Surveyor

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Work Tasks

SURVEYORS establish official land, air space, and water boundaries. They write descriptions of land for deeds, leases, and other legal documents. Surveyors define air space for airports. They measure construction and mineral sites. Surveyors provide data relevant to the shape, contour, location, elevation, or dimension of land and land features. They research legal records, look for evidence of previous boundaries, and analyze the data to determine the location of boundary lines. They record survey results, verify the accuracy of data, and prepare plats, maps, and reports. They may provide expert testimony in court.

Salary, Size & Growth

• $56,500 average per year ($27.25 per hour)
• A medium occupation (44,000 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.5% per year)

Entry Requirements

Some SURVEYORS combine post-secondary school courses in surveying with extensive on-the-job training. However, as technology advances, bachelor's degree are increasingly required. Several universities offer bachelor's degree programs in surveying. Junior and community colleges, technical institutes, and vocational schools offer 1-, 2-, and 3-year programs in surveying and survey technology. High school courses should include algebra, geometry, trigonometry, drafting, mechanical drawing, and computer science. All states require SURVEYORS to be licensed.