All careersEngineering & science

Surveyor

$72,740
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Measure land and property boundaries using precise instruments and prepare maps and legal descriptions.

Where you work

Outdoor field sites and offices

The hours

Daytime, some travel and weather delays

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$72,740
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~3,900
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+4%
About average
Working in the U.S.
56,100
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree + state license.

License or certification

Requires a state surveyor license, earned through exams and supervised experience after a degree.

What it takes

PrecisionMathTechnology useAttention to detail

The honest take

A field-and-office engineering path with a lighter degree load, but the state license takes years to earn.

Standard Occupational Classification 17-1022. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.