Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
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.
Top skills:MathematicsReading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingSpeakingCoordination
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Surveyor pay by experience level
Entry level$48,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$60,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$78,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$101,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$130,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+4.4%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
3,900
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Surveyor salary by industry
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
38,170 workers
$81,000
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
37,260 workers
$81,000
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
4,590 workers
$101,000
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
2,650 workers
$95,500
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
2,510 workers
$84,000
Specialty Trade Contractors
1,680 workers
$77,500
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
1,520 workers
$108,000
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction
1,140 workers
$88,500
Construction of Buildings
960 workers
$82,500
Other Specialty Trade Contractors
900 workers
$79,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Surveyor pays 23% below the average across 59 roles in the Architecture and Engineering job family (family average $108,000).
Similar-paying roles in Architecture and Engineering
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Surveyor make?
The average base salary for a Surveyor in the United States is $83,500 per year, or about $40.14 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $60,000 and $101,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Architecture and Engineering roles?
The Architecture and Engineering job family averages $108,000 across 59 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Surveyor pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
