Engineering and architecture
Surveyor
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.
Median pay
$75,440
Growth to 2035
+6%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
3,100
Time to qualify*
2 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Surveyor
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Surveyor: 45% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles.
- Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed.
- Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases, or other legal documents.
- Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites.
- Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.
- Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.
- Prepare, or supervise preparation of, all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys.
- Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features.
Also called: City Surveyor · County Surveyor · Land Surveyor · Licensed Land Surveyor · Mine Surveyor · Professional Land Surveyor · Registered Land Surveyor · Staff Land Surveyor
Outlook and AI
Surveyors held 52,000 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 55,000 by 2035 (+6%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Surveyor vs. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Surveyor vs. Civil engineer
- Surveyor vs. Cartographers and photogrammetrists
- Surveyor vs. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Surveyor vs. Construction and building inspectors
- Surveyor vs. Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians
- Surveyor vs. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Surveyor vs. Architectural and civil drafters
- Surveyor vs. Property appraisers and assessors