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Surveying Engineering

Types of Degrees Surveying Engineering Majors Are Earning

Those studying Surveying Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	58
Master’s Degree	41

What Surveying Engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Surveying Engineering build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Surveying Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Surveying Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Surveying Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Surveying Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Surveying Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Surveying Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Surveying Engineering graduates include:

• Metallurgical Engineering Teacher
• College Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Machine Design Teacher
• Environmental Engineering Professor
• Marine Engineering Teacher
• Ceramic Engineering Professor
• Mining Teacher
• Applied Mechanics Teacher
• Refrigeration Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Professor
• Hydraulics Teacher
• Industrial Engineering Professor
• Heat Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Surveying Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	32.2%
Doctoral degree	26.9%
Master’s degree	10.6%
Post-doctoral training	7.0%
Post-master’s certificate	6.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.7%
Some college courses	3.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.1%
Postsecondary certificate	2.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.1%
First professional degree	1.3%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Surveying Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 71.7% of Surveying Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	28	28.3%
Men	71	71.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Surveying Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	71	71.7%
Asian	3	3.0%
Hispanic or Latino	5	5.1%
Black or African American	5	5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	1.0%
Two or More Races	2	2.0%
Race Unknown	3	3.0%
International Students	8	8.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Surveying Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Surveying Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$72,931

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Surveying Engineering Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Surveying Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Engineering	14
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Agricultural Engineering	14.03
Architectural Engineering	14.04
Biochemical Engineering	14.43
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	14.05
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.06
Chemical Engineering	14.07
Civil Engineering	14.08
Computer Engineering	14.09
Construction Engineering	14.33

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.