212/Mining (except Oil and Gas)
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
174K
employees, 2023
174K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 6,121 US Mining (except Oil and Gas) business locations employed 173,729 people and paid $16.3 billion in annual payroll, $93,689 per employee on average. Employment was up 3.6% from 2022. West Virginia had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
6,121
+1.1% vs 2022
Employees
173,729
+3.6% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$16.3B
+9.4% vs 2022
Average pay
$93,689
+5.7% 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 Mining (except Oil and Gas) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 111 | 13,762 | $107,227 | 2.50% |
| Nevada | 113 | 11,804 | $112,352 | 0.88% |
| Arizona | 160 | 11,725 | $89,647 | 0.41% |
| Texas | 498 | 10,375 | $79,702 | 0.09% |
| Pennsylvania | 407 | 8,103 | $96,711 | 0.14% |
| California | 258 | 6,433 | $99,695 | 0.04% |
| Kentucky | 167 | 6,294 | $86,577 | 0.37% |
| Wyoming | 71 | 5,921 | $111,382 | 2.79% |
| Utah | 112 | 5,693 | $87,100 | 0.36% |
| Georgia | 150 | 5,523 | $82,661 | 0.13% |
| Minnesota | 139 | 5,105 | $107,680 | 0.18% |
| Virginia | 164 | 5,021 | $92,268 | 0.14% |
| Indiana | 184 | 4,847 | $87,826 | 0.17% |
| Illinois | 188 | 4,622 | $99,667 | 0.08% |
| Alabama | 132 | 4,356 | $97,645 | 0.24% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 50.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Mining (except Oil and Gas) employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elko, NV | 17 | 5,602* | $117,862 |
| Gillette, WY | 9 | 3,429 | $108,419 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 15 | 3,391 | $108,896 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 18 | 2,421 | $106,384 |
| Charleston, WV | 14 | 2,357* | $110,230 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 21 | 2,221* | $97,166 |
| Tucson, AZ | 20 | 2,095* | $88,526 |
| Winnemucca, NV | 14 | 2,069 | $108,398 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 49 | 1,982 | $76,853 |
| Birmingham, AL | 38 | 1,849 | $86,279 |
| Payson, AZ | 7 | 1,780 | $91,854 |
| Beckley, WV | 9 | 1,669* | $111,457 |
| Rock Springs, WY | 8 | 1,538 | $133,738 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 69 | 1,490 | $91,279 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 56 | 1,469 | $117,036 |
Business size
US Mining (except Oil and Gas) business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 2,042 | 33.4% |
| 5 to 9 | 1,161 | 19.0% |
| 10 to 19 | 1,294 | 21.1% |
| 20 to 49 | 1,038 | 17.0% |
| 50 to 99 | 313 | 5.1% |
| 100 to 249 | 145 | 2.4% |
| 250 to 499 | 82 | 1.3% |
| 500 to 999 | 34 | 0.6% |
| 1,000 or more | 12 | 0.2% |
Related industries
Mining (except Oil and Gas) and the 3 industries directly below it
Part of Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 21
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2123 | Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | 90,102 | $82,315 |
| 2121 | Coal Mining | 42,347 | $106,318 |
| 2122 | Metal Ore Mining | 41,280 | $105,561 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Mining (except Oil and Gas) in the US?
173,729 people worked at 6,121 US Mining (except Oil and Gas) business locations in 2023, up 3.6% from 2022. That is 0.12% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Mining (except Oil and Gas)?
$93,689 a year per employee in 2023, from $16.3 billion in annual payroll (up 5.7% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Mining (except Oil and Gas) jobs?
West Virginia had the most, with 13,762 employees in 2023, followed by Nevada (11,804) and Arizona (11,725).
Which metro areas have the most Mining (except Oil and Gas) jobs?
Elko, NV (5,602), Gillette, WY (3,429), Duluth, MN-WI (3,391) had the most Mining (except Oil and Gas) employees in 2023.
Are most Mining (except Oil and Gas) businesses small?
73.5% of the 6,121 Mining (except Oil and Gas) business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 46 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.