Surveyor Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Surveyors in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $79,040 a year — 5% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $62,008 take-home, or $5,167 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
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- Federal income tax$8,559
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,900
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,146
- Pennsylvania income tax$2,427
- Take-home pay$62,008
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 3.07% state
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Surveyor pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $56,710 | $27.26 | $46,005 | $3,834 |
| 25th percentile | $63,620 | $30.59 | $51,346 | $4,279 |
| Median (50th) | $79,040 | $38.00 | $62,008 | $5,167 |
| 75th percentile | $97,530 | $46.89 | $74,448 | $6,204 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $124,530 | $59.87 | $92,559 | $7,713 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $79,040 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median surveyor's $62,008 take-home pay has the buying power of $60,464 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Surveyor jobs are less concentrated in Philadelphia, PA than nationally (location quotient 0.64), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for surveyors, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #8 of 23 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $125,060 | $87,718 | $75,872 |
| 2 | Riverside, CA | $100,510 | $73,114 | $68,689 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $94,970 | $71,113 | $65,683 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $91,750 | $68,661 | $65,502 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $101,950 | $73,975 | $65,138 |
| 6 | Charlotte, NC | $76,710 | $60,243 | $61,885 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $79,500 | $62,980 | $60,958 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,040 | $62,008 | $60,464 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 23 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a surveyor make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median surveyor salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $79,040 a year, or about $38.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $63,620 and $97,530.
What is a surveyor’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $79,040 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $62,008 a year ($5,167 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,427 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a surveyor?
Pay here is 5% above the national median of $75,440. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $60,464 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #8 of 23 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a surveyor afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 29% of a median surveyor’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $131,090
- Environmental Engineer — $129,390
- Chemical Engineer — $127,770
- Electrical Engineer — $127,730
- Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer — $125,760
- Mechanical Engineer — $104,410
- Industrial Engineer — $103,370
- Civil Engineer — $99,410
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval — $98,140
- Engineers, All Other — $97,590
- Landscape Architect — $84,270
- Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other — $81,470