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The average salary for a Survey Party Chief in the United States is approximately $45,923 annually, translating to about $22 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the type of projects managed. For instance, those working in urban areas or for specialized firms often see higher compensation rates.
Key Factors Influencing Salary:
This role not only demands technical skills but also leadership qualities to manage teams effectively. As the industry evolves, opportunities for advancement and specialization continue to expand, making this a rewarding career path.
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The average survey party chief salary in California, New Jersey, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average survey party chief salary states are Georgia, Maine, and Tennessee.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $61,801 | $29.71 |
| 2 | California | $68,083 | $32.73 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $51,793 | $24.90 |
| 4 | Oregon | $51,433 | $24.73 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $67,901 | $32.64 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $53,094 | $25.53 |
| 7 | Michigan | $47,735 | $22.95 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $51,997 | $25.00 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $48,541 | $23.34 |
| 10 | Washington | $48,414 | $23.28 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $47,002 | $22.60 |
| 12 | Ohio | $48,020 | $23.09 |
| 13 | Texas | $45,410 | $21.83 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $46,546 | $22.38 |
| 15 | Alaska | $46,112 | $22.17 |
| 16 | Iowa | $44,638 | $21.46 |
| 17 | Kansas | $46,345 | $22.28 |
| 18 | Nevada | $42,739 | $20.55 |
| 19 | Arizona | $43,256 | $20.80 |
| 20 | Arkansas | $45,774 | $22.01 |
| 21 | Illinois | $45,972 | $22.10 |
| 22 | Vermont | $44,685 | $21.48 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $46,383 | $22.30 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $44,562 | $21.42 |
| 25 | Idaho | $42,888 | $20.62 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $41,926 | $20.16 |
| 27 | Utah | $43,556 | $20.94 |
| 28 | Florida | $41,905 | $20.15 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $42,332 | $20.35 |
| 30 | Virginia | $40,571 | $19.51 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $42,330 | $20.35 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $41,032 | $19.73 |
| 33 | Colorado | $42,329 | $20.35 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $38,150 | $18.34 |
| 35 | Montana | $39,814 | $19.14 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $45,235 | $21.75 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $41,376 | $19.89 |
| 38 | Delaware | $37,268 | $17.92 |
| 39 | Maryland | $39,748 | $19.11 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $41,352 | $19.88 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $36,997 | $17.79 |
| 42 | Maine | $35,131 | $16.89 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $40,371 | $19.41 |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | $37,267 | $17.92 |
| 45 | Missouri | $39,870 | $19.17 |
| 46 | Alabama | $36,543 | $17.57 |
| 47 | Georgia | $36,366 | $17.48 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $35,087 | $16.87 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | $33,108 | $15.92 |
| 50 | Indiana | $35,087 | $16.87 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $31,583 | $15.18 |
The highest-paying cities for survey party chiefs are Jackson, NJ, Seattle, WA, and Detroit, MI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson, NJ | $69,002 | $33.17 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $48,603 | $23.37 |
| 3 | Detroit, MI | $48,008 | $23.08 |
| 4 | Westerville, OH | $47,728 | $22.95 |
| 5 | San Antonio, TX | $47,570 | $22.87 |
| 6 | Lafayette, LA | $47,293 | $22.74 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $46,178 | $22.20 |
| 8 | Pleasant Grove, UT | $43,482 | $20.90 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $43,428 | $20.88 |
| 10 | Pueblo, CO | $42,838 | $20.60 |
| 11 | Charleston, SC | $42,015 | $20.20 |
| 12 | Tampa, FL | $41,873 | $20.13 |
| 13 | Jackson, MS | $41,641 | $20.02 |
| 14 | Greensboro, NC | $41,590 | $20.00 |
| 15 | Annapolis, MD | $40,045 | $19.25 |
| 16 | Richmond, VA | $40,037 | $19.25 |
| 17 | Kansas City, MO | $39,883 | $19.17 |
| 18 | Newark, DE | $37,222 | $17.90 |
| 19 | Allentown, PA | $37,139 | $17.86 |
| 20 | Elkhart, IN | $35,654 | $17.14 |
A survey party chief's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $66,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $45,923 | $3,827 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
The highest paying types of survey party chiefs are survey superintendent, quantity surveyor, and marine surveyor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instrument Person | $43,699 | $3,642 | $21.01 | 35,373 |
| Professional Land Surveyor | $47,097 | $3,925 | $22.64 | 47,350 |
| Land Surveyor | $46,182 | $3,848 | $22.20 | 4,717 |
| Survey Project Manager | $60,193 | $5,016 | $28.94 | 97,606 |
| Surveyor | $46,875 | $3,906 | $22.54 | 4,087 |
| Survey Manager | $50,706 | $4,225 | $24.38 | 2,935 |
Top companies hiring survey party chiefs now:
Survey party chief salaries at Bowman Consulting Group and Timmons Group are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average survey party chief salary at companies like KS Engineers and Jacobs Engineering Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowman Consulting Group | $80,085 | $38.50 |
| 2 | Timmons Group | $79,945 | $38.44 |
| 3 | KS Engineers | $78,978 | $37.97 |
| 4 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $78,058 | $37.53 |
| 5 | Bryant Associates | $76,448 | $36.75 |
| 6 | SAM Companies | $75,767 | $36.43 |
| 7 | Crafton Tull | $75,745 | $36.42 |
| 8 | DuBois & King | $75,418 | $36.26 |
| 9 | Halff Associates | $74,987 | $36.05 |
| 10 | CDM Smith | $74,882 | $36.00 |
| 11 | Thompson Engineering | $74,830 | $35.98 |
| 12 | Volkert | $74,281 | $35.71 |
| 13 | Summit Design and Engineering Services | $73,886 | $35.52 |
| 14 | Pape-Dawson Engineers | $73,576 | $35.37 |
| 15 | DLZ | $73,551 | $35.36 |
| 16 | S&ME | $73,441 | $35.31 |
| 17 | Johnson Mirmiran & Thompson Inc | $73,391 | $35.28 |
| 18 | Woolpert | $72,773 | $34.99 |
| 19 | KCI Technologies | $72,467 | $34.84 |
| 20 | Merrick & Co | $72,167 | $34.70 |
The average survey party chief salary has risen by $7,001 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average survey party chief earned $38,922 annually, but today, they earn $45,923 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for survey party chiefs over the last decade.
Compare survey party chief salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare survey party chief salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,900 | $22.08 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $44,400 | $21.35 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $43,800 | $21.07 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $42,800 | $20.58 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $41,600 | $19.99 | +2.3% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowman | Survey Party Chief | Reno, NV | 06/27/2025 | $73,045 |
| Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. | Survey Party Chief | Reno, NV | 06/27/2025 | $73,045 |
| Rochester Industries Placement | Survey Party Chief | Penfield, NY | 06/23/2025 | $52,000 |
| King Surveyors | Land Surveying Party Chief | Windsor, CO | 06/22/2025 | $58,436 |
| Granite Construction Company | Survey Chief | The Woodlands, TX | 06/21/2025 | $93,729 |
| SLR Consulting | Survey Party Chief | Cheshire, CT | 06/20/2025 | $63,000 |
| Actalent | Survey Party Chief | Sanford, FL | 06/20/2025 | $50,088 |
| Stvinc | Survey Party Chief | Owensboro, KY | 06/20/2025 | $42,392 |
| Highlands County Board of County Commissioners | Survey Party Chief | Sebring, FL | 06/14/2025 | $46,097 |
| SST Direct | Survey Party Chief | Greenville, SC | 06/12/2025 | $62,610 |
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