Surveying and Mapping Technicians Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of surveying and mapping technicians to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035 (about 3,400 more jobs), with about 6,900 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $54,240 a year ranks 497th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +5.8%
- Openings a year
- 6,900
- Median pay
- $54,240
- Pay rank
- 497th of 825
Is employment of surveying and mapping technicians growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of surveying and mapping technicians to rise 5.8% (about 3,400 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +6.8% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 36 architecture and engineering occupations with a projection. That change ranks 177th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 58,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 62,200 |
| Projected change | +5.8% |
| Openings a year | 6,900 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 58,800 jobs here differ from the 58,010 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 6,900 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 324th most of 830 occupations. About 95% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 340 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for surveying and mapping technicians rank?
The median of $54,240 a year ranks 497th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cartographers and Photogrammetrists | +7.4% | 900 | $81,390 |
| Surveyors | +5.8% | 3,100 | $75,440 |
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | +5.2% | 9,100 | $66,150 |
| Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | +3.2% | 6,100 | $64,950 |
| Electrical and Electronics Drafters | -3.4% | 1,400 | $76,870 |
| Civil Engineers | +6.4% | 22,700 | $100,840 |
| Calibration Technologists and Technicians | +4.8% | 1,500 | $67,820 |
| Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | +3.8% | 300 | $106,220 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.