Surveyors Salary
Architecture and Engineering Occupations · 51K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$75,440
Median hourly
$36
Average annual
$80,570
Typical range
$46,880–$125,590
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Surveyors is $75,440 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $36 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $46,880 and $125,590 a year. There are roughly 51K people employed as surveyors in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Surveyors.
- Hourly
- $36.27
- Daily
- $290
- Weekly
- $1,451
- Bi-weekly
- $2,902
- Monthly
- $6,287
- Annual
- $75,440
$75,440 a year is around the 50th percentile for Surveyorss. The median is $75,440.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1California$105,330
- 2Alaska$99,550
- 3Oregon$97,070
- 4Massachusetts$94,590
- 5Washington$85,610
- 6Montana$84,610
- 7Minnesota$83,620
- 8Maine$83,200
- 9Delaware$82,890
- 10Nevada$82,460
- 11Hawaii$82,200
- 12Wyoming$81,250
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Yuba City, CA$133,270
- 2Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$128,600
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$125,060
- 4Redding, CA$124,160
- 5Vallejo, CA$123,590
- 6Stockton-Lodi, CA$120,000
- 7San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$117,160
- 8Kennewick-Richland, WA$111,400
- 9San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$107,700
- 10Fresno, CA$107,230
- 11Bellingham, WA$106,590
- 12Salem, OR$102,880
Related job titles
Employers advertise Surveyors roles under these titles.
- City Surveyor
- Construction Surveyor
- County Surveyor
- Field Surveyor
- Geodesist
- Geodetic Advisor
- Geodetic Coordinator
- Geodetic Information Specialist
- Geodetic Survey Director
- Geodetic Surveyor
- Geodetic Surveyor Technologist
- Geodetic Technician
- Geographic Information System Surveyor (GIS Surveyor)
- Geomatics Technician
- Geophysical Prospecting Surveyor
- Home Surveyor
Related occupations
- Surveyors$75,440
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians$54,240
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists$81,390
- Civil Engineers$100,840
- Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians$53,350
- Construction and Building Inspectors$74,690
- Computer Occupations, All Other$116,580
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950
What a Surveyors does
- Analyze control or survey data to ensure adherence to project specifications or land survey standards.
- 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.
- Maintain databases of geodetic and related information, including coordinate, descriptive, or quality assurance data.
- Verify the mathematical correctness of newly collected survey data.
- Compute horizontal and vertical coordinates of control networks, using direct leveling or other geodetic survey techniques, such as triangulation, trilateration, and traversing, to establish features of the Earth's surface.
- Plan or direct the work of geodetic surveying staff, providing technical consultation as needed.
- Assess the quality of control data to determine the need for additional survey data for engineering, construction, or other projects.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Surveyors make?
- The median annual wage for Surveyors is $75,440 ($36 per hour). Pay ranges from about $46,880 at the 10th percentile to $125,590 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Surveyors?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $80,570, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Surveyorss the most?
- California has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $105,330.
- Is Surveyors a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 51K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Surveyors do?
- Analyze control or survey data to ensure adherence to project specifications or land survey standards.; 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..