Land Surveyor Salary & Job Requirements

There are different levels or types of Land Surveyors and depending on exactly what kind of land surveyor you are will determine your salary. Generally, there are three main levels of surveyors: Land Surveyors Manager, Land Surveyors Supervisor and Land Surveyor. Each level has slightly different job requirements, responsibilities and salary ranges. Here is a breakdown:

Land Surveyors Manager

At the manager level you are expected to be able to lead and direct a team of surveyors on various projects. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring the project is completed on time and remains within the specified budget. You must be familiar with all the standard and particular functions of every level of Land Surveying. This position also requires a bachelor's degree and typically also requires at least 5 years of experience as Surveyor Supervisor or Land Surveyor III. The median salary for this position is about $87,507.

Land Surveyors Supervisor

The basic function of the Land Surveyors Supervisor is exactly what you would expect it to be - namely, supervising a group or staff of Land Surveyors. They are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the measurements and locations of angles, points, line, areas and elevations are precise and exact. They report directly to the Land Surveyors Manager. Typically, but not always, this positions requires a bachelors degree and a minimum of 3 years experience in the field. However, additional experience may sometimes be substituted for a degree. The median salary for this position is $68,207.

Land Surveyor

This is the entry level position for Land Surveying. It is split up into three different levels depending on your experience and expertise. However, the duties for each level are typically the same the main difference is the wage at each level. In all levels you are required to investigate land surface and obtain precise measurements of all angels, lines, elevations, areas and points in an assigned area. This includes extensive and detailed note taking and often includes sketching as well. Typically a high school diploma is required to being but often a bachelor's degree is preferred as well. A level I Land Surveyor will have 0-2 years of experience and can expect to make about $40,000. A level II Surveyor will have approximately 2-4 years experience and earn about $46,000. And a level III Land Surveyor will have 5 or more years of experience and earn about $55,000.

Sources: Salary.com, Land Surveyor