17
Surveying and Mapping Technicians is a notable career in the 17 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Surveying and Mapping Technicians against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 17-3031 |
| title | Surveying and Mapping Technicians |
| onet code | 17-3031.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 17 |
| tot emp | 56,720 |
| a mean | 56,890 |
| a median | 51,940 |
| a pct10 | 36,910 |
| a pct25 | 44,180 |
| a pct75 | 65,240 |
| a pct90 | 80,870 |
| h mean | 27 |
| h median | 24 |
The day-to-day work of a surveying and mapping technicians typically centers on position and hold the vertical rods, or targets, that theodolite operators use for sighting to measure angles, distances, and elevations. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Writing. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.22 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Median annual pay is highest in Nevada at $75,660 and lowest in Georgia at $43,190 — a 1.8× spread. The top five states (Nevada, Alaska, District of Columbia, California, Minnesota) average $71,830. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $75,660 | $74,800 | $44,220 | $111,170 | 350 |
| Alaska | $73,320 | $72,450 | $39,750 | $100,640 | 410 |
| District of Columbia | $72,230 | $77,710 | $45,370 | $107,580 | 40 |
| California | $71,860 | $76,350 | $44,920 | $115,050 | 3,670 |
| Minnesota | $66,080 | $69,180 | $47,620 | $92,880 | 910 |
| Maryland | $64,460 | $63,850 | $44,630 | $81,130 | 560 |
| Wyoming | $61,790 | $61,270 | $43,350 | $76,370 | 120 |
| Washington | $61,660 | $62,930 | $46,200 | $81,110 | 1,140 |
| New Jersey | $61,170 | $63,030 | $41,410 | $83,400 | 870 |
| Connecticut | $60,150 | $65,240 | $40,090 | $103,410 | 390 |
| Ohio | $59,400 | $58,820 | $41,670 | $76,950 | 1,380 |
| New Hampshire | $59,180 | $59,540 | $44,920 | $76,630 | 310 |
| Colorado | $58,370 | $61,220 | $44,040 | $84,390 | 2,440 |
| Illinois | $58,100 | $61,010 | $42,840 | $82,900 | 1,130 |
| Oregon | $57,990 | $59,920 | $45,250 | $82,000 | 650 |
| New York | $57,900 | $64,110 | $45,040 | $103,300 | 1,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,400 | $57,390 | $39,800 | $77,320 | 1,560 |
| North Dakota | $56,150 | $56,230 | $42,140 | $69,160 | 140 |
| New Mexico | $55,760 | $57,920 | $38,960 | $79,010 | 550 |
| Wisconsin | $54,760 | $55,570 | $37,060 | $74,120 | 620 |
| Indiana | $54,730 | $54,610 | $37,320 | $72,290 | 950 |
| Arizona | $54,410 | $58,690 | $38,820 | $83,810 | 740 |
| Iowa | $53,210 | $55,180 | $34,400 | $78,180 | 350 |
| Vermont | $52,360 | $59,600 | $45,180 | $85,310 | 50 |
| Hawaii | $51,750 | $55,400 | $44,410 | $70,190 | 150 |
| Maine | $51,370 | $55,250 | $45,970 | $76,080 | 360 |
| Michigan | $50,660 | $56,080 | $39,290 | $76,110 | 1,080 |
| Rhode Island | $50,510 | $62,010 | $45,570 | $91,730 | 90 |
| Missouri | $50,270 | $53,240 | $35,090 | $69,060 | 700 |
| Massachusetts | $50,120 | $56,490 | $36,410 | $75,450 | 690 |
| Kansas | $49,850 | $55,240 | $37,680 | $76,770 | 570 |
| North Carolina | $49,780 | $53,110 | $37,060 | $74,820 | 4,510 |
| Montana | $49,310 | $54,360 | $44,540 | $69,800 | 510 |
| Virginia | $49,040 | $55,810 | $36,900 | $80,780 | 2,170 |
| South Dakota | $49,000 | $52,270 | $38,480 | $61,350 | 100 |
| Texas | $48,930 | $53,800 | $35,290 | $77,050 | 7,810 |
| Delaware | $48,860 | $53,930 | $38,380 | $72,830 | 200 |
| Utah | $48,720 | $54,430 | $37,720 | $81,180 | 470 |
| Tennessee | $48,320 | $51,010 | $34,820 | $73,250 | 1,330 |
| Nebraska | $47,940 | $53,680 | $39,770 | $72,370 | 810 |
| Arkansas | $47,580 | $53,380 | $38,670 | $77,810 | 870 |
| Louisiana | $47,580 | $63,310 | $35,540 | $119,580 | 610 |
| Idaho | $47,120 | $52,490 | $39,530 | $76,760 | 930 |
| Florida | $46,740 | $51,010 | $36,790 | $72,370 | 4,900 |
| Alabama | $46,260 | $51,690 | $32,900 | $80,570 | 1,210 |
| Kentucky | $45,880 | $50,860 | $36,070 | $76,370 | 680 |
| West Virginia | $45,630 | $49,970 | $31,360 | $72,630 | 320 |
| Mississippi | $45,490 | $48,620 | $30,320 | $71,560 | 620 |
| Oklahoma | $44,720 | $46,670 | $34,420 | $63,820 | 1,180 |
| South Carolina | $43,410 | $45,180 | $31,090 | $60,550 | 1,270 |
| Georgia | $43,190 | $48,700 | $29,390 | $73,530 | 1,350 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for surveying and mapping technicians. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Aerial Photograph Interpreter or Aerotriangulation Specialist frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Surveying and Mapping Technicians compares to others in the 17 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Surveying and Mapping Technicians
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
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