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Instrument person vs land survey technician

The differences between instrument people and land survey technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a land survey technician has an average salary of $45,850, which is higher than the $43,699 average annual salary of an instrument person.

The top three skills for an instrument person include topographic surveys, data collection and survey equipment. The most important skills for a land survey technician are GPS, CAD, and civil 3d.

Instrument person vs land survey technician overview

Instrument PersonLand Survey Technician
Yearly salary$43,699$45,850
Hourly rate$21.01$22.04
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs35,37310,634
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 38%Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

What does an instrument person do?

An instrument person is also called a survey party chief. They are responsible for preparing and conducting surveys before a particular land is constructed and developed. They usually oversee a group of professionals such as surveyors, contractors, project managers, engineers, and architects to ensure that all duties are done correctly and safely. They assign the staff to particular jobs based on their expertise and conduct a pre-survey before the project starts.

What does a land survey technician do?

A land survey technician is responsible for monitoring and inspecting different construction sites. Their job is to take measurements and gather other data. They need to have an inventory of different locations or sites and gather essential information for development purposes. They must also identify possible barriers to development in the area, including who will be affected by conducting a thorough land survey. Often, they work for a mapping or engineering company.

Instrument person vs land survey technician salary

Instrument people and land survey technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Instrument PersonLand Survey Technician
Average salary$43,699$45,850
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $63,000Between $31,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City-Sacramento, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Southern California Edison
Best paying industry--

Differences between instrument person and land survey technician education

There are a few differences between an instrument person and a land survey technician in terms of educational background:

Instrument PersonLand Survey Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 38%Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Most common majorSurveying, Mapping, And Hydraulic TechnologiesBusiness
Most common college-Stanford University

Instrument person vs land survey technician demographics

Here are the differences between instrument people' and land survey technicians' demographics:

Instrument PersonLand Survey Technician
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 95.8% Female, 4.2%Male, 62.4% Female, 37.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 3.2% White, 74.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 3.2% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between instrument person and land survey technician duties and responsibilities

Instrument person example responsibilities.

  • Operate TopCon total stations with TDS-48 software.
  • Operate RTK equipment and Pro-XR global positioning systems.
  • Operate data collectors, total stations, theodolites and auto-levels.
  • Downloaded/Upload data from the HP48 (TDS) using TFR.
  • Work on various types of projects utilizing conventional and Topcon GPS system.
  • Experience with all total stations, TDS software, Recon, and HP48.
  • Show more

Land survey technician example responsibilities.

  • Work closely with GIS department to determine land locations.
  • Load documents into the database using a custom GIS application.
  • Provide topographic data through leverage of the photogrammetric process at an archeological dig in Spain.
  • Aid in the completion of natural gas pipeline layouts and in grind location projects through multiple GPS techniques.
  • Perform calculations necessary to prepare individual residential lot permit and as-built plans necessary for township approval.
  • Job types include residential, commercial/industrial staking, water management elevations and wetland location.

Instrument person vs land survey technician skills

Common instrument person skills
  • Topographic Surveys, 10%
  • Data Collection, 9%
  • Survey Equipment, 9%
  • Trimble Gps, 7%
  • Robotic, 6%
  • Construction Layout, 6%
Common land survey technician skills
  • GPS, 15%
  • CAD, 11%
  • Civil 3D, 10%
  • Boundary Surveys, 7%
  • Survey Data, 7%
  • Legal Descriptions, 6%

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