Surveying and Mapping Technicians in District of Columbia
Thinking about a career as a Surveying and Mapping Technicians in District of Columbia? Below are the key facts. Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps. Excludes “Cartographers and Photogrammetrists” (17-1021), “Surveyors" (17-1022), and “Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers” (19-2042).
What do Surveying and Mapping Technicians Make in District of Columbia?
The surveying and mapping technicians working in District of Columbia, the median annual wage is $72,230 per year (or about $34.73/hour).Earnings range from $45,370 at the 10th percentile to $107,580 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,370 | $21.81 |
| 25th percentile | $55,960 | $26.90 |
| Median (50th) | $72,230 | $34.73 |
| 75th percentile | $102,070 | $49.07 |
| 90th percentile | $107,580 | $51.72 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in District of Columbia compared to the national average — is 0.14, suggesting fewer surveying and mapping technicians per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, surveying and mapping technicians earn a median of $123,658 per year ($59.45/hour), lower than the District of Columbia median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 34,470 surveying and mapping technicians nationwide. In District of Columbia alone, around 40 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 680 surveying and mapping technicians.
Top District of Columbia Metros for Surveying and Mapping Technicians
The metro areas below employ the most surveying and mapping technicians in District of Columbia.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 780 | $60,540 |
Top States for Surveying and Mapping Technicians Employment
These states have the highest employment of surveying and mapping technicians work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 7,810 |
| Florida | 4,900 |
| North Carolina | 4,510 |
| California | 3,670 |
| Colorado | 2,440 |
| Virginia | 2,170 |
| New York | 1,900 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,560 |
| Ohio | 1,380 |
| Georgia | 1,350 |
| Tennessee | 1,330 |
| South Carolina | 1,270 |
| Alabama | 1,210 |
| Oklahoma | 1,180 |
| Washington | 1,140 |
| Illinois | 1,130 |
| Michigan | 1,080 |
| Indiana | 950 |
| Idaho | 930 |
| Minnesota | 910 |
Highest-Paying States for Surveying and Mapping Technicians
The highest-paying states for surveying and mapping technicians.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $75,660 |
| Alaska | $73,320 |
| District of Columbia | $72,230 |
| California | $71,860 |
| Minnesota | $66,080 |
| Maryland | $64,460 |
| Wyoming | $61,790 |
| Washington | $61,660 |
| New Jersey | $61,170 |
| Connecticut | $60,150 |
Skills
The most important surveying and mapping technicians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for surveying and mapping technicians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, surveying and mapping technicians typically:
- Position and hold the vertical rods, or targets, that theodolite operators use for sighting to measure angles, distances, and elevations.
- Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.
- Design or develop information databases that include geographic or topographic data.
- Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.
- Produce or update overlay maps to show information boundaries, water locations, or topographic features on various base maps or at different scales.
- Determine scales, line sizes, or colors to be used for hard copies of computerized maps, using plotters.
- Compile information necessary to stake projects for construction, using engineering plans.
- Identify and compile database information to create requested maps.
- Operate and manage land-information computer systems, performing tasks such as storing data, making inquiries, and producing plots and reports.
- Compare survey computations with applicable standards to determine adequacy of data.
- Analyze aerial photographs to detect and interpret significant military, industrial, resource, or topographical data.
- Research and combine existing property information to describe property boundaries in relation to adjacent properties, taking into account parcel splits, combinations, or land boundary adjustments.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Getting Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Processing Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk AutoCAD In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Geography & Cartography
- Engineering-Related Technologies
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Related Careers
Careers similar to surveying and mapping technicians include:
- Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians
- Data Scientists
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
- Surveyors
- Geodetic Surveyors
- Civil Engineers
Also Known As
Aerial Photograph Interpreter, Aerotriangulation Specialist, Assessment Technician, Ax Survey Worker, CAD Technician (Computer Aided Design Technician), Cartographic Aide, Cartographic Drafter, Cartographic Technician, Cartography Technician, Chain Carrier, Chainman, Compass Operator, Drafting Technician, Draftsman, Engineering Assistant.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 17-3031.00