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How Much Does a Surveyor Make?

A surveyor in the US earns a median salary of $75,440 a year, or $36.27 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $80,570, and the middle half earn between $58,170 and $98,130.

Median a year $75,440
Median an hour $36.27
Median a month $6,287
Average a year $80,570

Surveyor pay range

What surveyors earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $46,880 $22.54
25th $58,170 $27.97
Median (50th) $75,440 $36.27
75th $98,130 $47.18
90th (top 10%) $125,590 $60.38

The median is 48% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 50,830 people work as surveyors in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,451
Every two weeks
$2,902
Twice a month
$3,143
A month
$6,287

At the median salary, before tax.

Surveyor salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays surveyors the most, at $110,220 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $110,220 $105,330 4,520 After tax
Alaska $104,340 $99,550 250 After tax
Oregon $96,920 $97,070 530 After tax
Washington $95,530 $85,610 780 After tax
Nevada $92,420 $82,460 490 After tax
Massachusetts $92,110 $94,590 1,290 After tax
Maine $90,520 $83,200 270 After tax
Delaware $89,340 $82,890 120 After tax
North Dakota $89,210 $79,360 250 After tax
Montana $87,770 $84,610 350 After tax
New York $87,640 $78,870 1,470 After tax
Wyoming $87,190 $81,250 240 After tax
Iowa $86,740 $77,090 450 After tax
South Dakota $86,630 $77,190 180 After tax
Minnesota $86,390 $83,620 980 After tax
New Jersey $86,060 $77,160 900 After tax
Wisconsin $84,980 $79,650 610 After tax
Indiana $83,000 $80,510 870 After tax
Connecticut $82,710 $76,730 430 After tax
Colorado $82,630 $79,310 1,620 After tax
Hawaii $82,320 $82,200 140 After tax
North Carolina $82,130 $76,210 1,530 After tax
Illinois $81,660 $75,980 1,710 After tax
Pennsylvania $80,270 $75,950 1,610 After tax
Tennessee $79,090 $76,340 920 After tax
Kansas $79,070 $75,860 350 After tax
Idaho $78,680 $73,940 250 After tax
Maryland $78,670 $64,910 950 After tax
Arizona $78,630 $77,490 1,360 After tax
Virginia $76,510 $71,070 1,360 After tax
Florida $76,490 $65,480 4,000 After tax
Utah $75,790 $73,230 650 After tax
New Mexico $75,490 $74,230 290 After tax
Ohio $75,480 $70,620 1,300 After tax
Louisiana $72,810 $63,140 1,460 After tax
Michigan $72,420 $72,080 1,050 After tax
Alabama $71,980 $66,840 910 After tax
Nebraska $71,950 $68,050 430 After tax
New Hampshire $71,120 $65,130 280 After tax
Vermont $70,990 $76,450 – After tax
South Carolina $70,580 $63,300 1,000 After tax
Texas $70,450 $61,150 6,410 After tax
Kentucky $70,020 $71,840 670 After tax
Rhode Island $69,750 $62,670 150 After tax
Georgia $69,720 $58,100 1,770 After tax
Oklahoma $68,290 $61,300 960 After tax
West Virginia $67,780 $61,520 630 After tax
Missouri $67,640 $62,110 830 After tax
Mississippi $65,510 $58,720 570 After tax
Guam $58,190 $61,490 60
Arkansas $58,160 $51,800 550 After tax
Puerto Rico $47,730 $44,870 140

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other architecture and engineering jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Surveyors” (SOC 17-1022). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a surveyor make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a surveyor is $36.27, and the average is $38.73. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $22.54 an hour and the top 10% over $60.38.

How much does a surveyor make a month?

At the median salary of $75,440, a surveyor earns about $6,287 a month before tax, or $2,902 every two weeks.

Which state pays surveyors the most?

California has the highest average pay for a surveyor, at $110,220 a year. Next are Alaska and Oregon. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a surveyor?

The lowest-paid 10% of surveyors earn less than $46,880 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $58,170. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid surveyors make?

The top 10% earn more than $125,590 a year, and the top 25% more than $98,130.