SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps. Excludes “Cartographers and Photogrammetrists” (17-1021), “Surveyors" (17-1022), and “Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers” (19-2042).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 17-3031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $37,520 | $3,127 | $722 | $18.04 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $45,430 | $3,786 | $874 | $21.84 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $54,240 | $4,520 | $1,043 | $26.08 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $66,700 | $5,558 | $1,283 | $32.07 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $81,630 | $6,802 | $1,570 | $39.24 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Surveying and Mapping Technicians is $54,240, which is 6% higher. Among the 36 occupations of the field Architecture and Engineering, it ranks number 36 by median pay. With 58,010 jobs, it makes up about 3.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Surveying and Mapping Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($78,110), Alaska ($76,970) and Minnesota ($73,190). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($32,370), South Carolina ($43,740) and Kentucky ($46,050). The most jobs were in Texas (8,720), Florida (4,810) and North Carolina (4,100). The occupation is most concentrated in Alaska, where its share of all jobs is 2.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,340 | $78,110 | $81,840 | $37.55 |
| Alaska | 300 | $76,970 | $78,990 | $37.01 |
| Minnesota | 1,060 | $73,190 | $72,840 | $35.19 |
| Washington | 1,030 | $62,720 | $65,290 | $30.15 |
| Maryland | 470 | $61,600 | $64,020 | $29.62 |
| North Dakota | 160 | $60,870 | $65,950 | $29.26 |
| New Jersey | 750 | $60,720 | $63,940 | $29.19 |
| Montana | 430 | $60,330 | $59,690 | $29.00 |
| Ohio | 1,350 | $60,330 | $60,800 | $29.01 |
| Rhode Island | 110 | $60,320 | $66,230 | $29.00 |
| Utah | 360 | $59,600 | $60,220 | $28.66 |
| Wisconsin | 660 | $59,080 | $59,900 | $28.40 |
| Iowa | 390 | $58,950 | $58,860 | $28.34 |
| Connecticut | 380 | $58,900 | $63,650 | $28.32 |
| Nevada | 680 | $58,790 | $65,510 | $28.27 |
| Massachusetts | 640 | $58,730 | $65,060 | $28.24 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,340 | $58,270 | $58,840 | $28.02 |
| Wyoming | 150 | $58,220 | $59,970 | $27.99 |
| Colorado | 2,340 | $57,890 | $60,020 | $27.83 |
| Illinois | 1,110 | $57,470 | $60,110 | $27.63 |
| New York | 2,540 | $57,360 | $59,670 | $27.58 |
| New Hampshire | 260 | $57,290 | $59,700 | $27.55 |
| Delaware | 180 | $57,130 | $58,360 | $27.47 |
| Virginia | 2,440 | $56,760 | $59,390 | $27.29 |
| Maine | 220 | $56,470 | $58,860 | $27.15 |
| Vermont | 40 | $56,460 | $60,150 | $27.14 |
| Indiana | 1,060 | $56,440 | $55,990 | $27.13 |
| New Mexico | 610 | $56,210 | $57,730 | $27.02 |
| Oregon | 1,280 | $55,790 | $58,120 | $26.82 |
| Hawaii | 140 | $55,580 | $56,090 | $26.72 |
| Arizona | 700 | $54,080 | $57,060 | $26.00 |
| North Carolina | 4,100 | $53,160 | $55,410 | $25.56 |
| Idaho | 450 | $52,630 | $54,930 | $25.30 |
| Missouri | 720 | $51,700 | $55,080 | $24.86 |
| Kansas | 730 | $50,900 | $56,840 | $24.47 |
| Tennessee | 1,340 | $50,370 | $53,700 | $24.22 |
| Michigan | 690 | $50,340 | $57,040 | $24.20 |
| South Dakota | 110 | $50,050 | $52,260 | $24.06 |
| Louisiana | 930 | $49,440 | $59,850 | $23.77 |
| Georgia | 1,890 | $48,810 | $52,690 | $23.46 |
| West Virginia | 370 | $48,530 | $50,260 | $23.33 |
| Nebraska | 770 | $48,080 | $51,480 | $23.11 |
| Florida | 4,810 | $48,040 | $52,010 | $23.10 |
| Texas | 8,720 | $47,680 | $53,600 | $22.93 |
| Mississippi | 550 | $47,320 | $51,570 | $22.75 |
| Oklahoma | 810 | $46,760 | $50,460 | $22.48 |
| Alabama | 1,320 | $46,450 | $50,730 | $22.33 |
| Arkansas | 810 | $46,370 | $50,190 | $22.29 |
| Kentucky | 920 | $46,050 | $51,390 | $22.14 |
| South Carolina | 1,420 | $43,740 | $47,720 | $21.03 |
| Puerto Rico | 90 | $32,370 | $38,470 | $15.56 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950 a year
- Drafters, All Other$63,520 a year
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians$59,920 a year
Common questions
How much do Surveying and Mapping Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $54,240 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,520 and the highest-paid 10% more than $81,630.
How many people work as Surveying and Mapping Technicians?
About 58,010 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.