Surveying

Types of Degrees Surveying Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many surveying technology/surveying graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	353
Associate Degree	260
Bachelor’s Degree	188
Undergraduate Certificate	130
Master’s Degree	2
Doctor’s Degree	1

What Surveying Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, surveying majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Surveying Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills for Surveying Majors

surveying majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Surveying Majors

A major in surveying will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Surveying Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with surveying:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists	19.0%	$64,430
Geodetic Surveyors	11.2%	$62,580
Mapping Technicians	10.6%	$44,380
Surveying Technicians	10.6%	$44,380
Surveyors	11.2%	$62,580

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Surveying?

This major attracts more men than women. About 85% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of surveying majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	2
Black or African American	2
Hispanic or Latino	35
White	137
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	12

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Surveying

Some degrees associated with surveying may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for surveying careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	11.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	16.6%
Some College Courses	10.6%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	19.4%
Bachelor’s Degree	35.0%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	1.1%
Master’s Degree	7.2%

Online Surveying Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	26	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	58	2
Bachelor’s Degree	1	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	1	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Surveying

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to surveying.

Major	Number of Grads
Hydraulics & Fluid Power Technology	159
Other Engineering-Related Technologies	51

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Mike1979 Russia under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.