Surveyor Salary
Surveyors earn a median $75,440 a year nationally. Architecture and Engineering Occupations
U.S. median
$75,440
$36.27 per hour
Range
$46,880 – $125,590
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
50,830
across the U.S.
Surveyor take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$61,902
per year · effective tax rate 17.9%
$5,159Monthly
$2,579Twice a month
$2,381Every 2 weeks
$29.76Hourly
- Federal income tax$7,767
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,677
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,094
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$61,902
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $46,880 | $22.54 | $39,848 |
| 25th percentile | $58,170 | $27.97 | $48,920 |
| Median (50th) | $75,440 | $36.27 | $61,902 |
| 75th percentile | $98,130 | $47.18 | $77,864 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $125,590 | $60.38 | $97,107 |
Best cities for surveyors (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $125,060 | $87,718 | $75,872 | 630 |
| 2 | Riverside, CA | $100,510 | $73,114 | $68,689 | 480 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $94,970 | $71,113 | $65,683 | 1,070 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $91,750 | $68,661 | $65,502 | 620 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $101,950 | $73,975 | $65,138 | 970 |
| 6 | Charlotte, NC | $76,710 | $60,243 | $61,885 | 450 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $79,500 | $62,980 | $60,958 | 970 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,040 | $62,008 | $60,464 | 610 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $80,970 | $62,938 | $59,498 | 910 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $80,060 | $61,334 | $59,206 | 1,140 |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | $72,420 | $56,950 | $56,781 | 440 |
| 12 | New York, NY | $83,610 | $63,732 | $56,619 | 1,300 |
| 13 | Oklahoma City, OK | $63,880 | $51,178 | $56,608 | 500 |
| 14 | St. Louis, MO | $65,560 | $52,713 | $55,437 | 460 |
| 15 | Tampa, FL | $66,390 | $55,524 | $55,035 | 760 |
| 16 | Dallas, TX | $66,030 | $55,235 | $53,579 | 1,400 |
| 17 | Miami, FL | $74,390 | $61,163 | $53,579 | 670 |
| 18 | Houston, TX | $62,960 | $52,768 | $53,502 | 1,960 |
| 19 | Washington, DC | $74,920 | $58,113 | $53,371 | 850 |
| 20 | Orlando, FL | $63,900 | $53,524 | $52,775 | 660 |
| 21 | San Antonio, TX | $59,140 | $49,699 | $52,472 | 480 |
| 22 | Austin, TX | $57,580 | $48,446 | $49,401 | 790 |
| 23 | Atlanta, GA | $57,260 | $45,839 | $45,813 | 1,100 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Francisco, CA — $125,060
- Los Angeles, CA — $101,950
- Riverside, CA — $100,510
- Boston, MA — $94,970
- Minneapolis, MN — $91,750
- New York, NY — $83,610
- Denver, CO — $80,970
- Chicago, IL — $80,060
- Phoenix, AZ — $79,500
- Philadelphia, PA — $79,040
- Charlotte, NC — $76,710
- Washington, DC — $74,920
- Miami, FL — $74,390
- Detroit, MI — $72,420
- Tampa, FL — $66,390
Surveyor salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $105,330 | $75,994 | $59,310 – $160,430 | 4,520 |
| Alaska | $99,550 | $78,863 | $73,520 – $142,980 | 250 |
| Oregon | $97,070 | $69,455 | $64,880 – $131,040 | 530 |
| Massachusetts | $94,590 | $70,865 | $57,880 – $129,410 | 1,290 |
| Washington | $85,610 | $69,057 | $63,860 – $134,620 | 780 |
| Montana | $84,610 | $64,934 | $57,720 – $120,370 | 350 |
| Minnesota | $83,620 | $63,494 | $49,510 – $125,040 | 980 |
| Maine | $83,200 | $62,908 | $56,110 – $131,890 | 270 |
| Delaware | $82,890 | $63,013 | $63,200 – $126,600 | 120 |
| Nevada | $82,460 | $66,841 | $64,160 – $127,660 | 490 |
| Hawaii | $82,200 | $61,941 | $58,900 – $104,190 | 140 |
| Wyoming | $81,250 | $65,989 | $53,500 – $116,770 | 240 |
| Indiana | $80,510 | $63,123 | $48,260 – $118,760 | 870 |
| Wisconsin | $79,650 | $62,023 | $57,510 – $118,850 | 610 |
| North Dakota | $79,360 | $64,371 | $52,680 – $127,780 | 250 |
| Colorado | $79,310 | $61,843 | $51,220 – $115,990 | 1,620 |
| New York | $78,870 | $60,653 | $53,390 – $126,340 | 1,470 |
| Arizona | $77,490 | $61,616 | $48,940 – $110,950 | 1,360 |
| South Dakota | $77,190 | $63,133 | $59,690 – $122,560 | 180 |
| New Jersey | $77,160 | $60,387 | $58,240 – $132,930 | 900 |
| Iowa | $77,090 | $60,785 | $47,830 – $129,670 | 450 |
| Connecticut | $76,730 | $60,164 | $58,140 – $109,050 | 430 |
| Vermont | $76,450 | $60,027 | $50,640 – $83,860 | — |
| Tennessee | $76,340 | $62,535 | $48,950 – $114,400 | 920 |
| North Carolina | $76,210 | $59,912 | $46,750 – $128,200 | 1,530 |
| Illinois | $75,980 | $58,666 | $46,540 – $126,300 | 1,710 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,950 | $59,929 | $52,160 – $115,450 | 1,610 |
| Kansas | $75,860 | $58,764 | $50,320 – $100,920 | 350 |
| New Mexico | $74,230 | $58,728 | $42,890 – $101,230 | 290 |
| Idaho | $73,940 | $58,036 | $46,500 – $113,400 | 250 |
| Utah | $73,230 | $58,018 | $45,180 – $106,230 | 650 |
| Michigan | $72,080 | $56,726 | $51,240 – $99,940 | 1,050 |
| Kentucky | $71,840 | $56,973 | $39,000 – $101,330 | 670 |
| Virginia | $71,070 | $55,555 | $50,770 – $109,600 | 1,360 |
| Ohio | $70,620 | $57,351 | $48,600 – $114,440 | 1,300 |
| Nebraska | $68,050 | $54,486 | $51,660 – $103,650 | 430 |
| Alabama | $66,840 | $52,775 | $38,520 – $112,580 | 910 |
| Florida | $65,480 | $54,793 | $46,160 – $121,360 | 4,000 |
| New Hampshire | $65,130 | $54,512 | $58,000 – $93,560 | 280 |
| Maryland | $64,910 | $51,616 | $44,110 – $166,400 | 950 |
| South Carolina | $63,300 | $50,401 | $44,710 – $100,360 | 1,000 |
| Louisiana | $63,140 | $51,405 | $38,810 – $111,790 | 1,460 |
| Rhode Island | $62,670 | $50,802 | $44,130 – $99,270 | 150 |
| Missouri | $62,110 | $50,104 | $42,700 – $101,730 | 830 |
| West Virginia | $61,520 | $49,579 | $37,920 – $100,280 | 630 |
| Oklahoma | $61,300 | $49,222 | $37,510 – $103,270 | 960 |
| Texas | $61,150 | $51,314 | $42,450 – $107,850 | 6,410 |
| Mississippi | $58,720 | $47,745 | $38,840 – $96,460 | 570 |
| Georgia | $58,100 | $46,471 | $44,680 – $105,270 | 1,770 |
| Arkansas | $51,800 | $41,994 | $36,380 – $91,610 | 550 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a surveyor make?
The national median salary for surveyors is $75,440 a year ($36.27 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $46,880 and the top 10% earn over $125,590. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays surveyors the most?
California has the highest median pay at $105,330. After taxes and local prices, San Francisco, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many surveyors are there in the U.S.?
About 50,830 people work as surveyors nationwide.