Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2017

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 "Surveyors" (17-1022), "Cartographers and Photogrammetrists" (17-1021), and "Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers" (19-2042).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
51,890 2.6 % $22.28 $46,350 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $12.82 $16.15 $20.84 $27.40 $34.34
Annual Wage (2) $26,670 $33,590 $43,340 $56,990 $71,440


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 33,090 2.33 $20.81 $43,280
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 6,320 0.12 $25.26 $52,550
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 1,770 0.45 $28.70 $59,690
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 1,290 0.06 $21.64 $45,010
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 790 0.04 $26.15 $54,390

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 33,090 2.33 $20.81 $43,280
Natural Gas Distribution 670 0.59 $32.97 $68,580
Oil and Gas Extraction 770 0.57 $23.90 $49,710
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 1,770 0.45 $28.70 $59,690
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 6,320 0.12 $25.26 $52,550

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Natural Gas Distribution 670 0.59 $32.97 $68,580
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 40 0.12 $31.09 $64,670
Nonresidential Building Construction 170 0.02 $30.88 $64,230
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 1,770 0.45 $28.70 $59,690
Support Activities for Mining 150 0.06 $27.28 $56,740


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 6,940 0.58 1.60 $21.51 $44,750
Florida 5,250 0.62 1.71 $18.47 $38,430
California 4,020 0.24 0.66 $31.33 $65,170
North Carolina 3,140 0.73 2.01 $20.32 $42,270
Georgia 1,750 0.41 1.12 $20.40 $42,440




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Mexico 600 0.75 2.06 $21.62 $44,970
North Carolina 3,140 0.73 2.01 $20.32 $42,270
Florida 5,250 0.62 1.71 $18.47 $38,430
West Virginia 420 0.61 1.68 $18.92 $39,350
South Carolina 1,210 0.60 1.66 $17.90 $37,230




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 4,020 0.24 0.66 $31.33 $65,170
Alaska 180 0.55 1.52 $28.60 $59,490
Illinois 1,210 0.20 0.56 $27.16 $56,490
Massachusetts 520 0.15 0.40 $26.35 $54,810
Connecticut 290 0.18 0.48 $25.93 $53,930



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Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,130 0.73 2.00 $22.80 $47,420
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 1,500 1.04 2.85 $25.74 $53,540
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,210 0.46 1.27 $21.11 $43,900
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 1,030 0.42 1.14 $22.32 $46,430
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 920 0.76 2.10 $19.64 $40,860
Raleigh, NC 910 1.50 4.13 $21.29 $44,290
Austin-Round Rock, TX 820 0.82 2.25 $22.57 $46,960
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 750 0.63 1.73 $19.14 $39,820
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 730 0.20 0.55 $29.45 $61,260
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 680 0.34 0.94 $25.93 $53,920


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Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Farmington, NM 100 2.03 5.57 $23.15 $48,150
Tyler, TX 200 1.96 5.38 $17.59 $36,590
Raleigh, NC 910 1.50 4.13 $21.29 $44,290
Wilmington, NC 170 1.34 3.69 $19.56 $40,680
Lafayette, LA 260 1.31 3.61 $20.74 $43,140
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 310 1.22 3.34 $20.14 $41,900
Fairbanks, AK 40 1.17 3.20 $30.95 $64,380
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 190 1.16 3.19 $19.94 $41,470
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 90 1.05 2.88 $21.07 $43,830
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 1,500 1.04 2.85 $25.74 $53,540


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Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 350 0.21 0.59 $34.98 $72,760
San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division 30 0.27 0.75 $34.73 $72,240
Santa Rosa, CA 70 0.35 0.97 $33.46 $69,600
Salinas, CA 40 0.22 0.61 $32.94 $68,520
Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Division 510 0.45 1.22 $32.40 $67,390
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 30 0.11 0.29 $32.11 $66,800
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 260 0.18 0.49 $32.04 $66,650
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (8) (8) (8) $31.98 $66,520
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 600 0.14 0.37 $31.73 $66,000
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 40 0.38 1.03 $31.59 $65,710

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 220 0.86 2.35 $23.12 $48,090
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 200 1.07 2.93 $23.47 $48,820
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 150 1.03 2.82 $18.55 $38,590
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 140 1.40 3.84 $18.47 $38,420
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 140 0.51 1.39 $20.31 $42,240

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Florida nonmetropolitan area 110 3.62 9.94 $16.26 $33,820
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 140 1.40 3.84 $18.47 $38,420
Northeast Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 90 1.18 3.25 $22.04 $45,840
Northeast Florida nonmetropolitan area 100 1.08 2.96 $15.97 $33,210
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 200 1.07 2.93 $23.47 $48,820

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 1.03 $30.35 $63,120
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 60 0.63 1.74 $28.87 $60,060
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 30 0.18 0.50 $27.75 $57,730
Northwest Washington nonmetropolitan area 40 0.78 2.13 $26.39 $54,890
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 40 0.49 1.34 $24.59 $51,160


About May 2017 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 OES estimates and related information:

May 2017 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2017 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2017 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2017 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2017 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 30, 2018