GIS Technician Salary by StateBLS figures for surveying and mapping technicians, the broader group
BLS OEWS May 2025 · Broader BLS occupation: SOC 17-3031 Surveying and Mapping Technicians
BLS publishes no separate wage for GIS technicians.
All surveying and mapping technicians (SOC 17-3031 Surveying and Mapping Technicians), the broader occupation used here, earned a national median $54,240 a year ($26.08 an hour) across all industries in May 2025.
The middle half of that group earned between $45,430 and $66,700.
In architectural, engineering and related services (NAICS 541300), the industry that includes survey firms, the median for surveying and mapping technicians was $50,340 a year ($24.20 an hour); 61% of the occupation's payroll jobs are in that industry.
BLS describes GIS technicians inside surveying and mapping technicians (17-3031); the code is not GIS-only.
BLS publishes one series for SOC 17-3031, so the Survey Technician salary page shows the same BLS figures; that page is the exact BLS occupation.
Annual figures are BLS hourly wages × 2,080 hours. OEWS covers wage-and-salary workers only and leaves out the self-employed, overtime pay and most bonuses. BLS publishes no wage for survey firms alone (NAICS 541370).
How pay spreads across Surveying and Mapping Technicians
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,520 | $18.04 |
| 25th | $45,430 | $21.84 |
| 50th (median) | $54,240 | $26.08 |
| 75th | $66,700 | $32.07 |
| 90th | $81,630 | $39.24 |
| Mean (average) | $58,000 | $27.89 |
SOC 17-3031 Surveying and Mapping Technicians, the broader occupation (not a GIS technician series), national, all industries: 58,010 wage-and-salary jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025.
Pay for Surveying and Mapping Technicians by State
Median annual wage for SOC 17-3031 Surveying and Mapping Technicians in each state, BLS OEWS May 2025, alphabetical: the broader group, not a GIS technician series.
BLS state figures cover every employer of the occupation in the state. "vs. U.S." compares the state median with the national median of $54,240; it is not adjusted for living costs.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th–90th | Jobs | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,450 | $22.33 | $31,370–$80,140 | 1,320 | −14% |
| Alaska | $76,970 | $37.01 | $59,800–$103,550 | 300 | +42% |
| Arizona | $54,080 | $26.00 | $39,860–$80,840 | 700 | 0% |
| Arkansas | $46,370 | $22.29 | $36,770–$71,040 | 810 | −15% |
| California | $78,110 | $37.55 | $48,000–$119,270 | 3,340 | +44% |
| Colorado | $57,890 | $27.83 | $45,620–$79,660 | 2,340 | +7% |
| Connecticut | $58,900 | $28.32 | $42,730–$94,660 | 380 | +9% |
| Delaware | $57,130 | $27.47 | $43,700–$79,190 | 180 | +5% |
| District of Columbia | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Florida | $48,040 | $23.10 | $36,640–$73,020 | 4,810 | −11% |
| Georgia | $48,810 | $23.46 | $34,900–$83,320 | 1,890 | −10% |
| Hawaii | $55,580 | $26.72 | $45,600–$73,200 | 140 | +2% |
| Idaho | $52,630 | $25.30 | $39,500–$72,040 | 450 | −3% |
| Illinois | $57,470 | $27.63 | $42,560–$81,440 | 1,110 | +6% |
| Indiana | $56,440 | $27.13 | $37,470–$75,110 | 1,060 | +4% |
| Iowa | $58,950 | $28.34 | $47,840–$77,530 | 390 | +9% |
| Kansas | $50,900 | $24.47 | $42,870–$80,290 | 730 | −6% |
| Kentucky | $46,050 | $22.14 | $37,070–$72,020 | 920 | −15% |
| Louisiana | $49,440 | $23.77 | $36,300–$103,040 | 930 | −9% |
| Maine | $56,470 | $27.15 | $47,990–$80,860 | 220 | +4% |
| Maryland | $61,600 | $29.62 | $42,530–$85,800 | 470 | +14% |
| Massachusetts | $58,730 | $28.24 | $46,370–$99,990 | 640 | +8% |
| Michigan | $50,340 | $24.20 | $40,440–$78,650 | 690 | −7% |
| Minnesota | $73,190 | $35.19 | $51,560–$95,050 | 1,060 | +35% |
| Mississippi | $47,320 | $22.75 | $31,200–$76,590 | 550 | −13% |
| Missouri | $51,700 | $24.86 | $36,260–$77,410 | 720 | −5% |
| Montana | $60,330 | $29.00 | $46,430–$79,690 | 430 | +11% |
| Nebraska | $48,080 | $23.11 | $38,910–$66,580 | 770 | −11% |
| Nevada | $58,790 | $28.27 | $46,960–$103,420 | 680 | +8% |
| New Hampshire | $57,290 | $27.55 | $45,590–$79,070 | 260 | +6% |
| New Jersey | $60,720 | $29.19 | $42,830–$95,820 | 750 | +12% |
| New Mexico | $56,210 | $27.02 | $37,220–$81,410 | 610 | +4% |
| New York | $57,360 | $27.58 | $44,830–$81,990 | 2,540 | +6% |
| North Carolina | $53,160 | $25.56 | $37,710–$76,420 | 4,100 | −2% |
| North Dakota | $60,870 | $29.26 | $43,360–$101,380 | 160 | +12% |
| Ohio | $60,330 | $29.01 | $44,130–$79,930 | 1,350 | +11% |
| Oklahoma | $46,760 | $22.48 | $36,320–$75,970 | 810 | −14% |
| Oregon | $55,790 | $26.82 | $44,330–$78,960 | 1,280 | +3% |
| Pennsylvania | $58,270 | $28.02 | $39,580–$79,660 | 1,340 | +7% |
| Rhode Island | $60,320 | $29.00 | $46,160–$92,980 | 110 | +11% |
| South Carolina | $43,740 | $21.03 | $36,500–$64,660 | 1,420 | −19% |
| South Dakota | $50,050 | $24.06 | $39,680–$61,740 | 110 | −8% |
| Tennessee | $50,370 | $24.22 | $36,620–$74,510 | 1,340 | −7% |
| Texas | $47,680 | $22.93 | $36,120–$77,200 | 8,720 | −12% |
| Utah | $59,600 | $28.66 | $38,110–$83,430 | 360 | +10% |
| Vermont | $56,460 | $27.14 | $49,350–$71,740 | 40 | +4% |
| Virginia | $56,760 | $27.29 | $37,850–$85,010 | 2,440 | +5% |
| Washington | $62,720 | $30.15 | $46,160–$88,830 | 1,030 | +16% |
| West Virginia | $48,530 | $23.33 | $29,130–$73,080 | 370 | −11% |
| Wisconsin | $59,080 | $28.40 | $39,340–$77,690 | 660 | +9% |
| Wyoming | $58,220 | $27.99 | $43,880–$74,890 | 150 | +7% |
BLS does not publish this median for the District of Columbia. BLS suppresses estimates it cannot publish reliably; no figure is estimated for it here and it has no state page.
Pay by employer
National figures for all surveying and mapping technicians (SOC 17-3031): every employer, then architectural, engineering and related services, then engineering services, BLS OEWS May 2025.
BLS publishes no figure for GIS technicians alone; these rows are for the whole occupation.
BLS publishes no wage figures for surveying and mapping firms (NAICS 541370) on their own, so no survey-firm-only figure exists.
The narrowest published rows that cover survey firms are architectural, engineering and related services (541300), which also counts architecture, engineering and drafting firms, and engineering services (541330), a part of 541300.
BLS industry estimates are national only.
| Employer | Median | Mean | Hourly median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All industries (every employer) | $54,240 | $58,000 | $26.08 | 58,010 |
| Architectural, engineering and related services (NAICS 541300) | $50,340 | $55,870 | $24.20 | 35,480 |
| Engineering services (NAICS 541330) | $58,100 | $59,730 | $27.94 | 17,070 |
Job outlook for Surveying and Mapping Technicians
BLS projects employment of all surveying and mapping technicians to grow 5.8%, from about 58,800 in 2025 to 62,200 in 2035, with about 6,900 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
BLS projects no separate figure for GIS technicians.
The projection counts every employer and includes the self-employed (1.1% of 2025 employment).
The OEWS wage survey counts payroll jobs only (58,010 in May 2025), so the two job counts are different measures and are not directly comparable.
Pay by surveying role
BLS publishes wages by occupation, not job title.
Land surveyors and survey technicians have a BLS occupation of their own.
Photogrammetrists and GIS technicians are counted in broader groups.
Survey CAD technicians borrow the closest available occupation, architectural and civil drafters, labelled in the last column.
Compare figures with the same basis only.
| Role | Median, all industries | Median, architectural, engineering and related services | What the number is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land Surveyor | $75,440 | $73,320 | BLS occupation (SOC 17-1022 Surveyors) |
| Survey Technician | $54,240 | $50,340 | BLS occupation (SOC 17-3031 Surveying and Mapping Technicians) |
| Photogrammetrist | $81,390 | $81,080 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 17-1021 Cartographers and Photogrammetrists) |
| Survey CAD Technician | $66,150 | $65,980 | Closest available occupation, a stand-in (SOC 17-3011 Architectural and Civil Drafters) |
| GIS Technician | $54,240 | $50,340 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 17-3031 Surveying and Mapping Technicians) |
GIS Technician salary questions
01How much do GIS technicians make a year?
BLS publishes no separate wage for GIS technicians.
The national median annual wage for all surveying and mapping technicians (SOC 17-3031), the broader group BLS publishes, across all industries was $54,240 in May 2025 (BLS OEWS).
The 10th percentile was $37,520 and the 90th percentile $81,630.
02How much do GIS technicians make an hour?
The national median hourly wage for all surveying and mapping technicians was $26.08 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $18.04 and the 90th at $39.24.
BLS converts between hourly and annual figures at 2,080 hours a year, so these are the same figures per hour, before overtime or bonuses.
03Which state pays GIS technicians the most?
For all surveying and mapping technicians, counting every employer in the state, California had the highest median in May 2025 at $78,110.
South Carolina had the lowest at $43,740.
These are not adjusted for living costs; the state table above lists every state BLS published.
04What is the average GIS technician salary?
The mean (average) annual wage for all surveying and mapping technicians across all industries was $58,000 in May 2025, against a $54,240 median.
The median is the better guide to a typical salary, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up.
05What do survey and engineering firms pay GIS technicians?
BLS publishes no wage for survey firms alone (NAICS 541370).
In architectural, engineering and related services (541300), which includes survey firms, the median for all surveying and mapping technicians was $50,340 in May 2025, against $54,240 across all industries.
In engineering services alone (541330) it was $58,100.
06Is demand for GIS technicians growing?
BLS projects employment of all surveying and mapping technicians to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 58,800 to 62,200 jobs, with about 6,900 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
Those projection counts include the self-employed (1.1% of 2025 employment), while the OEWS wage survey counts payroll jobs only (58,010), so the two job counts are not the same measure.
07Does BLS publish a GIS technician salary?
No. BLS describes GIS technicians as part of surveying and mapping technicians (SOC 17-3031), so every figure on this page covers the whole occupation, field survey crews included.
BLS publishes no GIS-only wage nationally or by state.