Best States for Roof Bolters, Mining

Ranked by the Career Atlas Opportunity Score, not raw pay — a high-paying state with few jobs or a high cost of living can rank below a more balanced one.

1. 1West Virginia93.3 / 100
2. 2Wyoming82.5 / 100
3. 3Kentucky60 / 100
4. 4Illinois54.2 / 100
5. 5Alabama25 / 100
6. 6Virginia21.7 / 100
7. 7Colorado13.3 / 100

Also see highest-paying states (ranked by salary alone).