Post job

Professional surveyor vs registered land surveyor

The differences between professional surveyors and registered land surveyors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a professional surveyor and a registered land surveyor. Additionally, a professional surveyor has an average salary of $51,224, which is higher than the $47,361 average annual salary of a registered land surveyor.

The top three skills for a professional surveyor include survey data, legal descriptions and GPS. The most important skills for a registered land surveyor are data collection, GPS, and survey data.

Professional surveyor vs registered land surveyor overview

Professional SurveyorRegistered Land Surveyor
Yearly salary$51,224$47,361
Hourly rate$24.63$22.77
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs45,0972,940
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age4444
Years of experience66

Professional surveyor vs registered land surveyor salary

Professional surveyors and registered land surveyors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Professional SurveyorRegistered Land Surveyor
Average salary$51,224$47,361
Salary rangeBetween $34,000 And $76,000Between $31,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between professional surveyor and registered land surveyor education

There are a few differences between a professional surveyor and a registered land surveyor in terms of educational background:

Professional SurveyorRegistered Land Surveyor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common majorSurveying, Mapping, And Hydraulic TechnologiesCivil Engineering
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Professional surveyor vs registered land surveyor demographics

Here are the differences between professional surveyors' and registered land surveyors' demographics:

Professional SurveyorRegistered Land Surveyor
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 73.5% Female, 26.5%Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 2.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 4.2% White, 78.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between professional surveyor and registered land surveyor duties and responsibilities

Professional surveyor example responsibilities.

  • Implement the use of GPS into the day to day survey operations.
  • Create and utilize geographic information systems (GIS) for various clients.
  • Adjust and operate surveying instruments such as prisms, theodolites, and electronicdistance-measuring equipment.
  • Interface with multiple legal, financial and governmental entities to meet requirements of approvals processes and finalize complex ALTA surveys.
  • Develop new data from photogrammetric records.

Registered land surveyor example responsibilities.

  • Collect, processes, analyzes and manages field data using GIS and spatial technologies.
  • Complete field work by inspecting dams, setting grade stakes, and updating property records using a Trimble R8 GNSS system.
  • Provide complete boundary surveying services and prepare minor subdivisions.

Professional surveyor vs registered land surveyor skills

Common professional surveyor skills
  • Survey Data, 25%
  • Legal Descriptions, 22%
  • GPS, 21%
  • Civil 3D, 12%
  • CAD, 4%
  • As-Built, 4%
Common registered land surveyor skills
  • Data Collection, 25%
  • GPS, 20%
  • Survey Data, 18%
  • GIS, 12%
  • Boundary Surveys, 7%
  • Legal Descriptions, 7%

Browse architecture and engineering jobs