Surveyors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for surveyors in the U.S. is $75,440 ($36.27 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $75,440
- Mean annual wage
- $80,570
- Median hourly wage
- $36.27
- Employment
- 50,830
50,830 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,880 | $22.54 |
| 25th percentile | $58,170 | $27.97 |
| Median (50th) | $75,440 | $36.27 |
| 75th percentile | $98,130 | $47.18 |
| 90th percentile | $125,590 | $60.38 |
Highest-paying states for surveyors
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| California | $105,330 | 4,520 |
| Alaska | $99,550 | 250 |
| Oregon | $97,070 | 530 |
| Massachusetts | $94,590 | 1,290 |
| Washington | $85,610 | 780 |
| Montana | $84,610 | 350 |
| Minnesota | $83,620 | 980 |
| Maine | $83,200 | 270 |
| Delaware | $82,890 | 120 |
| Nevada | $82,460 | 490 |
Lowest-paying states
- Arkansas: $51,800 median annual wage
- Georgia: $58,100 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $58,720 median annual wage
- Texas: $61,150 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $61,300 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.
- Survey bodies of water to determine navigable channels and to secure data for construction of breakwaters, piers, and other marine structures.
- Determine specifications for equipment to be used for aerial photography, as well as altitudes from which to photograph terrain.
- Train assistants and helpers, and direct their work in such activities as performing surveys or drafting maps.
- Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas, using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS).
- Direct aerial surveys of specified geographical areas.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 7.7% |
| Associate's degree | 3.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 67.3% |
| Master's degree | 14.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 2.6% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Civil Engineers$100,840
- Industrial Engineers$102,440
- Mechanical Engineers$104,110
- Electrical Engineers$120,630
- Engineers, All Other$122,930
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$99,280
- Architectural and Civil Drafters$66,150
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,220
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.