Quick answer:Surveyors in California earn a median $105,330 per year, above the national median of $75,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 4,520 of them. Licensing runs through your state surveying licensing board.
Surveying Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$105,330
$75,440
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$59,310
$46,880
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$78,500
$58,170
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$134,250
$98,130
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$160,430
$125,590
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
4,520
50,830
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.76
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
4.4%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $105,330 sits above the national median of $75,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.76 puts California below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Where the Jobs Are in California
Metro area
Median annual wage
Employment
Yuba City
$133,270
50
Sacramento
$128,600
370
San Francisco
$125,060
630
Redding
$124,160
40
Vallejo
$123,590
50
Stockton
$120,000
40
San Jose
$117,160
170
San Luis Obispo
$107,700
80
Fresno
$107,230
190
San Diego
$102,210
430
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro estimates cover the wider metropolitan statistical area, not the city limits.
Surveyors Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), surveyors wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
970
$101,950
$105,400
$57,990
$150,830
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
630
$125,060
$126,380
$70,810
$175,800
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
480
$100,510
$106,390
$55,960
$156,070
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
430
$102,210
$108,630
$59,750
$151,730
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
370
$128,600
$120,210
$63,730
$166,770
Fresno
190
$107,230
$110,060
$61,790
$160,430
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
170
$117,160
$116,770
$74,200
$162,580
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
130
$100,920
$105,720
$60,760
$145,700
Bakersfield-Delano
110
$88,050
$91,730
$50,400
$139,240
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
100
$100,930
$106,490
$62,070
$150,930
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
80
$98,810
$101,980
$53,970
$144,460
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
80
$107,700
$111,600
$62,900
$152,250
Modesto
60
$99,270
$104,370
$62,150
$152,110
Vallejo
50
$123,590
$117,030
$70,390
$159,220
Yuba City
50
$133,270
$127,690
$90,840
$166,770
Redding
40
$124,160
$124,490
$74,900
$166,770
Salinas
40
$101,120
$105,190
$52,000
$152,380
Stockton-Lodi
40
$120,000
$118,870
$64,880
$163,900
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Licensing and Credentials in California
Surveying is licensed in every state. The national sequence is a board-approved surveying degree, documented experience under a licensed surveyor, the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying exam and then Principles and Practice of Surveying. Most states add a state-specific examination covering that state’s boundary law and land records, which is why surveying licenses transfer between states less readily than most professional credentials.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state surveying licensing board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
The median annual wage for surveyors in California is $105,330, above the national median of $75,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $78,500 at the 25th percentile to $134,250 at the 75th.
How many surveyors work in California?
California holds about 4,520 surveyor jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 50,830, and BLS projects about 3,900 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a surveyor in California?
Surveying is licensed in every state. The national sequence is a board-approved surveying degree, documented experience under a licensed surveyor, the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying exam and then Principles and Practice of Surveying. Most states add a state-specific examination covering that state's boundary law and land records, which is why surveying licenses transfer between states less readily than most professional credentials. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state surveying licensing board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a surveying degree online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state surveying licensing board.
What is the highest-paying area of California for surveyors?
Among California metro areas with published data, Yuba City reports the highest median at $133,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for surveyors?
On pay, the state median of $105,330 sits above the national $75,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.76 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Surveyors (SOC 17-1022), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
