Explore
Boundary & construction
Land Surveyor
Deciding where the property line legally is.
Typical pay
$55k-$110k
How you get in
Degree plus 4 years experience and the FS/PS exams
Outlook
Strong; a documented national shortage
Surveyors measure and map land to establish boundaries and guide construction. Licensed surveyors carry legal authority over property lines, and the profession is aging out faster than it is being replaced.
A day in the life
- 6:30aLoad equipment, review the day's plats and deeds
- 7:30aSet up the GPS base and total station on site
- 10:00aLocate monuments and shoot topography
- 12:00pLunch in the truck
- 1:00pConstruction stakeout for a building pad
- 4:00pBack to the office, process data and draft the plat
How to get in
Degree to licensure
Duration
8 years total
Cost
$30,000-$120,000
Credential
Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) license
- Complete a surveying or geomatics degree — most states now require one
- Pass the Fundamentals of Surveying exam
- Work about four years under a licensed surveyor
- Pass the Principles and Practice exam plus your state-specific exam
Field crew upward
Duration
4-8 years
Cost
$0-$30,000 if finishing a degree
Credential
PLS license
- Start as a rodman or instrument operator with no experience
- Learn equipment, math and deed interpretation on the job
- Complete the degree your state requires, often employer-supported
- Sit for the FS and PS exams
Technician without licensure
Duration
2-4 years
Cost
$8,000-$30,000
Credential
Associate degree in surveying technology
- Complete a surveying technology program
- Work as a party chief or CAD technician
- Note that you cannot seal plats without licensure
- Solid career, but the ceiling and independence require the license
What people love
- · Half outdoors, half technical office work
- · Licensure carries real legal authority
- · Severe shortage as licensed surveyors retire
- · Own practice is achievable
What wears people down
- · Weather, terrain, ticks and traffic
- · Licensure requires years plus difficult exams
- · Deed research is tedious detective work
- · Liability follows your seal