Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023
17-3031 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. Excludes “Cartographers and Photogrammetrists” (17-1021), “Surveyors" (17-1022), and “Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers” (19-2042).
National estimates for Surveying and Mapping Technicians
Industry profile for Surveying and Mapping Technicians
Geographic profile for Surveying and Mapping Technicians
National estimates for Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 56,050 |
2.5 % |
$ 26.00 |
$ 54,090 |
0.8 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 16.87 |
$ 19.13 |
$ 23.53 |
$ 30.07 |
$ 38.05 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 35,080 |
$ 39,790 |
$ 48,940 |
$ 62,540 |
$ 79,150 |
Industry profile for Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Surveying and Mapping Technicians are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Surveying and Mapping Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
34,920 |
2.12 |
$ 25.10 |
$ 52,210 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
5,880 |
0.11 |
$ 29.03 |
$ 60,380 |
| Other Support Services |
3,330 |
1.02 |
$ 22.40 |
$ 46,590 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services |
1,330 |
0.07 |
$ 28.94 |
$ 60,190 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) |
610 |
0.03 |
$ 31.48 |
$ 65,490 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
Top paying industries for Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
Geographic profile for Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Surveying and Mapping Technicians are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Surveying and Mapping Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Texas |
7,640 |
0.56 |
1.53 |
$ 25.23 |
$ 52,480 |
| North Carolina |
5,270 |
1.10 |
2.98 |
$ 22.56 |
$ 46,930 |
| California |
4,440 |
0.25 |
0.67 |
$ 35.88 |
$ 74,620 |
| Florida |
4,290 |
0.45 |
1.21 |
$ 23.15 |
$ 48,150 |
| Colorado |
2,700 |
0.95 |
2.58 |
$ 26.82 |
$ 55,780 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| North Carolina |
5,270 |
1.10 |
2.98 |
$ 22.56 |
$ 46,930 |
| Montana |
510 |
1.01 |
2.75 |
$ 24.43 |
$ 50,810 |
| Colorado |
2,700 |
0.95 |
2.58 |
$ 26.82 |
$ 55,780 |
| Alaska |
300 |
0.95 |
2.58 |
$ 33.28 |
$ 69,210 |
| Maine |
430 |
0.69 |
1.87 |
$ 25.48 |
$ 53,000 |
Top paying states for Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
4,440 |
0.25 |
0.67 |
$ 35.88 |
$ 74,620 |
| Nevada |
410 |
0.28 |
0.75 |
$ 33.83 |
$ 70,360 |
| Rhode Island |
50 |
0.11 |
0.29 |
$ 33.61 |
$ 69,920 |
| Alaska |
300 |
0.95 |
2.58 |
$ 33.28 |
$ 69,210 |
| Minnesota |
910 |
0.32 |
0.85 |
$ 30.05 |
$ 62,500 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
2,240 |
0.70 |
1.91 |
$ 26.35 |
$ 54,800 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
1,680 |
0.42 |
1.15 |
$ 26.11 |
$ 54,310 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
1,660 |
0.18 |
0.47 |
$ 31.53 |
$ 65,580 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
1,580 |
0.99 |
2.69 |
$ 26.19 |
$ 54,480 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC |
1,340 |
1.02 |
2.77 |
$ 23.20 |
$ 48,250 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
1,190 |
0.42 |
1.14 |
$ 23.68 |
$ 49,250 |
| Raleigh, NC |
1,150 |
1.64 |
4.45 |
$ 24.63 |
$ 51,220 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX |
950 |
0.77 |
2.08 |
$ 25.82 |
$ 53,700 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
850 |
0.31 |
0.85 |
$ 24.27 |
$ 50,490 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
840 |
0.14 |
0.37 |
$ 37.94 |
$ 78,910 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Burlington, NC |
110 |
1.74 |
4.71 |
$ 17.71 |
$ 36,830 |
| Raleigh, NC |
1,150 |
1.64 |
4.45 |
$ 24.63 |
$ 51,220 |
| Midland, TX |
180 |
1.60 |
4.35 |
$ 27.66 |
$ 57,540 |
| Grand Junction, CO |
100 |
1.54 |
4.17 |
$ 22.23 |
$ 46,240 |
| Greeley, CO |
160 |
1.44 |
3.91 |
$ 28.18 |
$ 58,600 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC |
110 |
1.42 |
3.85 |
$ 21.40 |
$ 44,500 |
| Fort Collins, CO |
220 |
1.28 |
3.47 |
$ 26.27 |
$ 54,630 |
| Anchorage, AK |
210 |
1.22 |
3.31 |
$ 32.72 |
$ 68,050 |
| Wilmington, NC |
170 |
1.20 |
3.25 |
$ 22.60 |
$ 47,000 |
| Lawrence, KS |
60 |
1.19 |
3.22 |
$ 23.51 |
$ 48,890 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
400 |
0.35 |
0.94 |
$ 43.92 |
$ 91,350 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA |
80 |
0.38 |
1.03 |
$ 39.69 |
$ 82,560 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
680 |
0.28 |
0.76 |
$ 39.11 |
$ 81,350 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
840 |
0.14 |
0.37 |
$ 37.94 |
$ 78,910 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA |
390 |
0.38 |
1.02 |
$ 35.82 |
$ 74,500 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA |
40 |
0.14 |
0.37 |
$ 35.31 |
$ 73,440 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV |
220 |
0.20 |
0.54 |
$ 34.56 |
$ 71,890 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA |
100 |
0.32 |
0.85 |
$ 33.91 |
$ 70,540 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA |
470 |
0.28 |
0.76 |
$ 33.62 |
$ 69,930 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA |
450 |
0.29 |
0.79 |
$ 33.33 |
$ 69,330 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Surveying and Mapping Technicians:
About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024
United States Department of Labor
