more
Private Sector	R30 400

Gender

Men or women: Who gets paid more as a mining engineer in South Africa? Though gender shouldn’t play a role in deciding your salary, it definitely does in professional life. So, if you are wondering about the salary difference between male and female mining professionals, check out this table.

Male	R30 700	7% more
Female	R28 500

City of Allocation

Last but not least, your city of allocation or working station within South Africa can also decide your salary package. For instance, cities with big mining facilities require more workers and experience, which is why they are ready to pay more. Here is the salary data on the basis of cities, so you can decide where to move for better work opportunities.

City Station	Average Salary (Per Month)
Bloemfontein	R25 300
Cape Town	R32 500
Durban	R30 200
Johannesburg	R28 200
Port Elizabeth	R26 900
Pretoria	R29 700

Mining engineering is a highly profitable and reputable profession, with a massive scope of growth and promotions. Hence, most students are aspiring to enter this field. Finally, I hope this guide has been helpful for anyone planning to enter this profession with high hopes.