Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- County Surveyor
- Land Surveyor
- Licensed Land Surveyor
- Surveyor
Alternate Job Titles
- City Surveyor
- Construction Surveyor
- County Surveyor
- Field Inspector
- Field Surveyor
- Geophysical Prospecting Surveyor
- Health Facilities Surveyor
- Home Surveyor
- Insurance Loss Control Surveyor
- Land Examiner
- Land Measurer
- Land Surveyor
- Licensed Land Surveyor
- Licensed Surveyor
- Loss Control Surveyor
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.
- Prepare, or supervise preparation of, all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Geography
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Design
- Building and Construction
- Administration and Management
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Number Facility
- Speech Recognition
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Perseverance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Independence
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Support
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Bentley MicroStation
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Abney levels
- Altimeters
- Automatic levels
- Automatic slope lasers
- Barometers
- Clinometers
- Curvimeters
- Depth gauge tapes
- Digital laser rangefinders
- Digital measuring poles
- Direct elevation rods
- Distance meters
- Dot lasers
- Double right-angle prisms
- Electronic digital levels
Work Environment
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $43,680 |
| Median | $72,740 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $116,330 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 53,080
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Geodetic Surveyors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $72,740
Surveying and Mapping Technicians
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $51,940
Civil Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $99,590
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $78,380
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $64,200
Is This Career Right for You?
Discover your perfect career match with our free comprehensive assessment! Get personalized recommendations based on your interests, skills, and values.
Take the Free Career Assessment →
Want Personalized Guidance?
For customized career recommendations, college selection strategies, and expert application support, explore the MehtA+ Admissions Consulting Program. We help students identify the right opportunities and navigate the path to achieving their academic and career goals.
Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.