# Surveyors

US SOC code 17-1022. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/17-1022

Also called: Land surveyor, Licensed surveyor, Professional land surveyor, PLS, Boundary surveyor.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **50,830** US surveyors, with median pay of **$75,440** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **56,820**, in May 2006. The earliest figure here is [a Census count](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ1880.shtml) of **7,800** from 1880, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for surveyors: Robotic total station and CAD-integrated office workflow, 2010 to 2020. Robotic total stations completed the decades-long reduction in survey crew size: the two-person crew became one person on many boundary and construction stakeout surveys.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-1022&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **43.3%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Surveyors employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1748
- Latest US employment: 50,830 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [6]
- Latest US median pay: $75,440 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [14]
- Outlook: +5.8% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [34]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 21203)
  - Employment, 2020: 7,210. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [9]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 21203 Land surveyors, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$76,500. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [18]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 21203 Land surveyors, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 29 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1862 | n/a | $520 (estimate) | Est., Three Surveyors and Another Guy [10] |
| 1880 | 7,800 | n/a | Decennial Census 1880 [1] |
| 1900 | 11,500 | n/a | Decennial Census 1900 [2] |
| 1950 | 42,000 | $3,800 (estimate) | Decennial Census 1950 [3] |
| 1985 | 62,000 (estimate) | $28,500 (estimate) | Est., Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER (employment) [4]; Est., University of Missouri Libraries (pay) [12] |
| 2000 | 52,750 | $36,700 | BLS OEWS 2000 [5] |
| 2003 | 51,490 | $40,860 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [6] |
| 2004 | 52,680 | $42,980 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [6] |
| 2005 | 54,220 | $45,860 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [6] |
| 2006 | 56,820 | $48,290 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [6] |
| 2007 | 56,670 | $51,630 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [6] |
| 2008 | 55,780 | $52,980 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [6] |
| 2009 | 50,360 | $54,180 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [6] |
| 2010 | 43,950 | $54,880 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [6] |
| 2011 | 42,020 | $55,590 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [6] |
| 2012 | 40,190 | $56,230 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [6] |
| 2013 | 41,360 | $56,590 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [6] |
| 2014 | 41,970 | $57,050 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [6] |
| 2015 | 43,140 | $58,020 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [6] |
| 2016 | 43,340 | $59,390 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [6] |
| 2017 | 43,430 | $61,140 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [6] |
| 2018 | 45,310 | $62,580 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [6] |
| 2019 | 45,220 | $63,420 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [6] |
| 2020 | 43,710 | $65,590 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [6] |
| 2021 | 46,390 | $61,600 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [6] |
| 2022 | 47,770 | $63,080 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [6] |
| 2023 | 50,740 | $68,540 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [6] |
| 2024 | 53,080 | $72,740 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [6] |
| 2025 | 50,830 | $75,440 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [6] |

## Sources (97)

### Employment series

1. [IPUMS USA -- 1880 Census Occupation Codes and enumeration (civil engineers and surveyors category)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ1880.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
2. [1900 Census Special Reports: Occupations at the Twelfth Census (professional service class, surveyors)](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1904/dec/occupations.html), US Census Bureau
3. [IPUMS USA -- Occupation and Industry Codes and Documentation (1950 Census occupation code 0930, Surveyors)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
4. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 1986-87 edition -- Surveyors and Surveying Technicians (employment estimate)](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/occupational-outlook-handbook-3964), Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER
5. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
6. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
8. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
9. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

10. [Three Surveyors and Another Guy -- The American Surveyor (Abraham Lincoln surveying earnings, 1833-1834)](https://amerisurv.com/2018/10/07/three-surveyorsand-another-guy/), The American Surveyor
11. [IPUMS USA -- 1950 Census occupation code 0930 (Surveyors); BLS PATC survey historical context](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
12. [University of Missouri Libraries -- Prices and Wages by Decade: 1980-1989 (BLS professional and technical worker wage data)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1980-1989), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
13. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
14. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
15. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
16. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
17. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
18. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

19. [History of Surveying in the United States -- Wikipedia (Gunter's chain, surveyor's compass, colonial era methods)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_surveying_in_the_United_States), Wikipedia
20. [Land Surveyors in American History -- Compass Surveying Ltd (colonial surveying methods timeline)](https://www.clsurveying.com/land-surveyors-in-american-history/), Compass Surveying Ltd
21. [History of Surveying Technology -- SITECH Rocky Mountain (transit and tape accuracy standards)](https://sitechrockymtn.com/blog/history-of-surveying-technology/), SITECH Rocky Mountain
22. [California Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists -- History of California surveyor licensing (first law 1891)](https://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/about_us/history.pdf), California BPELSG
23. [National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) -- History (founded 1981; professional licensing context)](https://www.nsps.us.com/page/History), National Society of Professional Surveyors
24. [Evolution of Surveying Equipment through the Decades -- Metricop (EDM introduction, 1960s-1980s)](https://metricop.com/blogs/land-surveying/the-evolution-of-surveying-equipment-through-the-decades-how-technology-changed-professional-practice), Metricop LLC
25. [Evolution of the Total Station: A Brief History -- Global GPS Systems (HP 3820A, Zeiss Elta 46, 1968-1980)](https://globalgpssystems.com/total-station/the-total-station-a-brief-history-and-development/), Global GPS Systems
26. [Total Station -- Wikipedia (history of total station development, 1970s-1980s)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_station), Wikipedia
27. [GPS in Surveying: From Weapon of War to Everyday Tool -- Bench Mark (GPS history, SA removal 2000, RTK adoption)](https://bench-mark.ca/gps-in-surveying-from-weapon-of-war-to-everyday-tool/), Bench Mark Equipment and Supplies
28. [Global Positioning System -- Wikipedia (full operational capability 1995, Selective Availability removal 2000)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System), Wikipedia
29. [Robotic Total Station: How to Run a One-Person Survey Crew and Cut Field Costs -- OpenPR](https://www.openpr.com/news/4452826/robotic-total-station-how-to-run-a-one-person-survey-crew-and-cut), OpenPR
30. [Total Stations: the Surveyor's Workhorse -- GIM International (robotic total station adoption timeline)](https://www.gim-international.com/content/article/total-stations-the-surveyor-s-workhorse), GIM International
31. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook -- Surveyors (drone adoption, 60-80% topographic survey time reduction)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/surveyors.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
32. [NSPS -- National Society of Professional Surveyors: AI in Surveying Position Statement 2025](https://www.nsps.us.com/ai-position-statement), National Society of Professional Surveyors
33. [FAA Part 107: Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems -- commercial drone regulations history (2015-2016)](https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/part_107_waivers), Federal Aviation Administration

### Forecasts and exposure studies

34. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 17-1022 Surveyors (2025: 52.0 thousand; 2035: 55.0 thousand; +5.8%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-1022&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
35. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 17-1022.00, human-rated β 0.433)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

36. [George Washington, Land Surveyor -- Virginia Museum of History and Culture](https://virginiahistory.org/learn/george-washington-land-surveyor), Virginia Museum of History and Culture
37. [History of the Public Land Survey System -- Salt Lake County Surveyor (Land Ordinance 1785, Jefferson's rectangular grid)](https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/surveyor/education/history-of-the-public-land-survey-system/), Salt Lake County Surveyor's Office
38. [Three Surveyors and Another Guy -- The American Surveyor (Abraham Lincoln surveying career, 1833-1834)](https://amerisurv.com/2018/10/07/three-surveyorsand-another-guy/), The American Surveyor
39. [Land Surveyors in American History -- Compass Surveying Ltd (Homestead Act 1862 and survey demand)](https://www.clsurveying.com/land-surveyors-in-american-history/), Compass Surveying Ltd
40. [California Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists -- History (first licensing law, March 31, 1891)](https://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/about_us/history.pdf), California BPELSG
41. [Global Positioning System -- Wikipedia (Selective Availability removed May 1, 2000)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System), Wikipedia
42. [NSPS -- National Society of Professional Surveyors: AI in Surveying Position Statement 2025](https://www.nsps.us.com/ai-position-statement), National Society of Professional Surveyors

### Predecessors & successors

43. [Land Surveyors in American History -- Compass Surveying Ltd (PLSS deputy surveyors, Land Ordinance 1785)](https://www.clsurveying.com/land-surveyors-in-american-history/), Compass Surveying Ltd
44. [History of Surveying in the United States -- Wikipedia (surveying and civil engineering professional separation)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_surveying_in_the_United_States), Wikipedia

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Surveyors (17-1022.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-1022.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Surveyors (2024 edition)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/surveyors.htm), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [NSPS — National Society of Professional Surveyors: AI in Surveying Position Statement 2025](https://www.nsps.us.com/ai-position-statement), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Trimble — Trimble Business Center 6.x: AI Point-Cloud Processing and Survey Automation](https://geospatial.trimble.com/en/products/software/trimble-business-center), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Skydio — Skydio X10 Autonomous Drone for Survey and Inspection](https://www.skydio.com/x10), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Esri — Site Scan for ArcGIS: Drone-to-GIS Survey Workflow](https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-reality/products/site-scan-for-arcgis), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Topcon — Magnet Software and GT Series Robotic Total Station AI](https://mytopcon.topconpositioning.com/na/office-software-and-services/site-and-road-software/magnet-office), accessed 2026-05-24
- [FARO — FARO Scene LT: AI-Assisted Point Cloud Processing](https://www.faro.com/en/Products/Software/SCENE-Software), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Leica Geosystems — Leica Captivate: AI Field Software for Total Stations and GNSS](https://leica-geosystems.com/products/total-stations/software/leica-captivate), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.