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Surveyor: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$75,440median pay per year, or $36.27 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $46,880lowest 10% earn less
  2. $58,17025th percentile
  3. $75,440median
  4. $98,13075th percentile
  5. $125,590top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Surveyors earned a median of $75,440 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+5.8%[2]
Openings per year
3,100[5]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[6]

How much do surveyors make?

The median wage for surveyors was $75,440 a year, or $36.27 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[4]. The average was $80,570 a year, or $38.73 an hour[7].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $46,880 $22.54
25th[3][8] $58,170 $27.97
Median[1] $75,440 $36.27
75th[3][8] $98,130 $47.18
90th[3][8] $125,590 $60.38

A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $46,880[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

The figures cover part-time and full-time wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].

Pay by state and city

California had the highest median among states with published data, at $105,330[11]. Alaska followed at $99,550 and Oregon at $97,070[11]. Arkansas had the lowest listed median, at $51,800[11].

Texas had the most surveyor jobs, 6,410[12]. California had 4,520, Florida 4,000, Georgia 1,770 and Illinois 1,710[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom had the top median at $128,600[13]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont came next at $125,060, then San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara at $117,160[13]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had the most jobs, 1,960, with a median of $62,960[14].

Show median pay in 50 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[11]$105,3304,520
Alaska$99,550250
Oregon$97,070530
Massachusetts$94,5901,290
Washington$85,610780
Montana$84,610350
Minnesota$83,620980
Maine$83,200270
Delaware$82,890120
Nevada$82,460490
Hawaii$82,200140
Wyoming$81,250240
Indiana$80,510870
Wisconsin$79,650610
North Dakota$79,360250
Colorado$79,3101,620
New York$78,8701,470
Arizona$77,4901,360
South Dakota$77,190180
New Jersey$77,160900
Iowa$77,090450
Connecticut$76,730430
Vermont$76,450n/a
Tennessee$76,340920
North Carolina$76,2101,530
Illinois$75,9801,710
Pennsylvania$75,9501,610
Kansas$75,860350
New Mexico$74,230290
Idaho$73,940250
Utah$73,230650
Michigan$72,0801,050
Kentucky$71,840670
Virginia$71,0701,360
Ohio$70,6201,300
Nebraska$68,050430
Alabama$66,840910
Florida$65,4804,000
New Hampshire$65,130280
Maryland$64,910950
South Carolina$63,3001,000
Louisiana$63,1401,460
Rhode Island$62,670150
Missouri$62,110830
West Virginia$61,520630
Oklahoma$61,300960
Texas$61,1506,410
Mississippi$58,720570
Georgia$58,1001,770
Arkansas$51,800550

How to become a surveyor

BLS describes the typical path like this:

To sit for the licensing exam, candidates may need a bachelor's degree from an accredited program[19]. Some surveyors start as surveying technicians and become licensed after many years of experience under a licensed surveyor[20]. Requirements vary by state, so check with your state's licensing agency[20].

In an O*NET survey of 19 workers, 47% said a bachelor's degree was required, 21% said some college courses and 16% said a high school diploma[21].

What surveyors do

Surveyors measure land and set property boundaries, and their data is used for engineering, mapmaking, mining and construction[22]. Typical tasks include[23]:

BLS lists detail orientation, communication, time management and problem-solving as important qualities[24][25][26][27].

Where surveyors work

Architectural, engineering and related services employed the largest share, 71% in 2025[28]. About 2.1% of surveyors were self-employed[29].

The job mixes fieldwork and office work. Fieldwork can mean working outdoors in all weather, walking long distances and standing for long periods[30]. Travel is often part of the job, and work on resource extraction projects may be in remote areas[31]. Most surveyors work full time, with longer days during fieldwork[32].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 52,000 to 55,000 jobs, a gain of 3,000[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[33]. The OEWS count for May 2025 was about 50,830 wage and salary jobs[34].

About 3,100 openings a year are projected on average[5]. They come from retirements and moves to other occupations as well as new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.3% of workers leave the labor force and 3.1% move to a different occupation[35].

Is it a good fit?

Pay is above the all-occupation median[1][4], and the 90th percentile reached $125,590[3]. The route involves a bachelor's degree[6], several years of supervised work[17] and a state license[18]. Fieldwork can be physically demanding[36][30]. Growth is projected faster than for all occupations[2][33]. Pay differs widely by state, so local figures matter[11].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[37].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a surveyor make an hour?
The median was $36.27 an hour in May 2025[1].
What degree do you need to be a surveyor?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[6]. Land surveying or a related field fits[15].
Do surveyors need a license?
Yes. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require one before surveyors serve the public[18].
Is surveying in demand?
BLS projects 5.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][33].
What is the highest paying state for surveyors?
California, with a median of $105,330[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Surveyors in the US was $75,440 per year and $36.27 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Surveyors is projected to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 52,000 to 55,000 jobs (a change of +3,000). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Surveyors: 10th percentile $46,880, 25th percentile $58,170, 75th percentile $98,130, 90th percentile $125,590. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 3,100 openings for Surveyors are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Surveyors: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Internship/residency. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Surveyors was $80,570 per year and $38.73 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Surveyors: 10th percentile $22.54, 25th percentile $27.97, 75th percentile $47.18, 90th percentile $60.38. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Surveyors in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Surveyors jobs: Texas 6,410; California 4,520; Florida 4,000; Georgia 1,770; Illinois 1,710. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Surveyors (areas with at least 100 jobs): Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $128,600; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $125,060; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $117,160; Fresno, CA $107,230; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $102,210; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $101,950; Anchorage, AK $101,820; Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $100,930. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Surveyors jobs: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,960 (median $62,960); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,400 (median $66,030); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,300 (median $83,610); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 1,140 (median $80,060); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,100 (median $57,260); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,070 (median $94,970). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET 17-1022.00 survey of workers (19 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 47%, Some College Courses 21%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 16%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 11%, Post-Secondary Certificate 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET description of Surveyors. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET task list for Surveyors. O*NET OnLine
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of surveyors in 2025: Architectural, engineering, and related services 71%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. BLS Employment Projections: 2.1% of Surveyors were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  34. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 50,830 people were employed as Surveyors in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  35. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Surveyors: 2.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  36. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  37. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.