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The differences between land surveyors and instrument people can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a land surveyor has an average salary of $46,182, which is higher than the $43,699 average annual salary of an instrument person.
The top three skills for a land surveyor include GPS, data collection and topographic surveys. The most important skills for an instrument person are topographic surveys, data collection, and survey equipment.
| Land Surveyor | Instrument Person | |
| Yearly salary | $46,182 | $43,699 |
| Hourly rate | $22.20 | $21.01 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 4,717 | 35,373 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
Land surveyors are skilled professionals who measure land areas to determine the boundaries of properties and present findings to their clients and government agencies. To make the precise boundary calculations, these surveyors are required to use sophisticated field equipment such as high order global positioning system (GPS), theodolites, and aerial or terrestrial scanners. They must record the results of their surveying and establish official land and water boundaries for deeds, leases, and other legal documents. Land surveyors must also provide relevant data that shape and contour the surface of the earth for engineering, mapmaking, and construction projects.
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.
Land surveyors and instrument people have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Land Surveyor | Instrument Person | |
| Average salary | $46,182 | $43,699 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $66,000 | Between $30,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Walnut Creek, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Adobe | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a land surveyor and an instrument person in terms of educational background:
| Land Surveyor | Instrument Person | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Surveying, Mapping, And Hydraulic Technologies |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | - |
Here are the differences between land surveyors' and instrument people' demographics:
| Land Surveyor | Instrument Person | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 5% |