Geodesist: Measures the exact size, shape, and gravity of the Earth so GPS and maps are accurate. Typical pay $115k.
Lidar & Geospatial Program Manager: Leads huge mapping projects using lasers on planes and drones to scan entire states in 3D. Typical pay $118k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Land Surveyor: Measures land precisely to set property lines and lay out construction. Typical pay $70k.
Cartographer / Photogrammetrist: Makes maps and 3D models from aerial photos, satellite images, and survey data. Typical pay $76k.
Hydrographic Surveyor: Maps the bottom of oceans, rivers, and harbors with sonar. Typical pay $88k.
Construction Layout Surveyor: Marks exactly where buildings, roads, and bridges go on a construction site. Typical pay $70k.
Mine Surveyor: Maps underground and open-pit mines to keep digging safe and on target. Typical pay $78k.
Remote Sensing Analyst: Analyzes satellite and aerial images to track things like wildfires, crops, and city growth. Typical pay $82k.
Right-of-Way Agent: Negotiates with landowners to buy the land or access needed for new roads, pipelines, and power lines. Typical pay $72k.
Survey Party Chief: Leads a survey crew in the field and makes sure measurements are right. Typical pay $65k.
Federal Cadastral Surveyor: Surveys federal public lands in the West, re-finding 150-year-old corner markers and setting new brass caps to fix legal boundaries. Typical pay $88k.
Deformation Monitoring Surveyor: Sets up robotic instruments that watch buildings, dams, tunnels and rail lines for movements smaller than a coin’s thickness. Typical pay $80k.
Tunnel Surveyor: Guides giant tunnel boring machines underground so two tunnels dug miles apart meet within an inch. Typical pay $90k.
Starter: fastest way in
Surveying Technician: Helps surveyors collect measurements in the field and process the data. Typical pay $50k.
Survey Rodman / Crew Member: Holds the survey rod, clears brush, and sets stakes as part of a survey crew. Typical pay $40k.
Title Abstractor: Researches old records to trace who has owned a piece of land and whether anyone else has a claim on it. Typical pay $48k.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.