Surveyors
Make exact measurements and determine property boundaries. Provide data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, or dimension of land or land features on or near the earth's surface for engineering, mapmaking, mining, land evaluation, construction, and other purposes.
Also called: City Surveyor, Construction Surveyor, County Surveyor, Field Inspector, Field Surveyor, Geophysical Prospecting Surveyor
Median pay
$75,440
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$46,880 – $125,590
People employed
50,830
Holland code
CRI
Conventional · Realistic · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 2.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 3.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 4.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
The hard parts
- Work outdoors in all weather
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
Surveyors pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What surveyors do
- 01Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles.
- 02Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed.
- 03Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases, or other legal documents.
- 04Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites.
- 05Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.
- 06Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.
Skills that matter most
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Listening
Knowledge
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Geography
- Computers and Electronics
- Design
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from surveyors
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians80% · −14%
- Construction and Building Inspectors79% · −1%
- Civil Engineers79% · +34%
- Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers79% · +41%
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians78% · −28%
Change into surveyors
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians87% · $54,240
- Remote Sensing Technicians80% · $62,280
- Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians75% · $53,350
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians74% · $59,920
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health74% · $55,090
Majors that lead here
- Surveying Engineering
- Surveying Technology/Surveying
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.