21222/Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
16K
employees, 2023
16K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 195 US Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining business locations employed 15,713 people and paid $1.8 billion in annual payroll, $112,320 per employee on average. Employment was down 0.3% from 2022. Nevada had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
195
+3.2% vs 2022
Employees
15,713
-0.3% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$1.8B
+4.4% vs 2022
Average pay
$112,320
+4.6% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
| State | Business locations | Employees | Average pay | Share of state jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 50 | 9,995 | $111,643 | 0.74% |
| Alaska | 37 | 2,414 | $130,037 | 0.92% |
| Idaho | 18 | 845 | $99,291 | 0.12% |
| California | 17 | 561 | $88,460 | 0.00% |
| Colorado | 22 | 548* | $126,692 | 0.02% |
| Utah | 4 | 142* | $85,014 | 0.01% |
| Arizona | 10 | 120 | $93,117 | 0.00% |
| Washington | 6 | 75* | $98,560 | 0.00% |
| Montana | 8 | 13 | $77,308 | 0.00% |
| Oregon | 3 | 4 | $59,000 | 0.00% |
| Florida | 3 | 3* | $62,000 | 0.00% |
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elko, NV | 13 | 5,566* | $118,164 |
| Winnemucca, NV | 10 | 2,032 | $108,535 |
| Juneau, AK | 4 | 903 | $136,225 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | 6 | 710* | $119,434 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 3 | 427* | $123,080 |
| El Centro, CA | 3 | 271* | $91,705 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 13 | 111 | $139,523 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 3 | 97 | $92,155 |
| Anchorage, AK | 9 | 83* | $109,554 |
| Reno, NV | 14 | 76 | $61,145 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 3 | 74* | $295,905 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | 3 | 16* | $71,875 |
| Boise City, ID | 3 | 15* | $49,067 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3 | 7* | $137,571 |
| Truckee-Grass Valley, CA | 3 | 6 | $27,333 |
Business size
US Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 111 | 57.5% |
| 5 to 9 | 29 | 15.0% |
| 10 to 19 | 15 | 7.8% |
| 20 to 49 | 10 | 5.2% |
| 50 to 99 | 7 | 3.6% |
| 100 to 249 | Not published | - |
| 250 to 499 | 11 | 5.7% |
| 500 to 999 | 7 | 3.6% |
| 1,000 or more | 3 | 1.6% |
Related industries
Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining and the 1 industry directly below it
Part of Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 21Mining (except Oil and Gas) 212Metal Ore Mining 2122
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 212220 | Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining | Not yet published | - |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining in the US?
15,713 people worked at 195 US Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining business locations in 2023, down 0.3% from 2022. That is 0.01% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining?
$112,320 a year per employee in 2023, from $1.8 billion in annual payroll (up 4.6% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining jobs?
Nevada had the most, with 9,995 employees in 2023, followed by Alaska (2,414) and Idaho (845).
Which metro areas have the most Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining jobs?
Elko, NV (5,566), Winnemucca, NV (2,032), Juneau, AK (903) had the most Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining employees in 2023.
Are most Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining businesses small?
80.3% of the 193 Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 10 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. * Less accurate: changed by 5% or more to protect privacy. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.