17 Series · SOC 17-1022
Surveyors Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $75,440
- Median / year
- $125,590
- Top 10% earn
- +4.4%
- Growth '23–'33
- 50,830
- US workers
Surveyors earn a median of $75,440 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $75,440, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $46,880 (10th percentile) to $125,590 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 50,830 US workers. California pays the most ($105,330), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Surveyors earn a median of $75,440, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 67% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Architecture and Engineering, it ranks #26 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.4% by 2033.
- $75,440
- Median annual wage
- Top 33%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #26 of 36
- in Architecture and Engineering
- 2.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: California at $105,330. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Surveyors (SOC 17-1022) pays a national median of $75,440 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $46,880 at the 10th percentile to $125,590 at the 90th, with a mean of $80,570 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 50,830 Americans work in this occupation across 52 reporting states and 297 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,900 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree and internship/residency of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 2 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $105,330, which is +40% above the national figure. The top metro is Yuba City, CA at $133,270 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
BLS OEWS May 2025 50,830 jobs Median $75,440/yr
Median Salary
$75,440
per year
Median Hourly
$36.27/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$80,570
average
Employment
50,830
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Surveyors pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$75,440 Top 33% higher than 67% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 17-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Surveyors; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 17-series occupations with growth data, Surveyors sits on the slower-growing side at +4.4% growth and $75,440 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+4.4%
About average
Annual Openings
3,900
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
On-the-Job Training
Internship/residency
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings → A
Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
2/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Surveyors roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Mathematics 4.1
Reading Comprehension 4.0
Active Listening 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.8
Writing 3.6
Judgment and Decision Making 3.6
Speaking 3.4
Active Learning 3.4
Monitoring 3.4
Knowledge Areas
Mathematics 4.8
Engineering and Technology 4.0
Geography 3.8
Computers and Electronics 3.8
English Language 3.7
Physics 3.5
Education and Training 3.2
Design 3.1
Customer and Personal Service 3.1
Law and Government 2.8
Key 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.
- ▸ Analyze control or survey data to ensure adherence to project specifications or land survey standards.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Conduct surveys to determine exact positions, measurement of points, elevations, lines, areas, volumes, contours, or other features of land surfaces.
- ▸ Calculate the exact horizontal and vertical position of points on the Earth's surface.
- ▸ Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.
- ▸ Maintain databases of geodetic and related information, including coordinate, descriptive, or quality assurance data.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$46,880
25th Percentile
$58,170
Median
$75,440
75th Percentile
$98,130
90th Percentile
$125,590
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 52 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $105,330 | +40% above national |
| 2 | Alaska | $99,550 | +32% above national |
| 3 | Oregon | $97,070 | +29% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $94,590 | +25% above national |
| 5 | Washington | $85,610 | +13% above national |
| 6 | Montana | $84,610 | +12% above national |
| 7 | Minnesota | $83,620 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Maine | $83,200 | +10% above national |
| 9 | Delaware | $82,890 | +10% above national |
| 10 | Nevada | $82,460 | +9% above national |
| 11 | Hawaii | $82,200 | +9% above national |
| 12 | Wyoming | $81,250 | +8% above national |
| 13 | Indiana | $80,510 | +7% above national |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $79,650 | +6% above national |
| 15 | North Dakota | $79,360 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Colorado | $79,310 | +5% above national |
| 17 | New York | $78,870 | +5% above national |
| 18 | Arizona | $77,490 | +3% above national |
| 19 | South Dakota | $77,190 | +2% above national |
| 20 | New Jersey | $77,160 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Iowa | $77,090 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Connecticut | $76,730 | +2% above national |
| 23 | Vermont | $76,450 | +1% above national |
| 24 | Tennessee | $76,340 | +1% above national |
| 25 | North Carolina | $76,210 | +1% above national |
| 26 | Illinois | $75,980 | +1% above national |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $75,950 | +1% above national |
| 28 | Kansas | $75,860 | +1% above national |
| 29 | New Mexico | $74,230 | 2% below national |
| 30 | Idaho | $73,940 | 2% below national |
| 31 | Utah | $73,230 | 3% below national |
| 32 | Michigan | $72,080 | 4% below national |
| 33 | Kentucky | $71,840 | 5% below national |
| 34 | Virginia | $71,070 | 6% below national |
| 35 | Ohio | $70,620 | 6% below national |
| 36 | Nebraska | $68,050 | 10% below national |
| 37 | Alabama | $66,840 | 11% below national |
| 38 | Florida | $65,480 | 13% below national |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $65,130 | 14% below national |
| 40 | Maryland | $64,910 | 14% below national |
| 41 | South Carolina | $63,300 | 16% below national |
| 42 | Louisiana | $63,140 | 16% below national |
| 43 | Rhode Island | $62,670 | 17% below national |
| 44 | Missouri | $62,110 | 18% below national |
| 45 | West Virginia | $61,520 | 18% below national |
| 46 | Guam | $61,490 | 18% below national |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $61,300 | 19% below national |
| 48 | Texas | $61,150 | 19% below national |
| 49 | Mississippi | $58,720 | 22% below national |
| 50 | Georgia | $58,100 | 23% below national |
| 51 | Arkansas | $51,800 | 31% below national |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $44,870 | 41% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 297 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuba City, CA | $133,270 | +77% above national |
| 2 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $128,600 | +70% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $125,060 | +66% above national |
| 4 | Redding, CA | $124,160 | +65% above national |
| 5 | Vallejo, CA | $123,590 | +64% above national |
| 6 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $120,000 | +59% above national |
| 7 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $117,160 | +55% above national |
| 8 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $111,400 | +48% above national |
| 9 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $107,700 | +43% above national |
| 10 | Fresno, CA | $107,230 | +42% above national |
| 11 | Bellingham, WA | $106,590 | +41% above national |
| 12 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $104,050 | +38% above national |
| 13 | Salem, OR | $102,880 | +36% above national |
| 14 | Fargo, ND-MN | $102,270 | +36% above national |
| 15 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $102,210 | +35% above national |
| 16 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $101,950 | +35% above national |
| 17 | Anchorage, AK | $101,820 | +35% above national |
| 18 | Salinas, CA | $101,120 | +34% above national |
| 19 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $100,930 | +34% above national |
| 20 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $100,920 | +34% above national |
| 21 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $100,510 | +33% above national |
| 22 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $100,270 | +33% above national |
| 23 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $100,010 | +33% above national |
| 24 | Modesto, CA | $99,270 | +32% above national |
| 25 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $99,030 | +31% above national |
| 26 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $98,810 | +31% above national |
| 27 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $98,610 | +31% above national |
| 28 | Bend, OR | $96,240 | +28% above national |
| 29 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $94,970 | +26% above national |
| 30 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $93,660 | +24% above national |
| 31 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $91,750 | +22% above national |
| 32 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $91,060 | +21% above national |
| 33 | Madison, WI | $90,310 | +20% above national |
| 34 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $89,630 | +19% above national |
| 35 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $88,880 | +18% above national |
| 36 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $88,050 | +17% above national |
| 37 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $86,390 | +15% above national |
| 38 | Bozeman, MT | $86,380 | +15% above national |
| 39 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $86,260 | +14% above national |
| 40 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $85,610 | +13% above national |
| 41 | Fort Wayne, IN | $84,800 | +12% above national |
| 42 | Billings, MT | $84,670 | +12% above national |
| 43 | Worcester, MA | $84,270 | +12% above national |
| 44 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $83,610 | +11% above national |
| 45 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $83,450 | +11% above national |
| 46 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $83,420 | +11% above national |
| 47 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $83,410 | +11% above national |
| 48 | Evansville, IN | $82,920 | +10% above national |
| 49 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $82,890 | +10% above national |
| 50 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $82,770 | +10% above national |
| 51 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $82,170 | +9% above national |
| 52 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $82,070 | +9% above national |
| 53 | Missoula, MT | $81,940 | +9% above national |
| 54 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $81,560 | +8% above national |
| 55 | Green Bay, WI | $81,550 | +8% above national |
| 56 | New Haven, CT | $81,490 | +8% above national |
| 57 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $81,400 | +8% above national |
| 58 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $81,100 | +8% above national |
| 59 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $81,030 | +7% above national |
| 60 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $80,970 | +7% above national |
| 61 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $80,060 | +6% above national |
| 62 | Albuquerque, NM | $79,920 | +6% above national |
| 63 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $79,820 | +6% above national |
| 64 | Topeka, KS | $79,630 | +6% above national |
| 65 | Bismarck, ND | $79,620 | +6% above national |
| 66 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $79,580 | +5% above national |
| 67 | Colorado Springs, CO | $79,530 | +5% above national |
| 68 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $79,500 | +5% above national |
| 69 | Helena, MT | $79,230 | +5% above national |
| 70 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $79,230 | +5% above national |
| 71 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $79,140 | +5% above national |
| 72 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $79,040 | +5% above national |
| 73 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $78,870 | +5% above national |
| 74 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $78,860 | +5% above national |
| 75 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $78,740 | +4% above national |
| 76 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $78,690 | +4% above national |
| 77 | Reno, NV | $78,640 | +4% above national |
| 78 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $78,540 | +4% above national |
| 79 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $78,490 | +4% above national |
| 80 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $78,460 | +4% above national |
| 81 | Springfield, IL | $78,460 | +4% above national |
| 82 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $78,460 | +4% above national |
| 83 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $78,400 | +4% above national |
| 84 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $78,380 | +4% above national |
| 85 | Rapid City, SD | $78,320 | +4% above national |
| 86 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $78,230 | +4% above national |
| 87 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $78,230 | +4% above national |
| 88 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $78,180 | +4% above national |
| 89 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $78,170 | +4% above national |
| 90 | Toledo, OH | $78,140 | +4% above national |
| 91 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $77,920 | +3% above national |
| 92 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $77,460 | +3% above national |
| 93 | Columbus, OH | $77,320 | +2% above national |
| 94 | York-Hanover, PA | $77,170 | +2% above national |
| 95 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $77,160 | +2% above national |
| 96 | Pittsburgh, PA | $77,080 | +2% above national |
| 97 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $77,050 | +2% above national |
| 98 | Boulder, CO | $76,980 | +2% above national |
| 99 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $76,930 | +2% above national |
| 100 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $76,880 | +2% above national |
| 101 | Lancaster, PA | $76,880 | +2% above national |
| 102 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $76,760 | +2% above national |
| 103 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $76,760 | +2% above national |
| 104 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $76,710 | +2% above national |
| 105 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $76,310 | +1% above national |
| 106 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $76,190 | +1% above national |
| 107 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $76,180 | +1% above national |
| 108 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $76,130 | +1% above national |
| 109 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $76,110 | +1% above national |
| 110 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $76,060 | +1% above national |
| 111 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $75,870 | +1% above national |
| 112 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $75,780 | same as national |
| 113 | Duluth, MN-WI | $75,360 | same as national |
| 114 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $75,210 | same as national |
| 115 | Grand Junction, CO | $75,110 | same as national |
| 116 | Boise City, ID | $75,050 | 1% below national |
| 117 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $74,920 | 1% below national |
| 118 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $74,880 | 1% below national |
| 119 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $74,670 | 1% below national |
| 120 | Birmingham, AL | $74,670 | 1% below national |
| 121 | Syracuse, NY | $74,440 | 1% below national |
| 122 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $74,410 | 1% below national |
| 123 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $74,390 | 1% below national |
| 124 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $74,200 | 2% below national |
| 125 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $74,200 | 2% below national |
| 126 | Richmond, VA | $74,150 | 2% below national |
| 127 | Knoxville, TN | $74,100 | 2% below national |
| 128 | Asheville, NC | $74,030 | 2% below national |
| 129 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $73,930 | 2% below national |
| 130 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $73,780 | 2% below national |
| 131 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $73,520 | 3% below national |
| 132 | Ogden, UT | $73,440 | 3% below national |
| 133 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $73,290 | 3% below national |
| 134 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $73,280 | 3% below national |
| 135 | Tucson, AZ | $73,120 | 3% below national |
| 136 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $72,830 | 3% below national |
| 137 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $72,800 | 3% below national |
| 138 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $72,750 | 4% below national |
| 139 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $72,470 | 4% below national |
| 140 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $72,420 | 4% below national |
| 141 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $72,360 | 4% below national |
| 142 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $72,350 | 4% below national |
| 143 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $72,230 | 4% below national |
| 144 | Wilmington, NC | $72,160 | 4% below national |
| 145 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $72,100 | 4% below national |
| 146 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $72,090 | 4% below national |
| 147 | Greeley, CO | $71,950 | 5% below national |
| 148 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $71,910 | 5% below national |
| 149 | Wichita, KS | $71,750 | 5% below national |
| 150 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $71,560 | 5% below national |
| 151 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $71,550 | 5% below national |
| 152 | Peoria, IL | $71,350 | 5% below national |
| 153 | Winston-Salem, NC | $71,320 | 5% below national |
| 154 | Montgomery, AL | $71,210 | 6% below national |
| 155 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $71,090 | 6% below national |
| 156 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $71,010 | 6% below national |
| 157 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $70,890 | 6% below national |
| 158 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $70,720 | 6% below national |
| 159 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $70,720 | 6% below national |
| 160 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $70,270 | 7% below national |
| 161 | Tallahassee, FL | $70,030 | 7% below national |
| 162 | Lincoln, NE | $70,010 | 7% below national |
| 163 | Baton Rouge, LA | $69,710 | 8% below national |
| 164 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $69,660 | 8% below national |
| 165 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $69,530 | 8% below national |
| 166 | Rochester, NY | $69,490 | 8% below national |
| 167 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $69,490 | 8% below national |
| 168 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $69,480 | 8% below national |
| 169 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $68,890 | 9% below national |
| 170 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $68,610 | 9% below national |
| 171 | Spartanburg, SC | $68,510 | 9% below national |
| 172 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $66,980 | 11% below national |
| 173 | Savannah, GA | $66,870 | 11% below national |
| 174 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $66,850 | 11% below national |
| 175 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $66,720 | 12% below national |
| 176 | Jacksonville, FL | $66,590 | 12% below national |
| 177 | Columbia, SC | $66,580 | 12% below national |
| 178 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $66,440 | 12% below national |
| 179 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $66,390 | 12% below national |
| 180 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $66,340 | 12% below national |
| 181 | Gainesville, FL | $66,290 | 12% below national |
| 182 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $66,030 | 12% below national |
| 183 | Bowling Green, KY | $65,960 | 13% below national |
| 184 | Charlottesville, VA | $65,820 | 13% below national |
| 185 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $65,820 | 13% below national |
| 186 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $65,720 | 13% below national |
| 187 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $65,560 | 13% below national |
| 188 | Joplin, MO-KS | $65,340 | 13% below national |
| 189 | Mobile, AL | $65,110 | 14% below national |
| 190 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $65,000 | 14% below national |
| 191 | Springfield, MO | $64,910 | 14% below national |
| 192 | Lake Charles, LA | $64,520 | 14% below national |
| 193 | Omaha, NE-IA | $64,360 | 15% below national |
| 194 | Cleveland, OH | $64,300 | 15% below national |
| 195 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $64,280 | 15% below national |
| 196 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $64,210 | 15% below national |
| 197 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $64,200 | 15% below national |
| 198 | Reading, PA | $64,150 | 15% below national |
| 199 | Bangor, ME | $64,120 | 15% below national |
| 200 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $64,010 | 15% below national |
| 201 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $63,900 | 15% below national |
| 202 | Oklahoma City, OK | $63,880 | 15% below national |
| 203 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $63,860 | 15% below national |
| 204 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $63,800 | 15% below national |
| 205 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $63,680 | 16% below national |
| 206 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $63,230 | 16% below national |
| 207 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $63,200 | 16% below national |
| 208 | Lexington Park, MD | $63,130 | 16% below national |
| 209 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $62,960 | 17% below national |
| 210 | Huntsville, AL | $62,880 | 17% below national |
| 211 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $62,730 | 17% below national |
| 212 | Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $62,680 | 17% below national |
| 213 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $62,630 | 17% below national |
| 214 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $62,630 | 17% below national |
| 215 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $62,370 | 17% below national |
| 216 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $62,010 | 18% below national |
| 217 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $61,960 | 18% below national |
| 218 | Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $61,920 | 18% below national |
| 219 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $61,920 | 18% below national |
| 220 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $61,890 | 18% below national |
| 221 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $61,860 | 18% below national |
| 222 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $61,720 | 18% below national |
| 223 | Corpus Christi, TX | $61,650 | 18% below national |
| 224 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $61,540 | 18% below national |
| 225 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $61,510 | 18% below national |
| 226 | Akron, OH | $61,500 | 18% below national |
| 227 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $61,380 | 19% below national |
| 228 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $61,210 | 19% below national |
| 229 | Midland, TX | $61,180 | 19% below national |
| 230 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $61,090 | 19% below national |
| 231 | Columbus, GA-AL | $60,970 | 19% below national |
| 232 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $60,950 | 19% below national |
| 233 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $60,940 | 19% below national |
| 234 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $60,860 | 19% below national |
| 235 | Jackson, MS | $60,800 | 19% below national |
| 236 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $60,740 | 19% below national |
| 237 | Tulsa, OK | $60,600 | 20% below national |
| 238 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $60,560 | 20% below national |
| 239 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $60,550 | 20% below national |
| 240 | Charleston, WV | $60,160 | 20% below national |
| 241 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $60,020 | 20% below national |
| 242 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $60,010 | 20% below national |
| 243 | Gainesville, GA | $59,960 | 21% below national |
| 244 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $59,920 | 21% below national |
| 245 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $59,910 | 21% below national |
| 246 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $59,850 | 21% below national |
| 247 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $59,800 | 21% below national |
| 248 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $59,740 | 21% below national |
| 249 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $59,730 | 21% below national |
| 250 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $59,720 | 21% below national |
| 251 | Odessa, TX | $59,660 | 21% below national |
| 252 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $59,310 | 21% below national |
| 253 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $59,270 | 21% below national |
| 254 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $59,140 | 22% below national |
| 255 | Monroe, LA | $58,920 | 22% below national |
| 256 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $58,530 | 22% below national |
| 257 | Waco, TX | $58,430 | 23% below national |
| 258 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $58,360 | 23% below national |
| 259 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $58,250 | 23% below national |
| 260 | Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $58,250 | 23% below national |
| 261 | Beckley, WV | $58,240 | 23% below national |
| 262 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $58,170 | 23% below national |
| 263 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $58,160 | 23% below national |
| 264 | Ocala, FL | $58,070 | 23% below national |
| 265 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $57,910 | 23% below national |
| 266 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $57,700 | 24% below national |
| 267 | Longview, TX | $57,670 | 24% below national |
| 268 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $57,580 | 24% below national |
| 269 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $57,260 | 24% below national |
| 270 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $56,890 | 25% below national |
| 271 | Tyler, TX | $56,810 | 25% below national |
| 272 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $56,660 | 25% below national |
| 273 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $55,490 | 26% below national |
| 274 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $55,010 | 27% below national |
| 275 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $54,240 | 28% below national |
| 276 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $54,200 | 28% below national |
| 277 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $54,180 | 28% below national |
| 278 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $53,920 | 29% below national |
| 279 | Erie, PA | $53,650 | 29% below national |
| 280 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $53,210 | 29% below national |
| 281 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $52,660 | 30% below national |
| 282 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $52,250 | 31% below national |
| 283 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $51,990 | 31% below national |
| 284 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $51,990 | 31% below national |
| 285 | El Paso, TX | $51,380 | 32% below national |
| 286 | Lubbock, TX | $50,780 | 33% below national |
| 287 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $50,620 | 33% below national |
| 288 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $50,490 | 33% below national |
| 289 | Morgantown, WV | $50,220 | 33% below national |
| 290 | Lafayette, LA | $49,820 | 34% below national |
| 291 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $49,660 | 34% below national |
| 292 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $49,660 | 34% below national |
| 293 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $49,200 | 35% below national |
| 294 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $48,220 | 36% below national |
| 295 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $47,790 | 37% below national |
| 296 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $46,060 | 39% below national |
| 297 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $45,760 | 39% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 17 (architecture and engineering) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Surveyors make? ▼
The median annual salary for Surveyors is $75,440 ($36.27/hour). The salary range spans from $46,880 at the 10th percentile to $125,590 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Surveyors the most? ▼
California pays the highest median salary for Surveyors at $105,330/year, which is +40% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Surveyors? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Surveyors is Bachelor's degree. On-the-job training: Internship/residency.
How dangerous is being a Surveyors? ▼
Surveyors has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 2 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.5 per 100 workers.
Is Surveyors a good career? ▼
Employment for Surveyors is projected to grow 4.4% from 2024 to 2034, which is about average. About 3,900 openings are projected each year.
How does Surveyors pay vary by state? ▼
Surveyors salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $105,330/year, while Texas pays the least at $61,150/year. BLS data covers 52 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Surveyors? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Surveyors is Yuba City, CA at $133,270/year. BLS reports wage data for 297 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.
What to do with this data
How to use Surveyors pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $98,130/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $105,330/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.