# Surveying and Mapping Technicians

US SOC code 17-3031. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/17-3031

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **58,010** US surveying and mapping technicians, with median pay of **$54,240** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **72,410**, in May 2007. The earliest figure here is [a Census count](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/96occup.shtml) of **42,000** from 1960, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for surveying and mapping technicians: RTK GPS and robotic total stations, 1995 to 2015. The RTK GPS and robotic total station era is the primary reason surveying and mapping technician employment declined between 1990 and 2010.

Figures: Official statistic (latest count and pay, highest count); Researched context (earliest figure).

## 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=17-3031&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

### AI exposure studies

- **0.96** estimated probability that the whole occupation could be computerised, over an unspecified number of years. Not a forecast of job losses. [Frey and Osborne, 2013](https://oms-www.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf) (Official statistic)

### Since the 2013 prediction

In 2013, Frey and Osborne put this job's probability of computerisation at 0.96. BLS counted **47,950** of these jobs in May 2013 and **58,010** in May 2025. The count moved sharply in one step, May 2020 to May 2021, when BLS changed how it estimates these counts, so no change is derived here. Figures: Official statistic.

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.

## Surveying and Mapping Technicians employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1785
- Latest US employment: 58,010 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $54,240 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Outlook: +5.8% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [17]

### All 25 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1960 | 42,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1960 [1] |
| 1990 | 68,000 | n/a | BLS CPS [2] |
| 2003 | 57,740 | $29,520 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [3] |
| 2004 | 60,530 | $30,380 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [3] |
| 2005 | 63,910 | $31,290 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [3] |
| 2006 | 70,940 | $32,340 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [3] |
| 2007 | 72,410 | $33,640 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [3] |
| 2008 | 71,920 | $35,120 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [3] |
| 2009 | 62,940 | $37,190 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [3] |
| 2010 | 53,870 | $37,900 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [3] |
| 2011 | 48,590 | $39,350 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [3] |
| 2012 | 47,000 | $39,670 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [3] |
| 2013 | 47,950 | $40,670 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [3] |
| 2014 | 50,750 | $40,770 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [3] |
| 2015 | 53,620 | $42,010 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [3] |
| 2016 | 53,920 | $42,450 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [3] |
| 2017 | 51,890 | $43,340 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [3] |
| 2018 | 52,300 | $44,380 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [3] |
| 2019 | 53,030 | $45,010 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [3] |
| 2020 | 53,370 | $46,200 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [3] |
| 2021 | 56,070 | $46,910 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 56,580 | $47,180 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 56,050 | $48,940 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [3] |
| 2024 | 56,720 | $51,940 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [3] |
| 2025 | 58,010 | $54,240 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (73)

### Employment series

1. [IPUMS USA: 1960 Occupation Codes (code 642: Chainmen, rodmen, and axmen, surveying)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/96occup.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
2. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 1994-95 Edition (FRASER / St. Louis Fed): surveying and mapping technicians employment](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/occupational-outlook-handbook-3964/occupational-outlook-handbook-1994-95-edition-583134/fulltext), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. 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)

### Wage series

4. 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)

### Tool eras

5. [Wikipedia: Public Land Survey System (Gunter chain, Land Ordinance of 1785, GLO survey crews)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Land_Survey_System), Wikipedia
6. [History of the Public Land Survey System, Salt Lake County Surveyor's Office](https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/surveyor/education/history-of-the-public-land-survey-system/), Salt Lake County, Utah
7. [American Land Surveying: An Essential History (PDHonline course L151): William J. Young's 1831 American transit](https://pdhonline.com/courses/l151/l151_new.htm), PDH Online / professional development curriculum for licensed surveyors
8. [ASCE: "Book re-creates 18th-century roots of US surveying" (historical surveying instruments and crew roles)](https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/article/2021/05/book-recreates-18th-century-roots-of-us-surveying), American Society of Civil Engineers
9. [GIM International: "Total Stations: The Surveyor's Workhorse" (history of total station development from 1970s)](https://www.gim-international.com/content/article/total-stations-the-surveyor-s-workhorse), GIM International
10. [Global GPS Systems: "The Total Station: A Brief History and Development" (Zeiss 1968, HP 3810A, robotic models)](https://globalgpssystems.com/total-station/the-total-station-a-brief-history-and-development/), Global GPS Systems
11. [ESRI: "History of GIS" (ARC/INFO 1982, ArcView 1992, ArcGIS 1999)](https://www.esri.com/en-us/what-is-gis/history-of-gis), ESRI
12. [GIS Geography: "The Remarkable History of GIS" (ESRI founding 1969, commercial expansion 1980s-2000s)](https://gisgeography.com/history-of-gis/), GIS Geography
13. [GPS.gov: Selective Availability (history, May 2000 discontinuation, accuracy improvement from ~100m to \<10m)](https://www.gps.gov/selective-availability), US Government / National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning
14. [Lefixea / LRTK: "RTK Surveying Explained: How One Person Can Replace a 3-Man Crew on Site" (RTK GPS labor reduction)](https://www.lefixea.com/article/rtk159), Lefixea / LRTK
15. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Surveying and Mapping Technicians (current, 2024-34 cycle, technology section)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/surveying-and-mapping-technicians.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
16. [Propeller Aero: "Drone LiDAR Surveying: How It Works and When to Use It" (drone survey technology overview)](https://www.propelleraero.com/blog/how-lidar-drone-surveying-works/), Propeller Aero

### Forecasts and exposure studies

17. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 17-3031 Surveying and mapping technicians (2025: 58.8 thousand; 2035: 62.2 thousand; +5.8%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-3031&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
18. [Frey & Osborne (2013), "The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?", Appendix (SOC 17-3031 Surveying and Mapping Technicians: probability 0.96, rank 635 of 702)](https://oms-www.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf), Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford

### Historical notes

19. [Wikipedia: Public Land Survey System (Land Ordinance of 1785, GLO history)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Land_Survey_System), Wikipedia
20. [American Land Surveying: An Essential History (PDHonline L151): William J. Young's 1831 transit](https://pdhonline.com/courses/l151/l151_new.htm), PDH Online
21. [History of Aerial Photogrammetry and Mapping (PixElement): USGS adoption of photogrammetry in the 1930s, commercial growth](https://pixelement.com/blog/2024/08/06/history-of-photogrammetry.html), PixElement
22. [Global GPS Systems: "The Total Station: A Brief History and Development" (Zeiss/Geodimeter 1971, HP 3810A circa 1975)](https://globalgpssystems.com/total-station/the-total-station-a-brief-history-and-development/), Global GPS Systems
23. [ESRI: History of GIS (ARC/INFO launch 1982, ArcView 1992, ArcGIS 1999)](https://www.esri.com/en-us/what-is-gis/history-of-gis), ESRI
24. [GPS.gov: Selective Availability (May 1, 2000, accuracy improvement, civilian impact)](https://www.gps.gov/selective-availability), US Government / National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning
25. [UAV Coach: "Drone Pilot Salary" (FAA Part 107 rules August 2016, commercial drone market expansion)](https://uavcoach.com/drone-pilot-salary/), UAV Coach

### Predecessors & successors

26. [Wikipedia: Public Land Survey System (survey crew composition and GLO field parties)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Land_Survey_System), Wikipedia
27. [ASCE Civil Engineering Source: history of American surveying (railroad survey crew roles)](https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/article/2021/05/book-recreates-18th-century-roots-of-us-surveying), American Society of Civil Engineers

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

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