Surveyors in Pennsylvania
Thinking about a career as a Surveyors in Pennsylvania? Here’s what the data says. Make exact measurements and determine property boundaries. Provide data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, or dimension of land or land features on or near the earth’s surface for engineering, mapmaking, mining, land evaluation, construction, and other purposes.
What do Surveyors Make in Pennsylvania?
For surveyors working in Pennsylvania, the typical annual salary is $73,680 per year (or roughly $35.43/hour).Earnings range from $48,110 at the 10th percentile to $111,130 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,110 | $23.13 |
| 25th percentile | $60,340 | $29.01 |
| Median (50th) | $73,680 | $35.43 |
| 75th percentile | $92,130 | $44.29 |
| 90th percentile | $111,130 | $53.43 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Pennsylvania relative to the national average — is 0.65, indicating fewer surveyors per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, surveyors earn a median of $131,353 per year ($63.15/hour), lower than the Pennsylvania median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 345,666 surveyors in the U.S.. In Pennsylvania alone, approximately 1,360 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 660 surveyors.
Top Pennsylvania Metros for Surveyors
These are the Pennsylvania metros with the most surveyors in Pennsylvania.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 560 | $78,560 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 240 | $76,400 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 100 | $76,470 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 90 | $73,540 |
| Lancaster, PA | 50 | $73,680 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 50 | $63,060 |
| Reading, PA | 30 | $78,610 |
Top States for Surveyors Employment
These states have the highest employment of surveyors work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 7,530 |
| Florida | 4,310 |
| California | 3,750 |
| Minnesota | 1,850 |
| Massachusetts | 1,800 |
| Georgia | 1,720 |
| North Carolina | 1,660 |
| Colorado | 1,580 |
| New York | 1,570 |
| Illinois | 1,450 |
| Arizona | 1,440 |
| Michigan | 1,410 |
| Virginia | 1,410 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,360 |
| Louisiana | 1,360 |
| Ohio | 1,160 |
| Maryland | 1,150 |
| Missouri | 1,150 |
| Indiana | 1,000 |
| New Jersey | 950 |
Highest-Paying States for Surveyors
These states pay the most for surveyors.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $103,790 |
| New Jersey | $93,260 |
| Washington | $88,340 |
| Oregon | $87,730 |
| South Dakota | $86,260 |
| Alaska | $85,520 |
| Delaware | $85,350 |
| Massachusetts | $84,260 |
| Nevada | $82,990 |
| Indiana | $81,010 |
Skills
Top surveyors skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for surveyors, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Surveyors typically:
- Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles.
- Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed.
- Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases, or other legal documents.
- Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites.
- Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.
- Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.
- Prepare, or supervise preparation of, all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys.
- Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features.
- Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain.
- Plan and conduct ground surveys designed to establish baselines, elevations, and other geodetic measurements.
- Establish fixed points for use in making maps, using geodetic and engineering instruments.
- Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas, using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS).
Work Activities
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Working with Computers
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Getting Information
- Processing Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Scheduling Work and Activities
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Engineering-Related Technologies
- Surveying Engineering
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to surveyors include:
- Construction Managers
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
- Cost Estimators
- Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
- Landscape Architects
Also Known As
City Surveyor, Construction Surveyor, County Surveyor, Field Inspector, Field Surveyor, Geophysical Prospecting Surveyor, Health Facilities Surveyor, Home Surveyor, Insurance Loss Control Surveyor, Land Examiner, Land Measurer, Land Surveyor, Licensed Land Surveyor, Licensed Surveyor, Loss Control Surveyor.
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: 17-1022.00
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