Surveying and Mapping Technicians
Surveying and Mapping Technicians (SOC 17-3031) earn a median $54,240 a year ($26.08 an hour) in the United States, with 58,010 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What surveying and mapping technicians do
Surveying and mapping technicians collect and process the data used to determine boundaries, locate construction, and make maps. They usually work under the direction of a surveyor, engineer, cartographer, or photogrammetrist. In the field, they hold vertical rods or targets for instrument operators who take sightings. In the office, they check each layer of a map for accuracy, mark errors and make corrections, build or update databases of geographic or topographic data, and monitor the updating of maps to make sure that new features and changes are included. Some compute mapmaking information and create maps from source data such as survey notes and aerial photography, and some compile information to stake construction projects from engineering plans. The occupation differs from surveyors, who are classified separately, and from cartographers and photogrammetrists, who design and produce maps and spatial datasets. Technicians may also determine the scales, line sizes, and colors used for printed copies of computerized maps.
Also called: Aerial Photograph Interpreter, Assessment Technician, Aerotriangulation Specialist, Ax Survey Worker, CAD Technician (Computer Aided Design Technician).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.04 | $21.84 | $26.08 | $32.07 | $39.24 | $27.89 | 58,010 |
| Annual | $37,520 | $45,430 | $54,240 | $66,700 | $81,630 | $58,000 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where surveying and mapping technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $23.08 | $29.37 | $37.55 | $49.41 | $57.34 | $39.34 | 3,340 | 0.18 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $48,000 | $61,090 | $78,110 | $102,770 | $119,270 | $81,840 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $28.75 | $31.96 | $37.01 | $42.75 | $49.78 | $37.98 | 300 | 0.93 | 2.49 |
| Annual | $59,800 | $66,470 | $76,970 | $88,930 | $103,550 | $78,990 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $24.79 | $29.80 | $35.19 | $39.00 | $45.70 | $35.02 | 1,060 | 0.36 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $51,560 | $61,980 | $73,190 | $81,120 | $95,050 | $72,840 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.19 | $25.88 | $30.15 | $36.57 | $42.71 | $31.39 | 1,030 | 0.29 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $46,160 | $53,830 | $62,720 | $76,070 | $88,830 | $65,290 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $20.45 | $22.23 | $29.62 | $37.33 | $41.25 | $30.78 | 470 | 0.17 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $42,530 | $46,240 | $61,600 | $77,640 | $85,800 | $64,020 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.36 | $18.79 | $22.93 | $30.69 | $37.12 | $25.77 | 8,720 | 0.62 | 1.66 |
| Annual | $36,120 | $39,080 | $47,680 | $63,840 | $77,200 | $53,600 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.62 | $18.90 | $23.10 | $29.30 | $35.11 | $25.01 | 4,810 | 0.49 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $36,640 | $39,310 | $48,040 | $60,930 | $73,020 | $52,010 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $18.13 | $21.99 | $25.56 | $30.16 | $36.74 | $26.64 | 4,100 | 0.83 | 2.22 |
| Annual | $37,710 | $45,740 | $53,160 | $62,730 | $76,420 | $55,410 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $23.08 | $29.37 | $37.55 | $49.41 | $57.34 | $39.34 | 3,340 | 0.18 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $48,000 | $61,090 | $78,110 | $102,770 | $119,270 | $81,840 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.55 | $22.68 | $27.58 | $31.28 | $39.42 | $28.69 | 2,540 | 0.26 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $44,830 | $47,170 | $57,360 | $65,060 | $81,990 | $59,670 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $23.51 | $32.07 | $48.69 | $52.15 | $59.98 | $43.21 | 40 | 0.33 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $48,900 | $66,700 | $101,270 | $108,480 | $124,770 | $89,880 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $26.23 | $35.67 | $44.57 | $51.50 | $57.61 | $43.41 | 860 | 0.14 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $54,560 | $74,180 | $92,700 | $107,120 | $119,830 | $90,290 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $26.70 | $32.12 | $40.56 | $51.16 | $60.29 | $43.29 | 360 | 0.15 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $55,530 | $66,820 | $84,360 | $106,410 | $125,410 | $90,030 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $23.24 | $29.55 | $39.00 | $51.72 | $56.86 | $40.36 | 250 | 0.23 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $48,340 | $61,460 | $81,120 | $107,570 | $118,270 | $83,960 | ||||
| Visalia, CA | Hourly | $25.89 | $29.37 | $38.79 | $47.96 | $56.45 | $39.43 | 40 | 0.21 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $53,850 | $61,090 | $80,680 | $99,760 | $117,420 | $82,020 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $17.33 | $21.40 | $23.83 | $31.18 | $37.41 | $26.90 | 2,650 | 0.81 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $36,040 | $44,500 | $49,570 | $64,860 | $77,800 | $55,950 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.76 | $18.04 | $21.86 | $28.95 | $37.00 | $25.05 | 2,010 | 0.50 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $36,940 | $37,520 | $45,460 | $60,220 | $76,950 | $52,100 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.59 | $23.25 | $27.66 | $33.91 | $45.01 | $30.21 | 1,930 | 0.20 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $46,980 | $48,370 | $57,530 | $70,520 | $93,620 | $62,840 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $22.19 | $22.26 | $27.83 | $32.43 | $38.14 | $28.60 | 1,510 | 0.94 | 2.52 |
| Annual | $46,160 | $46,290 | $57,890 | $67,450 | $79,320 | $59,480 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $17.77 | $20.24 | $23.46 | $30.37 | $42.60 | $26.27 | 1,280 | 0.44 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $36,960 | $42,100 | $48,810 | $63,180 | $88,600 | $54,630 | ||||
Top industries employing surveying and mapping technicians
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services employ 61.2% of surveying and mapping technicians nationally (35,480 jobs) at a median $50,340 a year ($24.20 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (11.2%) and Other Support Services (8.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 35,480 | 61.2% | $50,340 | $24.20 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 6,480 | 11.2% | $61,650 | $29.64 |
| Other Support Services NAICS 561900 | 5,170 | 8.9% | $46,960 | $22.58 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution NAICS 221100 | 1,790 | 3.1% | $77,310 | $37.17 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 1,000 | 1.7% | $58,410 | $28.08 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (58,010). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,910 for surveying and mapping technicians in May 2021 and $54,240 in May 2025, with employment of 56,070 and 58,010.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,910 | $22.55 | 56,070 |
| May 2022 | $47,180 | $22.68 | 56,580 |
| May 2023 | $48,940 | $23.53 | 56,050 |
| May 2024 | $51,940 | $24.97 | 56,720 |
| May 2025 | $54,240 | $26.08 | 58,010 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $37.55 | $78,110 | $48,000 | $119,270 | 3,340 | 0.18 | 0.49 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $37.01 | $76,970 | $59,800 | $103,550 | 300 | 0.93 | 2.49 |
| 3 | Minnesota profile | $35.19 | $73,190 | $51,560 | $95,050 | 1,060 | 0.36 | 0.96 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $30.15 | $62,720 | $46,160 | $88,830 | 1,030 | 0.29 | 0.78 |
| 5 | Maryland profile | $29.62 | $61,600 | $42,530 | $85,800 | 470 | 0.17 | 0.46 |
| 6 | North Dakota profile | $29.26 | $60,870 | $43,360 | $101,380 | 160 | 0.36 | 0.97 |
| 7 | New Jersey profile | $29.19 | $60,720 | $42,830 | $95,820 | 750 | 0.17 | 0.47 |
| 8 | Montana profile | $29.00 | $60,330 | $46,430 | $79,690 | 430 | 0.84 | 2.26 |
| 9 | Ohio profile | $29.01 | $60,330 | $44,130 | $79,930 | 1,350 | 0.24 | 0.65 |
| 10 | Rhode Island profile | $29.00 | $60,320 | $46,160 | $92,980 | 110 | 0.22 | 0.59 |
| 11 | Utah profile | $28.66 | $59,600 | $38,110 | $83,430 | 360 | 0.21 | 0.56 |
| 12 | Wisconsin profile | $28.40 | $59,080 | $39,340 | $77,690 | 660 | 0.23 | 0.61 |
| 13 | Iowa profile | $28.34 | $58,950 | $47,840 | $77,530 | 390 | 0.25 | 0.66 |
| 14 | Connecticut profile | $28.32 | $58,900 | $42,730 | $94,660 | 380 | 0.22 | 0.60 |
| 15 | Nevada profile | $28.27 | $58,790 | $46,960 | $103,420 | 680 | 0.44 | 1.17 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $28.24 | $58,730 | $46,370 | $99,990 | 640 | 0.18 | 0.47 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.02 | $58,270 | $39,580 | $79,660 | 1,340 | 0.22 | 0.59 |
| 18 | Wyoming profile | $27.99 | $58,220 | $43,880 | $74,890 | 150 | 0.52 | 1.40 |
| 19 | Colorado profile | $27.83 | $57,890 | $45,620 | $79,660 | 2,340 | 0.81 | 2.18 |
| 20 | Illinois profile | $27.63 | $57,470 | $42,560 | $81,440 | 1,110 | 0.18 | 0.49 |
| 21 | New York profile | $27.58 | $57,360 | $44,830 | $81,990 | 2,540 | 0.26 | 0.70 |
| 22 | New Hampshire profile | $27.55 | $57,290 | $45,590 | $79,070 | 260 | 0.39 | 1.04 |
| 23 | Delaware profile | $27.47 | $57,130 | $43,700 | $79,190 | 180 | 0.37 | 1.00 |
| 24 | Virginia profile | $27.29 | $56,760 | $37,850 | $85,010 | 2,440 | 0.59 | 1.59 |
| 25 | Maine profile | $27.15 | $56,470 | $47,990 | $80,860 | 220 | 0.35 | 0.93 |
| 26 | Vermont profile | $27.14 | $56,460 | $49,350 | $71,740 | 40 | 0.13 | 0.35 |
| 27 | Indiana profile | $27.13 | $56,440 | $37,470 | $75,110 | 1,060 | 0.33 | 0.89 |
| 28 | New Mexico profile | $27.02 | $56,210 | $37,220 | $81,410 | 610 | 0.70 | 1.88 |
| 29 | Oregon profile | $26.82 | $55,790 | $44,330 | $78,960 | 1,280 | 0.65 | 1.74 |
| 30 | Hawaii profile | $26.72 | $55,580 | $45,600 | $73,200 | 140 | 0.22 | 0.59 |
| 31 | Arizona profile | $26.00 | $54,080 | $39,860 | $80,840 | 700 | 0.22 | 0.58 |
| 32 | North Carolina profile | $25.56 | $53,160 | $37,710 | $76,420 | 4,100 | 0.83 | 2.22 |
| 33 | Idaho profile | $25.30 | $52,630 | $39,500 | $72,040 | 450 | 0.53 | 1.42 |
| 34 | Missouri profile | $24.86 | $51,700 | $36,260 | $77,410 | 720 | 0.25 | 0.66 |
| 35 | Kansas profile | $24.47 | $50,900 | $42,870 | $80,290 | 730 | 0.51 | 1.37 |
| 36 | Tennessee profile | $24.22 | $50,370 | $36,620 | $74,510 | 1,340 | 0.41 | 1.09 |
| 37 | Michigan profile | $24.20 | $50,340 | $40,440 | $78,650 | 690 | 0.16 | 0.42 |
| 38 | South Dakota profile | $24.06 | $50,050 | $39,680 | $61,740 | 110 | 0.25 | 0.66 |
| 39 | Louisiana profile | $23.77 | $49,440 | $36,300 | $103,040 | 930 | 0.48 | 1.29 |
| 40 | Georgia profile | $23.46 | $48,810 | $34,900 | $83,320 | 1,890 | 0.39 | 1.04 |
| 41 | West Virginia profile | $23.33 | $48,530 | $29,130 | $73,080 | 370 | 0.53 | 1.41 |
| 42 | Nebraska profile | $23.11 | $48,080 | $38,910 | $66,580 | 770 | 0.75 | 2.00 |
| 43 | Florida profile | $23.10 | $48,040 | $36,640 | $73,020 | 4,810 | 0.49 | 1.30 |
| 44 | Texas profile | $22.93 | $47,680 | $36,120 | $77,200 | 8,720 | 0.62 | 1.66 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $22.75 | $47,320 | $31,200 | $76,590 | 550 | 0.47 | 1.26 |
| 46 | Oklahoma profile | $22.48 | $46,760 | $36,320 | $75,970 | 810 | 0.47 | 1.27 |
| 47 | Alabama profile | $22.33 | $46,450 | $31,370 | $80,140 | 1,320 | 0.62 | 1.67 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $22.29 | $46,370 | $36,770 | $71,040 | 810 | 0.62 | 1.66 |
| 49 | Kentucky profile | $22.14 | $46,050 | $37,070 | $72,020 | 920 | 0.46 | 1.24 |
| 50 | South Carolina profile | $21.03 | $43,740 | $36,500 | $64,660 | 1,420 | 0.62 | 1.65 |
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-3031 Surveying and Mapping Technicians.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-3031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-3031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.