Also called: BLM Cadastral Surveyor, Public Lands Surveyor
Surveys federal public lands in the West, re-finding 150-year-old corner markers and setting new brass caps to fix legal boundaries.
You hike into the desert with GPS gear to find a stone a surveyor marked in 1878. You dig, find the old pits, confirm the spot, and set a new brass monument, then write field notes that become official federal records.
Estimated from federal GS-1373 land surveyor pay.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in surveying or geomatics, or a related degree with survey courses.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Surveying / Geomatics, Civil Engineering, Forestry.
Growing about average. Small federal workforce; retirements open spots.
Low risk for 10 years. GPS and drones speed measuring, but weighing old evidence on rough ground stays human.
Classes: Geometry, Trigonometry, U.S. History.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-1022.
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