JobAfterNext

Geodetic Surveyors

Measure large areas of the Earth's surface using satellite observations, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), light detection and ranging (LIDAR), or related sources.

Wages

BLS doesn't publish wages for Geodetic Surveyors separately. These are the figures for Surveyors (17-1022), its parent occupation.

Median annual wage, U.S.$75,440
Employment, U.S.50,830
Median hourly wage$36.27
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$46,880$58,170$75,440$98,130$125,590
By state (50)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama910$66,8401.31
Alaska250$99,5502.35
Arizona1,360$77,4901.28
Arkansas550$51,8001.29
California4,520$105,3300.76
Colorado1,620$79,3101.72
Connecticut430$76,7300.77
Delaware120$82,8900.75
Florida4,000$65,4801.23
Georgia1,770$58,1001.11
Hawaii140$82,2000.69
Idaho250$73,9400.89
Illinois1,710$75,9800.86
Indiana870$80,5100.83
Iowa450$77,0900.88
Kansas350$75,8600.75
Kentucky670$71,8401.03
Louisiana1,460$63,1402.30
Maine270$83,2001.31
Maryland950$64,9101.06
Massachusetts1,290$94,5901.09
Michigan1,050$72,0800.73
Minnesota980$83,6201.02
Mississippi570$58,7201.50
Missouri830$62,1100.86
Montana350$84,6102.06
Nebraska430$68,0501.29
Nevada490$82,4600.97
New Hampshire280$65,1301.27
New Jersey900$77,1600.64
New Mexico290$74,2301.01
New York1,470$78,8700.46
North Carolina1,530$76,2100.94
North Dakota250$79,3601.75
Ohio1,300$70,6200.72
Oklahoma960$61,3001.72
Oregon530$97,0700.82
Pennsylvania1,610$75,9500.81
Rhode Island150$62,6700.90
South Carolina1,000$63,3001.33
South Dakota180$77,1901.21
Tennessee920$76,3400.86
Texas6,410$61,1501.39
Utah650$73,2301.14
Vermont$76,450
Virginia1,360$71,0701.01
Washington780$85,6100.67
West Virginia630$61,5202.76
Wisconsin610$79,6500.63
Wyoming240$81,2502.63

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Surveying and Mapping Technicians30.968
2Surveyors40.968
3Hydrologists40.965
4Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists40.963
5Remote Sensing Technicians40.960
6Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians40.956
7Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers40.952
8Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers40.951
9Electrical Engineers40.945
10Solar Energy Systems Engineers40.945

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Geodetic Surveyors, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Remote Sensing Scientists and TechnologistsOperations Analysis1.870.963
Electrical EngineersOperations Analysis1.500.945
Solar Energy Systems EngineersPersuasion0.880.945
Energy AuditorsPersuasion0.880.943
Atmospheric and Space ScientistsScience1.380.940
Petroleum EngineersPersuasion1.000.934
Computer Hardware EngineersOperations Analysis2.250.930
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansPersuasion0.880.928

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Geodetic Surveyors, excluding software Geodetic Surveyors already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Geographic information system GIS systems14 of 2010.8x
Python15 of 205.2x
The MathWorks MATLAB13 of 205.4x
Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D8 of 2012.3x
Geomechanical design analysis GDA software6 of 2019.8x
ESRI ArcInfo6 of 2016.3x
Global positioning system GPS software7 of 209.5x
Microsoft Visual Basic10 of 204.8x
Carlson SurvCADD4 of 2046.2x
SKM Systems Analysis Power Tools4 of 2046.2x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
MathematicsEssential skill 4.12 4.88
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 4.00 4.38
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.88 4.12
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.88 4.00
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.75 3.88
WritingEssential skill 3.62 4.12
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.62 3.75
Active LearningEssential skill 3.38 4.12
MonitoringEssential skill 3.38 3.88
SpeakingEssential skill 3.38 3.88
ScienceEssential skill 3.12 3.50
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 3.12 3.25
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 3.12 3.25
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 3.00 3.25
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
InstructingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.88 3.12
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.75 3.12
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.75 2.88
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.75 2.50
ProgrammingTransferable skill 2.38 2.50
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.25 2.12
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.00 1.88
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.00 1.88
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.88 1.75
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.88 1.62
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
RepairingTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.50
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.50
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.75 1.38
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Mathematics 4.78 5.74
Engineering and Technology 3.96 5.04
Geography 3.84 5.33
Computers and Electronics 3.77 5.00
English Language 3.70 4.37
Physics 3.50 4.22
Education and Training 3.19 4.37
Design 3.15 4.22
Customer and Personal Service 3.08 3.69
Law and Government 2.81 3.37
Administration and Management 2.74 3.81
Public Safety and Security 2.65 2.81
Personnel and Human Resources 2.46 2.92
Telecommunications 2.44 2.33
Administrative 2.42 3.30
Production and Processing 2.38 2.50
Building and Construction 2.30 2.74
Mechanical 2.30 2.63
Transportation 2.30 2.52
Sales and Marketing 2.22 2.78
Communications and Media 2.04 2.27
Economics and Accounting 2.04 1.96
History and Archeology 1.89 1.93
Psychology 1.63 1.63
Foreign Language 1.41 0.93
Sociology and Anthropology 1.41 0.89
Philosophy and Theology 1.33not rated
Chemistry 1.33 1.00
Biology 1.22not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.19not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.19not rated
Fine Arts 1.15not rated
Food Production 1.04not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Comprehension 4.00 4.88
Written Comprehension 4.00 4.88
Mathematical Reasoning 4.00 4.75
Oral Expression 4.00 4.62
Flexibility of Closure 4.00 4.12
Inductive Reasoning 4.00 4.12
Written Expression 4.00 4.12
Information Ordering 4.00 4.00
Number Facility 3.88 4.25
Deductive Reasoning 3.88 4.12
Near Vision 3.88 3.88
Category Flexibility 3.75 3.88
Problem Sensitivity 3.50 4.00
Visualization 3.25 3.62
Fluency of Ideas 3.12 3.12
Speech Clarity 3.12 3.12
Far Vision 3.00 3.62
Perceptual Speed 3.00 3.12
Speed of Closure 3.00 3.12
Memorization 3.00 3.00
Selective Attention 3.00 3.00
Speech Recognition 3.00 3.00
Originality 2.88 2.88
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.75 2.88
Control Precision 2.75 2.75
Time Sharing 2.75 2.62
Finger Dexterity 2.62 2.75
Visual Color Discrimination 2.62 2.62
Multilimb Coordination 2.50 2.25
Manual Dexterity 2.38 2.00
Depth Perception 2.25 2.25
Trunk Strength 2.12 1.88
Spatial Orientation 2.00 2.12
Reaction Time 2.00 1.75
Static Strength 2.00 1.62
Glare Sensitivity 2.00 1.38
Auditory Attention 1.88 1.75
Hearing Sensitivity 1.88 1.75
Extent Flexibility 1.88 1.38
Stamina 1.88 1.25
Peripheral Vision 1.88 1.00
Response Orientation 1.75 1.50
Gross Body Coordination 1.75 1.38
Rate Control 1.75 1.25
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.75 1.00
Night Vision 1.62 1.12
Dynamic Strength 1.62 0.75
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.62 0.62
Sound Localization 1.62 0.62
Explosive Strength 1.25not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.25not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 38
  • Object oriented programming software
  • QuickCogo
  • SiteComp Survey
  • Traverse PC
  • Trimble Terramodel
  • Underhill Geomatics Copan
  • Virtual reality modeling language VRML software
  • Web browser software

Where it concentrates

BLS doesn't publish wages for Geodetic Surveyors separately. These are the figures for Surveyors (17-1022), its parent occupation.

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA1103.96$63,800
Lafayette, LA2203.76$49,820
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX1803.45$66,340
Anchorage, AK1703.01$101,820
Tyler, TX1102.80$56,810
Corpus Christi, TX1802.78$61,650
Baton Rouge, LA3702.77$69,710
Longview, TX1002.61$57,670
Oklahoma City, OK5002.24$63,880
New Orleans-Metairie, LA3102.16$79,230

More metros, other thresholds