Coal Services Australia says the average weekly earnings at all Hunter coalmines was $2258 in the three months to July last year, the most recent figures available.

That equates to annual income of about $117,400 a year.

Mining official Greg Sharp said many mineworkers would earn less and some would earn more.

At its Tahmoor mine south of Sydney, Xstrata says it is offering workers a 37 per cent increase from an average of $92,500 to $127,000 by 2014.