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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

17-1022 Surveyors

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.


National estimates for Surveyors
Industry profile for Surveyors
Geographic profile for Surveyors

National estimates for Surveyors:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Surveyors:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
47,770 4.4 % $ 34.16 $ 71,060 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Surveyors:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.78 $ 23.48 $ 30.33 $ 41.29 $ 51.38
Annual Wage (2) $ 39,060 $ 48,850 $ 63,080 $ 85,890 $ 106,880


Industry profile for Surveyors:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Surveyors are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Surveyors, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Surveyors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 35,130 2.21 $ 33.58 $ 69,850
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 2,250 0.04 $ 38.05 $ 79,150
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,440 0.07 $ 44.42 $ 92,390
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 1,060 0.30 $ 40.09 $ 83,400
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 1,050 0.04 (8) (8)

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Surveyors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 35,130 2.21 $ 33.58 $ 69,850
Metal Ore Mining 270 0.63 $ 32.82 $ 68,260
Coal Mining 140 0.36 $ 32.91 $ 68,450
Natural Gas Distribution 330 0.30 $ 37.38 $ 77,740
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 1,060 0.30 $ 40.09 $ 83,400

Top paying industries for Surveyors:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 440 0.02 $ 46.42 $ 96,550
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,440 0.07 $ 44.42 $ 92,390
Land Subdivision (8) (8) $ 41.78 $ 86,900
Management of Companies and Enterprises 200 0.01 $ 41.39 $ 86,080
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 410 0.11 $ 40.40 $ 84,020


Geographic profile for Surveyors:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Surveyors are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Surveyors, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of surveyors by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Surveyors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 5,340 0.41 1.27 $ 32.15 $ 66,870
California 4,210 0.24 0.74 $ 47.59 $ 98,990
Florida 3,290 0.36 1.11 $ 31.69 $ 65,900
Georgia 2,260 0.49 1.51 $ 27.45 $ 57,100
Colorado 1,570 0.57 1.76 $ 33.67 $ 70,030


Map of location quotient of surveyors by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Surveyors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Montana 680 1.39 4.30 $ 34.69 $ 72,160
Alaska 260 0.86 2.68 $ 40.58 $ 84,410
Wyoming 210 0.78 2.42 $ 31.43 $ 65,370
North Dakota 310 0.76 2.36 $ 34.58 $ 71,920
West Virginia 510 0.75 2.32 $ 33.36 $ 69,390


Map of annual mean wages of surveyors by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Surveyors:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 4,210 0.24 0.74 $ 47.59 $ 98,990
New York 1,500 0.16 0.51 $ 43.11 $ 89,660
New Jersey 920 0.22 0.69 $ 42.79 $ 88,990
Washington 850 0.25 0.77 $ 41.50 $ 86,320
Alaska 260 0.86 2.68 $ 40.58 $ 84,410



Map of employment of surveyors by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Surveyors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,720 0.56 1.74 $ 33.66 $ 70,000
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,700 0.62 1.93 $ 26.55 $ 55,220
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,630 0.54 1.66 $ 32.92 $ 68,480
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,350 0.15 0.45 $ 47.24 $ 98,260
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,140 0.30 0.93 $ 33.16 $ 68,960
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,030 0.17 0.52 $ 46.14 $ 95,980
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 910 0.59 1.82 $ 34.91 $ 72,610
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 840 0.19 0.59 $ 40.43 $ 84,090
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 750 0.28 0.86 $ 39.43 $ 82,010
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 690 0.31 0.97 $ 31.19 $ 64,870


Map of location quotient of surveyors by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Surveyors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bismarck, ND 110 1.47 4.57 $ 33.92 $ 70,540
Missoula, MT 90 1.42 4.39 $ 34.58 $ 71,920
Midland, TX 120 1.13 3.49 $ 35.62 $ 74,090
Anchorage, AK 180 1.05 3.25 $ 42.32 $ 88,020
Fairbanks, AK 40 1.05 3.25 $ 39.18 $ 81,490
Charleston, WV 100 0.98 3.05 $ 31.02 $ 64,520
Billings, MT 80 0.95 2.93 $ 35.10 $ 73,010
Tyler, TX 100 0.91 2.83 $ 27.54 $ 57,290
Lafayette, LA 170 0.89 2.75 $ 29.00 $ 60,320
Redding, CA 60 0.86 2.67 $ 47.88 $ 99,590


Map of annual mean wages of surveyors by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Surveyors:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 340 0.33 1.01 $ 53.09 $ 110,430
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 490 0.20 0.63 $ 52.75 $ 109,720
Fresno, CA 120 0.30 0.92 $ 51.59 $ 107,310
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 280 0.25 0.77 $ 51.09 $ 106,260
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 80 0.69 2.13 $ 50.81 $ 105,680
Napa, CA 30 0.41 1.26 $ 49.09 $ 102,110
Redding, CA 60 0.86 2.67 $ 47.88 $ 99,590
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 400 0.24 0.76 $ 47.43 $ 98,640
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,350 0.15 0.45 $ 47.24 $ 98,260
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 50 0.23 0.71 $ 47.06 $ 97,890

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Surveyors:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 170 1.73 5.37 $ 32.85 $ 68,330
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 170 1.26 3.89 $ 34.79 $ 72,350
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 160 1.09 3.38 $ 32.54 $ 67,680
North Florida nonmetropolitan area 120 1.04 3.22 $ 27.85 $ 57,920
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 120 0.44 1.37 $ 30.03 $ 62,450

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Surveyors:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 170 1.73 5.37 $ 32.85 $ 68,330
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 170 1.26 3.89 $ 34.79 $ 72,350
West Montana nonmetropolitan area 90 1.19 3.68 $ 29.18 $ 60,690
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 160 1.09 3.38 $ 32.54 $ 67,680
North Florida nonmetropolitan area 120 1.04 3.22 $ 27.85 $ 57,920

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Surveyors:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 60 0.54 1.68 $ 52.36 $ 108,910
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area 30 0.27 0.83 $ 43.19 $ 89,830
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.50 1.56 $ 42.28 $ 87,940
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 1.17 $ 38.06 $ 79,160
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 1.18 $ 38.01 $ 79,060


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023