Professional Surveyors
Training and Education
| Fast Facts* | |
|---|---|
| Recommended Degree Level | Bachelor |
| Salary, Typical | $56,230 |
| Salary Range | |
| Number of Jobs, 2012 | 40,190 |
| Annual Job Growth Rate | 4.2% |
| Job Openings per Year (est.) | 2,420 |
Many employers require a bachelor's degree from job applicants. Bachelor's degrees are held by 82% of employees. People with some college experience but no degree make up 18% of professional surveyors.
Part-Time Work and Self-Employment
A government survey revealed that 5% of employees work only part of the time. Professional surveyors who work as their own boss represent 4% of the total.
Area Job Conditions
There are comparatively more jobs of this type in Yuba City (California), Gulfport (Mississippi), and Anchorage (Alaska), and comparatively fewer in Grand Rapids (Michigan), New York (New York), and Greensboro (North Carolina).
The earning potential for employees appears to be highest in Santa Barbara (California), Yuba City (California), and Anchorage (Alaska), and lowest (comparatively speaking) in Nashville (Tennessee), Shreveport (Louisiana), and Florence (South Carolina).
Video Overview
Briefly introduces surveying careers. Produced for the US Department of Labor.
Salaries by City
See typical salaries and ranges for this career below*. Shift click to sort by more than one column -- for example first shift-click on state and then shift-click on salary to find best and worst salaries in each state.
| State | City / Region | Typical Salary | Salary Range | Job Count | % of All Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Anchorage | $79,520 | 230 | 0.13% | |
| AL | Birmingham - Hoover | $57,170 | 120 | 0.03% | |
| AL | Huntsville | $58,020 | 70 | 0.03% | |
| AL | Mobile | $52,790 | 100 | 0.06% | |
| AL | Montgomery | $49,910 | 60 | 0.04% | |
| AR | Fayetteville - Springdale - Rogers | $30,770 | 110 | 0.06% | |
| AR | Fort Smith | $40,780 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| AR | Little Rock - North Little Rock - Conway | $40,920 | 160 | 0.05% | |
| AZ | Flagstaff | $40,370 | 40 | 0.07% | |
| AZ | Phoenix - Mesa - Glendale | $50,820 | 610 | 0.04% | |
| AZ | Tucson | $51,100 | 130 | 0.04% | |
| CA | Bakersfield - Delano | $65,950 | 90 | 0.03% | |
| CA | Fresno | $81,280 | 140 | 0.04% | |
| CA | Los Angeles - Long Beach - Glendale (Metro Area) | $85,650 | 520 | 0.01% | |
| CA | Oakland - Fremont - Hayward (Metro Area) | $96,340 | 330 | 0.03% | |
| CA | Oxnard - Thousand Oaks - Ventura | $84,180 | 80 | 0.03% | |
| CA | Redding | $95,490 | 70 | 0.12% | |
| CA | Riverside - San Bernardino - Ontario | $85,990 | 280 | 0.02% | |
| CA | Sacramento - Arden - Arcade - Roseville | $89,920 | 370 | 0.05% | |
| CA | San Diego - Carlsbad - San Marcos | $76,030 | 430 | 0.03% | |
| CA | San Francisco - San Mateo - Redwood City (Metro Area) | $77,750 | 140 | 0.01% | |
| CA | San Jose - Sunnyvale - Santa Clara | $82,020 | 270 | 0.03% | |
| CA | San Luis Obispo - Paso Robles | $89,960 | 70 | 0.07% | |
| CA | Santa Ana - Anaheim - Irvine (Metro Area) | $85,750 | 560 | 0.04% | |
| CA | Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - Goleta | $80,690 | 50 | 0.03% | |
| CA | Santa Cruz - Watsonville | $70,420 | 40 | 0.05% | |
| CA | Santa Rosa - Petaluma | $72,190 | 40 | 0.02% | |
| CA | Stockton | $89,980 | 50 | 0.03% | |
| CO | Boulder | $58,330 | 80 | 0.05% | |
| CO | Colorado Springs | $58,610 | 130 | 0.06% | |
| CO | Denver - Aurora - Broomfield | $58,480 | 420 | 0.03% | |
| CO | Fort Collins - Loveland | $61,630 | 50 | 0.04% | |
| CO | Grand Junction | $54,020 | 60 | 0.10% | |
| CT | Bridgeport - Stamford - Norwalk | $69,050 | 170 | 0.04% | |
| CT | Hartford - West Hartford - East Hartford | $64,970 | 110 | 0.02% | |
| CT | New Haven | $64,550 | 50 | 0.02% | |
| CT | Norwich - New London | $58,130 | 50 | 0.04% | |
| DC | Washington - Arlington - Alexandria (Metro Area) | $57,340 | 670 | 0.03% | |
| DE | Wilmington (Metro Area) | $78,500 | 90 | 0.03% | |
| FL | Cape Coral - Fort Myers | $53,220 | 70 | 0.03% | |
| FL | Deltona - Daytona Beach - Ormond Beach | $48,940 | 50 | 0.04% | |
| FL | Fort Lauderdale - Pompano Beach - Deerfield Beach (Metro Area) | $53,980 | 130 | 0.02% | |
| FL | Jacksonville | $68,260 | 140 | 0.02% | |
| FL | Lakeland - Winter Haven | $47,780 | 80 | 0.04% | |
| FL | Miami - Miami Beach - Kendall (Metro Area) | $53,630 | 150 | 0.01% | |
| FL | Naples - Marco Island | $45,960 | 30 | 0.03% | |
| FL | North Port - Bradenton - Sarasota | $45,220 | 80 | 0.03% | |
| FL | Orlando - Kissimmee - Sanford | $60,870 | 260 | 0.03% | |
| FL | Palm Bay - Melbourne - Titusville | $41,220 | 60 | 0.03% | |
| FL | Panama City - Lynn Haven - Panama City Beach | $65,040 | 30 | 0.05% | |
| FL | Pensacola - Ferry Pass - Brent | $42,830 | 70 | 0.04% | |
| FL | Tallahassee | $56,700 | 80 | 0.05% | |
| FL | Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater | $65,700 | 270 | 0.02% | |
| FL | West Palm Beach - Boca Raton - Boynton Beach (Metro Area) | $56,840 | 130 | 0.03% | |
| GA | Atlanta - Sandy Springs - Marietta | $46,430 | 670 | 0.03% | |
| GA | Augusta - Richmond County | $39,290 | 130 | 0.07% | |
| GA | Columbus | $51,830 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| GA | Savannah | $40,460 | 50 | 0.04% | |
| GA | Warner Robins | $40,220 | 30 | 0.05% | |
| HI | Honolulu | $52,920 | 180 | 0.04% | |
| IA | Cedar Rapids | $55,190 | 40 | 0.03% | |
| IA | Davenport - Moline - Rock Island | $52,860 | 40 | 0.02% | |
| IA | Des Moines - West Des Moines | $48,190 | 60 | 0.02% | |
| ID | Boise City - Nampa | $75,760 | 120 | 0.05% | |
| ID | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $46,290 | 30 | 0.06% | |
| IL | Chicago - Joliet - Naperville (Metro Area) | $66,920 | 630 | 0.02% | |
| IL | Lake County - Kenosha County (Metro Area) | $50,880 | N/A | N/A | |
| IL | Peoria | $63,700 | 70 | 0.04% | |
| IN | Evansville | $52,920 | 110 | 0.06% | |
| IN | Fort Wayne | $56,390 | 50 | 0.03% | |
| IN | Gary (Metro Area) | $63,080 | 100 | 0.04% | |
| IN | Indianapolis - Carmel | $52,470 | 210 | 0.02% | |
| KS | Manhattan | $41,480 | 40 | 0.08% | |
| KS | Topeka | $52,700 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| KS | Wichita | $46,630 | 130 | 0.05% | |
| KY | Lexington - Fayette | $65,330 | 80 | 0.03% | |
| KY | Louisville - Jefferson County | $55,620 | 70 | 0.01% | |
| LA | Alexandria | $38,370 | 60 | 0.10% | |
| LA | Baton Rouge | $48,560 | 240 | 0.07% | |
| LA | Houma - Bayou Cane - Thibodaux | $41,000 | 70 | 0.08% | |
| LA | Lafayette | $54,890 | 360 | 0.24% | |
| LA | New Orleans - Metairie - Kenner | $55,620 | 230 | 0.05% | |
| LA | Shreveport - Bossier City | $41,560 | 110 | 0.06% | |
| MA | Barnstable Town | $57,940 | 50 | 0.05% | |
| MA | Boston - Cambridge - Quincy (Metro Area) | $74,320 | 200 | 0.01% | |
| MA | Framingham (Metro Area) | $64,670 | 70 | 0.05% | |
| MA | Haverhill - North Andover - Amesbury (Metro Area) | $61,380 | 40 | 0.05% | |
| MA | Lowell - Billerica - Chelmsford (Metro Area) | $52,740 | 30 | 0.03% | |
| MA | Springfield | $47,540 | 70 | 0.02% | |
| MA | Worcester | $53,350 | 70 | 0.03% | |
| MD | Baltimore - Towson | $50,710 | 430 | 0.03% | |
| MD | Bethesda - Rockville - Frederick (Metro Area) | $62,680 | 210 | 0.04% | |
| ME | Bangor | $45,880 | 30 | 0.05% | |
| ME | Portland - South Portland - Biddeford | $46,560 | 50 | 0.02% | |
| MI | Ann Arbor | $56,620 | 40 | 0.02% | |
| MI | Detroit - Livonia - Dearborn (Metro Area) | $51,080 | 50 | 0.01% | |
| MI | Flint | $40,080 | 70 | 0.05% | |
| MI | Grand Rapids - Wyoming | $42,490 | 50 | 0.01% | |
| MI | Lansing - East Lansing | $63,470 | 60 | 0.03% | |
| MI | Warren - Troy - Farmington Hills (Metro Area) | $52,730 | 430 | 0.04% | |
| MN | Duluth | $73,980 | 40 | 0.03% | |
| MN | Minneapolis - St. Paul - Bloomington | $60,100 | 470 | 0.03% | |
| MN | Rochester | $58,910 | 30 | 0.03% | |
| MO | Columbia | $44,500 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| MO | Kansas City | $54,130 | 240 | 0.02% | |
| MO | Springfield | $46,180 | 60 | 0.03% | |
| MO | St. Louis | $58,340 | 350 | 0.03% | |
| MS | Gulfport - Biloxi | $46,960 | 70 | 0.06% | |
| MS | Jackson | $34,350 | 150 | 0.06% | |
| MS | Pascagoula | $43,550 | 50 | 0.09% | |
| MT | Billings | $60,530 | 80 | 0.09% | |
| MT | Missoula | $52,900 | 50 | 0.10% | |
| NC | Asheville | $44,270 | 50 | 0.03% | |
| NC | Charlotte - Gastonia - Rock Hill | $53,530 | 180 | 0.02% | |
| NC | Durham - Chapel Hill | $50,570 | 70 | 0.02% | |
| NC | Greensboro - High Point | $45,460 | 50 | 0.01% | |
| NC | Greenville | $38,190 | 40 | 0.05% | |
| NC | Raleigh - Cary | $46,520 | 180 | 0.04% | |
| ND | Bismarck | $45,840 | 50 | 0.08% | |
| ND | Fargo | $46,090 | 40 | 0.03% | |
| NE | Lincoln | $47,150 | 30 | 0.02% | |
| NE | Omaha - Council Bluffs | $48,060 | 230 | 0.05% | |
| NH | Manchester | $61,990 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| NH | Nashua (Metro Area) | $52,540 | 90 | 0.07% | |
| NJ | Camden (Metro Area) | $57,260 | 90 | 0.02% | |
| NJ | Edison - New Brunswick (Metro Area) | $64,350 | 230 | 0.02% | |
| NJ | Newark - Union (Metro Area) | $72,520 | 280 | 0.03% | |
| NJ | Trenton - Ewing | $52,840 | 60 | 0.03% | |
| NM | Albuquerque | $52,560 | 160 | 0.04% | |
| NM | Farmington | $43,880 | 50 | 0.10% | |
| NM | Santa Fe | $52,900 | 60 | 0.10% | |
| NV | Las Vegas - Paradise | $75,570 | 170 | 0.02% | |
| NV | Reno - Sparks | $79,160 | 120 | 0.07% | |
| NY | Albany - Schenectady - Troy | $60,260 | 90 | 0.02% | |
| NY | Buffalo - Niagara Falls | $37,000 | 170 | 0.03% | |
| NY | Nassau - Suffolk (Metro Area) | $74,930 | 340 | 0.03% | |
| NY | New York - White Plains - Wayne (Metro Area) | $72,480 | 630 | 0.01% | |
| NY | Poughkeepsie - Newburgh - Middletown | $50,210 | 80 | 0.03% | |
| NY | Rochester | $60,010 | 120 | 0.02% | |
| NY | Syracuse | $45,180 | 60 | 0.02% | |
| OH | Akron | $54,060 | 130 | 0.04% | |
| OH | Canton - Massillon | $44,720 | 40 | 0.03% | |
| OH | Cincinnati - Middletown | $54,590 | 230 | 0.02% | |
| OH | Cleveland - Elyria - Mentor | $52,930 | 180 | 0.02% | |
| OH | Columbus | $59,740 | 200 | 0.02% | |
| OH | Dayton | $49,910 | 60 | 0.02% | |
| OH | Toledo | $65,350 | 70 | 0.02% | |
| OK | Oklahoma City | $49,540 | 460 | 0.08% | |
| OK | Tulsa | $56,930 | 280 | 0.07% | |
| OR | Bend | $59,630 | 50 | 0.09% | |
| OR | Corvallis | $58,480 | 30 | 0.10% | |
| OR | Eugene - Springfield | $65,380 | 30 | 0.03% | |
| OR | Medford | $47,780 | 40 | 0.05% | |
| OR | Portland - Vancouver - Hillsboro | $64,620 | 300 | 0.03% | |
| OR | Salem | $68,120 | 40 | 0.03% | |
| PA | Allentown - Bethlehem - Easton | $63,070 | 100 | 0.03% | |
| PA | Harrisburg - Carlisle | $58,190 | 90 | 0.03% | |
| PA | Lancaster | $54,640 | 60 | 0.03% | |
| PA | Philadelphia (Metro Area) | $55,160 | 340 | 0.02% | |
| PA | Pittsburgh | $47,220 | 370 | 0.03% | |
| PA | Reading | $52,910 | 40 | 0.02% | |
| PA | Scranton - Wilkes - Barre | $47,160 | 60 | 0.02% | |
| PA | State College | $56,850 | 30 | 0.05% | |
| PA | York - Hanover | $46,900 | 70 | 0.04% | |
| PR | Aguadilla - Isabela - San Sebastian | $18,800 | N/A | N/A | |
| PR | San Juan - Caguas - Guaynabo | $36,920 | 120 | 0.02% | |
| RI | Providence - Fall River - Warwick | $69,430 | 90 | 0.02% | |
| SC | Charleston - North Charleston - Summerville | $61,640 | 180 | 0.06% | |
| SC | Columbia | $48,630 | 190 | 0.06% | |
| SC | Florence | $46,300 | 40 | 0.05% | |
| SC | Greenville - Mauldin - Easley | N/A | 100 | 0.03% | |
| SC | Myrtle Beach - North Myrtle Beach - Conway | $39,140 | 30 | 0.03% | |
| SC | Spartanburg | $45,740 | N/A | N/A | |
| SD | Sioux Falls | $54,940 | 40 | 0.03% | |
| TN | Chattanooga | $34,620 | 80 | 0.03% | |
| TN | Clarksville | $43,670 | 50 | 0.06% | |
| TN | Johnson City | $42,900 | 30 | 0.04% | |
| TN | Kingsport - Bristol - Bristol | $44,440 | 50 | 0.04% | |
| TN | Knoxville | $39,490 | 120 | 0.04% | |
| TN | Memphis | $41,100 | 90 | 0.01% | |
| TN | Nashville - Davidson - Murfreesboro - Franklin | $46,570 | 140 | 0.02% | |
| TX | Austin - Round Rock - San Marcos | $46,710 | 370 | 0.05% | |
| TX | Beaumont - Port Arthur | $53,360 | 160 | 0.10% | |
| TX | Corpus Christi | $45,000 | 80 | 0.05% | |
| TX | Dallas - Plano - Irving (Metro Area) | $56,810 | 400 | 0.02% | |
| TX | El Paso | $36,140 | 30 | 0.01% | |
| TX | Fort Worth - Arlington (Metro Area) | $64,870 | 170 | 0.02% | |
| TX | Houston - Sugar Land - Baytown | $53,450 | 2,020 | 0.08% | |
| TX | Laredo | $49,290 | 40 | 0.05% | |
| TX | Longview | $48,900 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| TX | Lubbock | $40,530 | 40 | 0.03% | |
| TX | McAllen - Edinburg - Mission | $58,890 | 40 | 0.02% | |
| TX | Midland | $41,080 | 80 | 0.10% | |
| TX | San Antonio - New Braunfels | $50,720 | 200 | 0.02% | |
| TX | Tyler | $32,290 | N/A | N/A | |
| TX | Victoria | $44,100 | 40 | 0.09% | |
| UT | Ogden - Clearfield | $53,270 | 80 | 0.04% | |
| UT | Provo - Orem | $59,410 | 30 | 0.02% | |
| UT | Salt Lake City | $65,140 | 180 | 0.03% | |
| VA | Blacksburg - Christiansburg - Radford | $38,090 | 30 | 0.05% | |
| VA | Charlottesville | $53,180 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| VA | Lynchburg | $35,750 | 30 | 0.03% | |
| VA | Richmond | $47,920 | 280 | 0.05% | |
| VA | Roanoke | $35,170 | 70 | 0.04% | |
| VA | Virginia Beach - Norfolk - Newport News | $62,800 | 250 | 0.03% | |
| VA | Winchester | $48,210 | 50 | 0.09% | |
| VT | Burlington - South Burlington | $42,940 | N/A | N/A | |
| WA | Bremerton - Silverdale | $65,020 | 60 | 0.07% | |
| WA | Kennewick - Pasco - Richland | $66,240 | 50 | 0.06% | |
| WA | Olympia | $68,430 | 30 | 0.03% | |
| WA | Seattle - Bellevue - Everett (Metro Area) | $68,250 | 320 | 0.02% | |
| WA | Spokane | $70,010 | 50 | 0.02% | |
| WA | Tacoma (Metro Area) | $67,830 | 100 | 0.04% | |
| WI | Eau Claire | $47,950 | 30 | 0.04% | |
| WI | Green Bay | $45,580 | 60 | 0.04% | |
| WI | Madison | $56,160 | 100 | 0.03% | |
| WI | Milwaukee - Waukesha - West Allis | $58,200 | 200 | 0.03% | |
| WI | Oshkosh - Neenah | $45,730 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| WV | Charleston | $50,770 | 150 | 0.10% | |
| WV | Huntington - Ashland | $31,240 | 30 | 0.03% |