Land Surveyor Salary by StateBLS figures for surveyors, all industries
BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS occupation: SOC 17-1022 Surveyors
Surveyors (SOC 17-1022), the BLS occupation for land surveyors, earned a national median $75,440 a year ($36.27 an hour) across all industries in May 2025.
The middle half earned between $58,170 and $98,130.
In architectural, engineering and related services (NAICS 541300), the industry that includes survey firms, the median for surveyors was $73,320 a year ($35.25 an hour); 73% of the occupation's payroll jobs are in that industry.
This is the BLS occupation for surveyors (17-1022), all industries.
It counts payroll employees only, so self-employed surveyors and firm owners are not in it.
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 Surveyors
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $46,880 | $22.54 |
| 25th | $58,170 | $27.97 |
| 50th (median) | $75,440 | $36.27 |
| 75th | $98,130 | $47.18 |
| 90th | $125,590 | $60.38 |
| Mean (average) | $80,570 | $38.73 |
SOC 17-1022 Surveyors, the BLS occupation for land surveyors, national, all industries: 50,830 wage-and-salary jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025.
Pay for Surveyors by State
Median annual wage for SOC 17-1022 Surveyors in each state, BLS OEWS May 2025, alphabetical.
BLS state figures cover every employer of the occupation in the state. "vs. U.S." compares the state median with the national median of $75,440; it is not adjusted for living costs.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th–90th | Jobs | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,840 | $32.13 | $38,520–$112,580 | 910 | −11% |
| Alaska | $99,550 | $47.86 | $73,520–$142,980 | 250 | +32% |
| Arizona | $77,490 | $37.26 | $48,940–$110,950 | 1,360 | +3% |
| Arkansas | $51,800 | $24.91 | $36,380–$91,610 | 550 | −31% |
| California | $105,330 | $50.64 | $59,310–$160,430 | 4,520 | +40% |
| Colorado | $79,310 | $38.13 | $51,220–$115,990 | 1,620 | +5% |
| Connecticut | $76,730 | $36.89 | $58,140–$109,050 | 430 | +2% |
| Delaware | $82,890 | $39.85 | $63,200–$126,600 | 120 | +10% |
| District of Columbia | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | — |
| Florida | $65,480 | $31.48 | $46,160–$121,360 | 4,000 | −13% |
| Georgia | $58,100 | $27.94 | $44,680–$105,270 | 1,770 | −23% |
| Hawaii | $82,200 | $39.52 | $58,900–$104,190 | 140 | +9% |
| Idaho | $73,940 | $35.55 | $46,500–$113,400 | 250 | −2% |
| Illinois | $75,980 | $36.53 | $46,540–$126,300 | 1,710 | +1% |
| Indiana | $80,510 | $38.71 | $48,260–$118,760 | 870 | +7% |
| Iowa | $77,090 | $37.06 | $47,830–$129,670 | 450 | +2% |
| Kansas | $75,860 | $36.47 | $50,320–$100,920 | 350 | +1% |
| Kentucky | $71,840 | $34.54 | $39,000–$101,330 | 670 | −5% |
| Louisiana | $63,140 | $30.36 | $38,810–$111,790 | 1,460 | −16% |
| Maine | $83,200 | $40.00 | $56,110–$131,890 | 270 | +10% |
| Maryland | $64,910 | $31.21 | $44,110–$166,400 | 950 | −14% |
| Massachusetts | $94,590 | $45.48 | $57,880–$129,410 | 1,290 | +25% |
| Michigan | $72,080 | $34.65 | $51,240–$99,940 | 1,050 | −4% |
| Minnesota | $83,620 | $40.20 | $49,510–$125,040 | 980 | +11% |
| Mississippi | $58,720 | $28.23 | $38,840–$96,460 | 570 | −22% |
| Missouri | $62,110 | $29.86 | $42,700–$101,730 | 830 | −18% |
| Montana | $84,610 | $40.68 | $57,720–$120,370 | 350 | +12% |
| Nebraska | $68,050 | $32.71 | $51,660–$103,650 | 430 | −10% |
| Nevada | $82,460 | $39.64 | $64,160–$127,660 | 490 | +9% |
| New Hampshire | $65,130 | $31.31 | $58,000–$93,560 | 280 | −14% |
| New Jersey | $77,160 | $37.10 | $58,240–$132,930 | 900 | +2% |
| New Mexico | $74,230 | $35.69 | $42,890–$101,230 | 290 | −2% |
| New York | $78,870 | $37.92 | $53,390–$126,340 | 1,470 | +5% |
| North Carolina | $76,210 | $36.64 | $46,750–$128,200 | 1,530 | +1% |
| North Dakota | $79,360 | $38.15 | $52,680–$127,780 | 250 | +5% |
| Ohio | $70,620 | $33.95 | $48,600–$114,440 | 1,300 | −6% |
| Oklahoma | $61,300 | $29.47 | $37,510–$103,270 | 960 | −19% |
| Oregon | $97,070 | $46.67 | $64,880–$131,040 | 530 | +29% |
| Pennsylvania | $75,950 | $36.51 | $52,160–$115,450 | 1,610 | +1% |
| Rhode Island | $62,670 | $30.13 | $44,130–$99,270 | 150 | −17% |
| South Carolina | $63,300 | $30.43 | $44,710–$100,360 | 1,000 | −16% |
| South Dakota | $77,190 | $37.11 | $59,690–$122,560 | 180 | +2% |
| Tennessee | $76,340 | $36.70 | $48,950–$114,400 | 920 | +1% |
| Texas | $61,150 | $29.40 | $42,450–$107,850 | 6,410 | −19% |
| Utah | $73,230 | $35.21 | $45,180–$106,230 | 650 | −3% |
| Vermont | $76,450 | $36.75 | $50,640–$83,860 | Not published | +1% |
| Virginia | $71,070 | $34.17 | $50,770–$109,600 | 1,360 | −6% |
| Washington | $85,610 | $41.16 | $63,860–$134,620 | 780 | +13% |
| West Virginia | $61,520 | $29.58 | $37,920–$100,280 | 630 | −18% |
| Wisconsin | $79,650 | $38.30 | $57,510–$118,850 | 610 | +6% |
| Wyoming | $81,250 | $39.06 | $53,500–$116,770 | 240 | +8% |
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 surveyors (SOC 17-1022): every employer, then architectural, engineering and related services, then engineering services, BLS OEWS May 2025.
These are the narrowest national industry cuts BLS publishes for the 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) | $75,440 | $80,570 | $36.27 | 50,830 |
| Architectural, engineering and related services (NAICS 541300) | $73,320 | $78,350 | $35.25 | 37,260 |
| Engineering services (NAICS 541330) | $77,300 | $83,570 | $37.16 | 17,740 |
Job outlook for Surveyors
BLS projects employment of surveyors to grow 5.8%, from about 52,000 in 2025 to 55,000 in 2035, with about 3,100 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
The projection counts every employer and includes the self-employed (2.1% of 2025 employment).
The OEWS wage survey counts payroll jobs only (50,830 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) |
Land Surveyor salary questions
01How much do land surveyors make a year?
The national median annual wage for surveyors (SOC 17-1022), the BLS occupation for land surveyors, across all industries was $75,440 in May 2025 (BLS OEWS).
The 10th percentile was $46,880 and the 90th percentile $125,590.
02How much do land surveyors make an hour?
The national median hourly wage for surveyors was $36.27 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $22.54 and the 90th at $60.38.
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 land surveyors the most?
For surveyors, counting every employer in the state, California had the highest median in May 2025 at $105,330.
Arkansas had the lowest at $51,800.
These are not adjusted for living costs; the state table above lists every state BLS published.
04What is the average land surveyor salary?
The mean (average) annual wage for surveyors across all industries was $80,570 in May 2025, against a $75,440 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 land surveyors?
BLS publishes no wage for survey firms alone (NAICS 541370).
In architectural, engineering and related services (541300), which includes survey firms, the median for surveyors was $73,320 in May 2025, against $75,440 across all industries.
In engineering services alone (541330) it was $77,300.
06Is demand for land surveyors growing?
BLS projects employment of surveyors to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 52,000 to 55,000 jobs, with about 3,100 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
Those projection counts include the self-employed (2.1% of 2025 employment), while the OEWS wage survey counts payroll jobs only (50,830), so the two job counts are not the same measure.
07Do these figures include self-employed surveyors and firm owners?
No. The BLS wage survey (OEWS) counts payroll employees only, so self-employed surveyors and the owners of survey firms are not in the pay figures.
The BLS employment projections do count the self-employed, which is why their 2025 job count is higher than the OEWS count.