Land surveyor education requirements

Q: What degree do you need to be a land surveyor?

You need a high school diploma or GED to be a land surveyor, although a post-secondary degree may be beneficial. The first step to becoming a land surveyor is earning a high school diploma. It's a good idea to take classes in mathematics and physics if you can.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a land surveyor. Land surveyors usually study civil engineering, natural resources management, or business. 43% of land surveyors hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,229 real land surveyor resumes to see exactly what land surveyor education sections show.

The most common colleges for land surveyors are the University of Maine and the University of Maine.

There are also many online land surveyor courses to help get the education required to be a land surveyor.

There are certain land surveyor certifications that you should consider. These land surveyor certifications include Certified Survey Technician (CST) and Engineer In Training Certification (EIT).

What education do you need to become a land surveyor?

What degree do you need to be a land surveyor?

The most common degree for land surveyors is bachelor's degree, with 43% of land surveyors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 21%.

Bachelor's, 43%

Associate, 24%

High School Diploma, 21%

Diploma, 7%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a land surveyor?

You should major in civil engineering to become a land surveyor. 15% of land surveyors major in civil engineering. Other common majors for a land surveyor include natural resources management and business.

Civil Engineering, 15%

Natural Resources Management, 11%

Business, 11%

Surveying, Mapping, And Hydraulic Technologies, 11%

Other Majors, 52%

Most common colleges for land surveyors

Land surveyors often get their degrees at University of Maine, Texas A&M; University, and University of Kentucky. Here are the most common colleges for land surveyors in the US based on their resumes.

Land surveyor common college	Percentages
University of Maine	6.67%
Texas A&M University	6.67%
University of Kentucky	6.67%
East Tennessee State University	5.71%
Illinois State University	5.71%

Show more common land surveyor colleges

Best majors for land surveyors

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Civil Engineering	15.3%
2	Natural Resources Management	10.6%
3	Business	10.6%
4	Surveying, Mapping, And Hydraulic Technologies	10.6%
5	Engineering	7.8%

Show more common land surveyor majors

Best colleges for land surveyors

The best colleges for land surveyors are Purdue University, Pennsylvania State University, and Michigan Technological University.

A land surveyor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for land surveyors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become land surveyors.

1. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

2. Pennsylvania State University - Wilkes-Barre

Lehman, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,586

Enrollment

401

3. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Enrollment

11,008

4. University of Maine

Orono, ME • Private

In-state tuition

$11,170

Enrollment

8,861

5. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$9,055

Enrollment

9,672

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

7. New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$17,338

Enrollment

7,820

8. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

9. Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,646

Enrollment

5,736

10. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

20 best online courses for land surveyors

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Master the use of Ground Control Points (GCPs) to make your UAV mapping projects absolutely survey grade!!...

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16. Construction Project Scheduling

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Learn the tools and techniques used by construction management professionals to ensure projects finish on time...

17. Construction Procurement Management

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18. Construction Site Electrical System Design

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19. Mastering Construction/Project Management

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20. New Home Construction - 2 of 8

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From Architectural Plans To foundations...

Top 10 most affordable universities for land surveyors

The most affordable schools for land surveyors are University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez, florida atlantic university, and purdue university.

If the best universities for land surveyors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for land surveyors.

1. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

2. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

3. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

4. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

6. Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

In-state tuition

$7,666

Cost of attendance

21,702

7. University of Wyoming

Laramie, WY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,400

Cost of attendance

19,777

8. North Carolina A & T State University

Greensboro, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$6,612

Cost of attendance

17,639

9. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$8,265

Cost of attendance

19,401

10. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Cost of attendance

22,715

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for land surveyors

The hardest universities for land surveyors to get into are Purdue University, Pennsylvania State University, and Michigan Technological University.

Some great schools for land surveyors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for land surveyors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,309

2. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,269

3. Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI • Private

Admissions rate

74%

SAT average

1,272

4. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

1,359

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,362

6. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

61%

SAT average

1,227

7. Pennsylvania State University - Wilkes-Barre

Lehman, PA • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,075

8. New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,287

9. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,159

10. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for land surveyors

The easiest schools for land surveyors to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, texas a&m; university - corpus christi, and ferris state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a land surveyor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for land surveyors.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,068

3. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

4. Pennsylvania State University - Wilkes-Barre

Lehman, PA • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,075

5. Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,016

6. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

7. University of Maine

Orono, ME • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,156

8. Troy University

Troy, AL • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,082

9. University of Wyoming

Laramie, WY • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,202

10. Middle Georgia State University

Macon, GA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

980

Average land surveyor salary by education level

Land surveyor education level	Land surveyor salary
Bachelor's Degree	$47,061

Land surveyor education FAQs

What degree do you need to be a land surveyor?

What is the best college for Land Surveyors?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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