Architectural and Civil Drafters
Median $66,150
Occupation · SOC 17-3031
Surveying and Mapping Technicians: pay and where the jobs are
What surveying and mapping technicians earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$54,240 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $58,000
- Median hourly wage
- $26.08
- Mean hourly wage
- $27.89
- Employment
- 58,010
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 17-3031.
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See where your pay falls among surveying and mapping technicians nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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How much do surveying and mapping technicians make?
The median annual wage for surveying and mapping technicians was $54,240 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,520 and the highest-paid 10% more than $81,630. As an hourly rate, the median is $26.08. About 58,010 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in California ($78,110), Alaska ($76,970) and Minnesota ($73,190). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Alaska.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for surveying and mapping technicians looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,520 | $18.04 | $3,127 | $2,694 |
| 25th percentile | $45,430 | $21.84 | $3,786 | $3,224 |
| Median | $54,240 | $26.08 | $4,520 | $3,813 |
| 75th percentile | $66,700 | $32.07 | $5,558 | $4,646 |
| 90th percentile | $81,630 | $39.24 | $6,803 | $5,521 |
Surveying and Mapping Technicians: pay by state
51 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$61,262 take-home in national prices
2
$57,430 take-home in national prices
3
$57,334 take-home in national prices
Where a median surveying and mapping technician paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,340 | $78,110 | $48,000 | $119,270 | $59,742 | $53,957 |
| Alaska | 300 | $76,970 | $59,800 | $103,550 | $62,707 | $61,262 |
| Minnesota | 1,060 | $73,190 | $51,560 | $95,050 | $56,544 | $57,334 |
| Washington | 1,030 | $62,720 | $46,160 | $88,830 | $51,705 | $48,317 |
| Maryland | 470 | $61,600 | $42,530 | $85,800 | $49,116 | $46,795 |
| North Dakota | 160 | $60,870 | $43,360 | $101,380 | $51,089 | $57,430 |
| New Jersey | 750 | $60,720 | $42,830 | $95,820 | $48,716 | $44,774 |
| Montana | 430 | $60,330 | $46,430 | $79,690 | $48,576 | $51,325 |
| Ohio | 1,350 | $60,330 | $44,130 | $79,930 | $49,440 | $53,290 |
| Rhode Island | 110 | $60,320 | $46,160 | $92,980 | $48,338 | $47,261 |
| Utah | 360 | $59,600 | $38,110 | $83,430 | $47,844 | $48,394 |
| Wisconsin | 660 | $59,080 | $39,340 | $77,690 | $47,627 | $50,615 |
| Iowa | 390 | $58,950 | $47,840 | $77,530 | $47,958 | $54,646 |
| Connecticut | 380 | $58,900 | $42,730 | $94,660 | $46,722 | $45,094 |
| Nevada | 680 | $58,790 | $46,960 | $103,420 | $49,418 | $49,428 |
| Massachusetts | 640 | $58,730 | $46,370 | $99,990 | $46,383 | $43,858 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,340 | $58,270 | $39,580 | $79,660 | $47,170 | $48,344 |
| Wyoming | 150 | $58,220 | $43,880 | $74,890 | $48,960 | $52,820 |
| Colorado | 2,340 | $57,890 | $45,620 | $79,660 | $46,601 | $45,221 |
| Illinois | 1,110 | $57,470 | $42,560 | $81,440 | $45,657 | $45,676 |
| New York | 2,540 | $57,360 | $44,830 | $81,990 | $45,489 | $42,151 |
| New Hampshire | 260 | $57,290 | $45,590 | $79,070 | $48,213 | $46,285 |
| Delaware | 180 | $57,130 | $43,700 | $79,190 | $45,362 | $45,449 |
| Virginia | 2,440 | $56,760 | $37,850 | $85,010 | $45,337 | $44,842 |
| Maine | 220 | $56,470 | $47,990 | $80,860 | $45,137 | $46,509 |
| Vermont | 40 | $56,460 | $49,350 | $71,740 | $46,088 | $47,049 |
| Indiana | 1,060 | $56,440 | $37,470 | $75,110 | $45,894 | $49,174 |
| New Mexico | 610 | $56,210 | $37,220 | $81,410 | $45,869 | $49,743 |
| Oregon | 1,280 | $55,790 | $44,330 | $78,960 | $43,023 | $41,624 |
| Hawaii | 140 | $55,580 | $45,600 | $73,200 | $44,134 | $40,140 |
| Arizona | 700 | $54,080 | $39,860 | $80,840 | $44,675 | $44,375 |
| North Carolina | 4,100 | $53,160 | $37,710 | $76,420 | $43,282 | $45,885 |
| Idaho | 450 | $52,630 | $39,500 | $72,040 | $42,787 | $44,806 |
| Missouri | 720 | $51,700 | $36,260 | $77,410 | $42,228 | $46,498 |
| Kansas | 730 | $50,900 | $42,870 | $80,290 | $41,038 | $45,563 |
| Tennessee | 1,340 | $50,370 | $36,620 | $74,510 | $42,652 | $46,427 |
| Michigan | 690 | $50,340 | $40,440 | $78,650 | $40,739 | $42,341 |
| South Dakota | 110 | $50,050 | $39,680 | $61,740 | $42,395 | $47,858 |
| Louisiana | 930 | $49,440 | $36,300 | $103,040 | $40,808 | $46,264 |
| Georgia | 1,890 | $48,810 | $34,900 | $83,320 | $39,712 | $41,241 |
| West Virginia | 370 | $48,530 | $29,130 | $73,080 | $39,792 | $44,462 |
| Nebraska | 770 | $48,080 | $38,910 | $66,580 | $39,504 | $43,843 |
| Florida | 4,810 | $48,040 | $36,640 | $73,020 | $40,780 | $39,434 |
| Texas | 8,720 | $47,680 | $36,120 | $77,200 | $40,491 | $41,719 |
| Mississippi | 550 | $47,320 | $31,200 | $76,590 | $39,041 | $44,899 |
| Oklahoma | 810 | $46,760 | $36,320 | $75,970 | $38,193 | $43,479 |
| Alabama | 1,320 | $46,450 | $31,370 | $80,140 | $37,590 | $42,320 |
| Arkansas | 810 | $46,370 | $36,770 | $71,040 | $38,210 | $43,952 |
| Kentucky | 920 | $46,050 | $37,070 | $72,020 | $37,687 | $41,801 |
| South Carolina | 1,420 | $43,740 | $36,500 | $64,660 | $36,733 | $39,182 |
| Puerto Rico | 90 | $32,370 | $23,100 | $59,060 | — | — |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 17-3031. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.