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National

Median wages (2008) $25.47 hourly, $52,980 annual
Employment (2006) 60,000 employees
Projected growth (2006-2016) Much faster than average (21% or higher)
Projected need (2006-2016) 33,000 additional employees
17-1022.00 - Surveyors

Make exact measurements and determine property boundaries. Provide data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, or dimension of land or land features on or near the earth's surface for engineering, mapmaking, mining, land evaluation, construction, and other purposes.

Sample of reported job titles: County Surveyor, Surveyor, Land Surveyor, Survey Party Chief, Engineer, Engineering Technician, Geodesist, Licensed Land Surveyor, Mine Surveyor, Professional Land Surveyor

Also see: Geodetic Surveyors

Tasks

  • Verify the accuracy of survey data including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites.
  • Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.
  • Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain.
  • Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed.
  • Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles.
  • Prepare or supervise preparation of all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys.
  • Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases, or other legal documents.
  • Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features.
  • Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS).
  • Record the results of surveys including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.

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Tools & Technology

Tools used in this occupation:

Instrument tripods — Elevator tripods; Robotic tripods; Tripods
Lasers — Dot lasers; Invisible beam lasers; Rotary lasers; Visible beam lasers
Levels — Automatic levels; Electronic digital levels; Hand levels
Measuring rods — Digital measuring poles; Direct elevation rods; San Francisco rods; Surveyors leveling rods
Theodolites — Electronic digital theodolites; Long range reflectorless total stations; Robotic total stations; Total field stations

Technology used in this occupation:

Analytical or scientific software — CE Surveyor III software; Geocomp Systems GeoNav; MicroSurvey FieldGenius; Sokkia Spectrum Survey Suite
Computer aided design CAD software — CMT Incorporated CogoCAD; MicroSurvey software; Trimble Terramodel
Map creation software — ESRI ArcView; Geomechanical design analysis GDA software; PC-Mapper software; Sokkia Imap
Project management software — Project analysis and costing software; Project data integration software; Project Tracker Pro software
Route navigation software — NOAA Shoreline Data Explorer; Trimble HydroPro
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