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Tech & EngineeringGrowingBright Outlook

Surveyor

Mid-level

Also known as: City Surveyor, Construction Surveyor, County Surveyor, Field Surveyor

Tech & EngineeringBachelor's Degree

Job Description

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.
Land SurveyingGeomaticsGeographic Information Systems (GIS)CartographyEngineeringCivil EngineeringConstructionAnalysisTechnicalSTEM

A Day in the Life

You arrive at the office just before 7 AM, grabbing a coffee. Your inbox is active; project manager emails outline today’s tasks for a new subdivision layout and a boundary survey for a home addition. You pull up previous CAD files on your workstation, cross-referencing old plats with new requests. After reviewing the blueprints, you start gathering your equipment: the Trimble R12 GNSS receiver, a total station, tripods, and prism poles, ensuring everything is charged and calibrated.

Skills employers are looking for in 2027

Software and technologies flagged by O*NET as Hot or In-Demand for this role.

Hot technologies
Autodesk AutoCADAutodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DBentley MicroStationESRI ArcGIS softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft Word
In-demand software
Autodesk AutoCADAutodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DBentley MicroStationMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office software

Job Outlook 2025-2035

Bright Outlook

O*NET flags this career as a Bright Outlook occupation: grows rapidly over the next decade.

Projected growth

+5.8%

US average: +3.5%

Job openings

3,100

per year (US)

Jobs today

52,000

in 2025 → 55,000 (2035)

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections; O*NET Bright Outlook. Read the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook

Work Environment

How this work is typically performed, based on O*NET work context data.

Email & digital communication
High
Working in a team
High
Contact with others
High
Freedom to make decisions
High
Time pressure
High
Time spent sitting
Moderate
Working outdoors
High
Indoor, climate-controlled
High
Dealing with customers
High
Level of competition
Moderate

Source: O*NET Work Context (v31.0)

Future Perspective

Growing Job Market

The job outlook for Surveyors is growing, with about 3,100 openings expected each year through 2035. Employment in this field is projected to increase by 5.8% over the next decade. Surveyors typically advance by taking on more complex projects, specializing in areas like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), or moving into leadership roles.

Career ladder

Often before this role

  • Surveying Technician
  • CAD Technician
  • Survey Field Assistant

Where it can lead

  • Senior Surveyor
  • Geospatial Project Manager
  • Geodetic Engineer

Impact of AI on this Job

AI will significantly impact surveying by enhancing data collection and analysis through automated drone surveys, LiDAR processing, and predictive modeling for terrain analysis. This will reduce manual fieldwork, increase accuracy, and accelerate project timelines. Surveyors will need to adapt by mastering AI-powered tools and focusing more on data interpretation and spatial analysis.

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Salary

$75,440

Median annual wage, BLS 2025

Required Education

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum educational requirement for this position

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Based on job level & field

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