JobAfterNext

Surveying and Mapping Technicians

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.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$54,240
Employment, U.S.58,010
Median hourly wage$26.08
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$37,520$45,430$54,240$66,700$81,630
By state (50)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama1,320$46,4501.67
Alaska300$76,9702.49
Arizona700$54,0800.58
Arkansas810$46,3701.66
California3,340$78,1100.49
Colorado2,340$57,8902.18
Connecticut380$58,9000.60
Delaware180$57,1301.00
Florida4,810$48,0401.30
Georgia1,890$48,8101.04
Hawaii140$55,5800.59
Idaho450$52,6301.42
Illinois1,110$57,4700.49
Indiana1,060$56,4400.89
Iowa390$58,9500.66
Kansas730$50,9001.37
Kentucky920$46,0501.24
Louisiana930$49,4401.29
Maine220$56,4700.93
Maryland470$61,6000.46
Massachusetts640$58,7300.47
Michigan690$50,3400.42
Minnesota1,060$73,1900.96
Mississippi550$47,3201.26
Missouri720$51,7000.66
Montana430$60,3302.26
Nebraska770$48,0802.00
Nevada680$58,7901.17
New Hampshire260$57,2901.04
New Jersey750$60,7200.47
New Mexico610$56,2101.88
New York2,540$57,3600.70
North Carolina4,100$53,1602.22
North Dakota160$60,8700.97
Ohio1,350$60,3300.65
Oklahoma810$46,7601.27
Oregon1,280$55,7901.74
Pennsylvania1,340$58,2700.59
Rhode Island110$60,3200.59
South Carolina1,420$43,7401.65
South Dakota110$50,0500.66
Tennessee1,340$50,3701.09
Texas8,720$47,6801.66
Utah360$59,6000.56
Vermont40$56,4600.35
Virginia2,440$56,7601.59
Washington1,030$62,7200.78
West Virginia370$48,5301.41
Wisconsin660$59,0800.61
Wyoming150$58,2201.40

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
1Surveyors40.975
2Geodetic Surveyors40.968
3Cartographers and Photogrammetrists40.959
4Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians40.958
5Remote Sensing Technicians40.957
6Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians40.952
7Forest and Conservation Technicians30.942
8Traffic Technicians30.940
9Electrical and Electronics Drafters30.938
10Conservation Scientists40.937

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Surveying and Mapping Technicians, 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
Traffic TechniciansSystems Evaluation1.000.940
Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansActive Listening1.000.934
Power Distributors and DispatchersOperations Monitoring1.130.934
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention SpecialistsCoordination0.870.922

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Surveying and Mapping Technicians, excluding software Surveying and Mapping Technicians 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
C++8 of 203.4x
The MathWorks MATLAB7 of 202.9x
Apple iOS3 of 208.1x
C5 of 203.3x
Structure query language SQL3 of 206.6x
Adobe Creative Cloud software5 of 203.0x
Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite3 of 205.8x
Amazon Web Services AWS software4 of 203.6x
Google Workspace software3 of 205.3x
JavaScript Object Notation JSON3 of 205.3x

Skills

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

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.62 3.75
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.50 3.62
MathematicsEssential skill 3.25 3.62
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.25 3.12
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.12 3.38
MonitoringEssential skill 3.12 3.25
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.12 3.00
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
SpeakingEssential skill 3.00 3.00
Active LearningEssential skill 2.88 3.12
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
WritingEssential skill 2.88 2.88
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.88 2.75
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.75 3.00
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 2.62 2.62
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.62 2.25
InstructingTransferable skill 2.50 2.75
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.50 2.62
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.50 2.38
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 2.50 2.25
ProgrammingTransferable skill 2.50 2.25
ScienceEssential skill 2.38not rated
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.38 2.38
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.25 2.00
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.00 1.75
Technology DesignTransferable skill 2.00 1.12
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.88 1.75
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.88 1.12
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.25
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.75 1.12
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.75 0.88
RepairingTransferable skill 1.75 0.88
InstallationTransferable skill 1.12not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Geography 4.07 5.29
Mathematics 3.96 4.64
English Language 3.51 3.60
Computers and Electronics 3.41 4.34
Customer and Personal Service 3.40 3.79
Design 3.30 3.92
Education and Training 3.16 3.93
Engineering and Technology 3.14 3.50
Administration and Management 3.13 3.42
Public Safety and Security 3.05 2.98
Law and Government 2.99 3.02
Building and Construction 2.69 2.69
Administrative 2.61 3.22
Production and Processing 2.45 2.43
History and Archeology 2.36 2.24
Physics 2.29 2.42
Transportation 2.29 2.17
Telecommunications 2.12 1.72
Economics and Accounting 2.06 1.61
Personnel and Human Resources 2.05 1.73
Communications and Media 1.96 1.93
Mechanical 1.94 1.85
Sales and Marketing 1.91 1.67
Biology 1.60 1.42
Sociology and Anthropology 1.59not rated
Psychology 1.42 0.69
Chemistry 1.38 0.87
Philosophy and Theology 1.28not rated
Foreign Language 1.21not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.21not rated
Fine Arts 1.13not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.10not rated
Food Production 1.00not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Near Vision 3.62 3.88
Oral Comprehension 3.62 3.88
Deductive Reasoning 3.62 3.50
Inductive Reasoning 3.62 3.38
Written Comprehension 3.50 3.75
Information Ordering 3.50 3.50
Flexibility of Closure 3.50 3.38
Mathematical Reasoning 3.50 3.25
Oral Expression 3.25 3.88
Written Expression 3.25 3.62
Category Flexibility 3.25 3.25
Far Vision 3.25 3.25
Perceptual Speed 3.25 3.12
Problem Sensitivity 3.25 3.12
Speech Recognition 3.25 3.12
Speech Clarity 3.25 3.00
Selective Attention 3.12 3.00
Visualization 3.12 3.00
Speed of Closure 3.00 3.12
Control Precision 2.88 2.75
Number Facility 2.88 2.75
Visual Color Discrimination 2.75 2.50
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.75 2.25
Fluency of Ideas 2.62 2.75
Time Sharing 2.62 2.50
Finger Dexterity 2.62 2.38
Manual Dexterity 2.50 2.25
Spatial Orientation 2.50 2.12
Originality 2.38 2.50
Multilimb Coordination 2.25 2.25
Memorization 2.25 2.12
Auditory Attention 2.25 2.00
Trunk Strength 2.25 2.00
Depth Perception 2.25 1.88
Extent Flexibility 2.12 2.12
Gross Body Coordination 2.00 1.88
Wrist-Finger Speed 2.00 1.75
Stamina 2.00 1.38
Reaction Time 1.88 1.38
Response Orientation 1.88 1.38
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.88 1.00
Peripheral Vision 1.88 1.00
Static Strength 1.75 1.38
Explosive Strength 1.75 1.25
Dynamic Strength 1.75 1.12
Glare Sensitivity 1.75 1.12
Hearing Sensitivity 1.75 1.12
Rate Control 1.75 1.12
Night Vision 1.50 0.75
Sound Localization 1.50 0.62
Dynamic Flexibility 1.12not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 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 101
  • Bentley GEOPAK Civil Engineering Suite
  • Bentley GeoPak Bridge
  • Bentley Systems InRoads Suite
  • CARIS HIPS
  • CARIS SIPS
  • Carlson SurvCADD
  • Carlson Survey
  • Computer aided design and drafting software CADD
  • Coordinate geometry COGO software
  • Database software
  • Datalog with guidance DLWG software
  • Desktop digital photogrammetry system DDPS
  • Digital elevation model DEM software
  • ESRI ArcCatalog
  • ESRI ArcEditor
  • ESRI ArcGIS (analytical or scientific feature)
  • ESRI ArcGIS ArcPy
  • ESRI ArcGIS Spatial Analyst
  • ESRI ArcIMS
  • ESRI ArcInfo
  • ESRI ArcSDE
  • ESRI ArcToolbox
  • ESRI ArcView
  • ESRI ArcView 3D Analyst
  • ESRI MapObjects
  • ESRI Maplex
  • ESRI Personal Geodatabase
  • Email software
  • Foresoft CDS Cogo
  • Foresoft CDS Model
  • Geographic information system GIS software
  • Geomechanical design analysis GDA software
  • Global positioning system GPS software
  • Graphics software
  • Hexagon Geospatial Imagine Photogrammetry
  • Hexagon Intergraph
  • IMAGINE OrthoBASE
  • Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE
  • Low-level driver LLD software
  • MENSI 3Dipsos
  • MapInfo
  • Mapping software
  • MicroSurvey FieldGenius
  • MicroSurvey OfficeSync
  • MicroSurvey Star*Net
  • MicroSurveyCAD
  • Microsoft Exchange
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition VBScript
  • Modeling software
  • Muncy Plat Pronto
  • PCI Geomatics eCognition
  • PCI Geomatics software
  • QuarkXPress
  • QuickCogo
  • RockWare ArcMap
  • SiteComp Survey
  • Software libraries
  • TELEDYNE CARIS
  • TRS Software TomCADD
  • Traverse PC
  • Trimble Digital Fieldbook
  • Trimble GPS Pathfinder Office
  • Trimble Geomatics Office
  • Trimble TerraSync
  • Trimble Terramodel
  • Trimble Total Control
  • Tripod Data Systems COGO
  • Tripod Data Systems Foresight
  • Tripod Data Systems software
  • Triton Elics International Isis
  • Web browser software

Where it concentrates

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
Midland, TX2505.54$45,860
Raleigh-Cary, NC1,1204.05$49,150
Missoula, MT1003.90$58,080
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC1103.45$44,790
Anchorage, AK2203.32$76,970
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA1003.13$59,870
Huntsville, AL3003.07$47,280
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR4103.05$45,990
Tyler, TX1303.01$40,060
Wilmington, NC2102.96$50,670

More metros, other thresholds