Surveying Degree Programs in Florida (2026)

Quick answer: Surveyors in Florida earn a median $65,480 per year, below the national median of $75,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 4,000 of them. Licensing runs through your state surveying licensing board.

Surveying Pay and Employment in Florida at a Glance

MetricFloridaNationalSource
Median annual wage$65,480$75,440BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile$46,160$46,880BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile$57,870$58,170BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile$94,530$98,130BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile$121,360$125,590BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment4,00050,830BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient1.231.00BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)not published by state4.4%BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34

How Florida Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country

The Florida median of $65,480 sits below 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 1.23 puts Florida well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (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 Florida

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Miami$74,390670
Port St. Lucie$72,35080
Naples$71,09060
Tallahassee$70,03080
Jacksonville$66,590300
Lakeland$66,44090
Tampa$66,390760
Gainesville$66,29040
Palm Bay$65,720140
North Port$64,210130

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro estimates cover the wider metropolitan statistical area, not the city limits.

Surveyors Wages by Metro Area in Florida

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), surveyors wages in Florida vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)
Experienced
(90th pctile)
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater760$66,390$75,880$45,720$119,210
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach670$74,390$81,320$47,770$126,600
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford660$63,900$77,490$47,030$125,460
Jacksonville300$66,590$77,790$46,850$119,720
Cape Coral-Fort Myers200$60,940$69,940$46,160$102,350
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville140$65,720$78,250$47,540$123,550
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota130$64,210$74,030$47,420$110,240
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach110$61,210$67,340$37,100$98,260
Lakeland-Winter Haven90$66,440$77,850$48,170$121,740
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin80$61,960$72,730$46,350$108,300
Panama City-Panama City Beach80$61,720$72,040$37,620$104,300
Port St. Lucie80$72,350$77,760$48,780$120,090
Tallahassee80$70,030$75,700$46,160$115,880
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent70$60,560$69,040$44,390$103,960
Naples-Marco Island60$71,090$76,550$48,820$109,030
Ocala60$58,070$66,650$37,120$99,960
Wildwood-The Villages50$58,170$71,290$36,710$116,250
Gainesville40$66,290$74,250$40,330$122,930
Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor40$62,370$74,450$37,810$121,110

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 Florida

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 Near You

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.

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.

#1

South Florida State College

Avon Park, FL 12.2 miles away BOC Score 73.8
Tuition $3,165 - $11,859
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 49.4%
  • Programs offered: 69
  • Annual completions: 533
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $48,619 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Traviss Technical College

Lakeland, FL 29.4 miles away BOC Score 73.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 85.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 37
  • Annual completions: 651
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $38,755 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Florida Southern College

Lakeland, FL 29.0 miles away BOC Score 55.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 69.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 7
  • Annual completions: 68
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $58,753 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Polk State College

Winter Haven, FL 20.3 miles away BOC Score 54.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 41
  • Annual completions: 976
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $53,180 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Ridge Technical College

Winter Haven, FL 22.4 miles away BOC Score 47.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 28
  • Annual completions: 647
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $35,542 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Empire Beauty School-Lakeland

Lakeland, FL 29.4 miles away BOC Score 34.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
  • Northtowne Square, 5101 US Highway 98 N Lakeland, FL 33809-0514
  • (800) 920-4593
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 68.2%
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 138
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $26,762 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Southeastern University

Lakeland, FL 27.6 miles away BOC Score 32.6
Tuition $32,950 - $49,329
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 53.0%
  • Graduation rate: 42.9%
  • Programs offered: 9
  • Annual completions: 81
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $50,572 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do surveyors make in Florida?

The median annual wage for surveyors in Florida is $65,480, below the national median of $75,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $57,870 at the 25th percentile to $94,530 at the 75th.

How many surveyors work in Florida?

Florida holds about 4,000 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 Florida?

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 Florida?

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 Florida for surveyors?

Among Florida metro areas with published data, Miami reports the highest median at $74,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Is Florida a good state for surveyors?

On pay, the state median of $65,480 sits below the national $75,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.23 means the occupation is more 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.

Sources

  • 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/.