Survey engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a survey engineer. Survey engineers usually study civil engineering, electrical engineering, or engineering. 64% of survey engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 618 real survey engineer resumes to see exactly what survey engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for survey engineers are the University of Arizona and the University of Arizona.

There are also many online survey engineer courses to help get the education required to be a survey engineer.

There are certain survey engineer certifications that you should consider. These survey engineer certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Survey Technician (CST).

What education do you need to become a survey engineer?

What degree do you need to be a survey engineer?

The most common degree for survey engineers is bachelor's degree, with 64% of survey engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 14% and associate degree degree at 10%.

Bachelor's, 64%

Associate, 14%

Master's, 10%

High School Diploma, 5%

Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a survey engineer?

You should major in civil engineering to become a survey engineer. 23% of survey engineers major in civil engineering. Other common majors for a survey engineer include electrical engineering and engineering.

Civil Engineering, 23%

Electrical Engineering, 11%

Engineering, 9%

Surveying Engineering, 8%

Other Majors, 49%

Most common colleges for survey engineers

Survey engineers often get their degrees at University of Arizona, University of Kentucky, and National University. Here are the most common colleges for survey engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Survey engineer common college	Percentages
University of Arizona	8.70%
University of Kentucky	6.52%
National University	6.52%
Murray State University	6.52%
Ball State University	6.52%

Show more common survey engineer colleges

Best majors for survey engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Civil Engineering	23.4%
2	Electrical Engineering	11.3%
3	Engineering	8.9%
4	Surveying Engineering	7.7%
5	Business	6.9%

Show more common survey engineer majors

Best colleges for survey engineers

The best colleges for survey engineers are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A survey engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for survey engineers. 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 survey engineers.

1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

3. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

7. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

8. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

9. Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$9,080

Enrollment

30,795

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

20 best online courses for survey engineers

Advertising disclosure

1. Survey Data Collection and Analytics

This specialization covers the fundamentals of surveys as used in market research, evaluation research, social science and political research, official government statistics, and many other topic domains. In six courses, you will learn the basics of questionnaire design, data collection methods, sampling design, dealing with missing values, making estimates, combining data from different sources, and the analysis of survey data. In the final Capstone Project, you’ll apply the skills learned...

2. Analyze Survey Data with Tableau

Surveys are used in a variety of scenarios, both in businesses and in research. Companies are using them to better understand consumer insights and feedback, and researchers are going beyond the traditional uses to learn more about the world around us. Tableau can help visualize survey data of all kinds in a useful way—without needing advanced statistics, graphic design, or a statistics background. In this project, learners will learn how to create an account in Tableau and how to manipulate...

3. Quantity Surveying Building Estimation BBS with Excel & CAD

4.4

(1,052)

Quantity Surveying, Construction Estimation ,Quantity survey ,Cost Estimation ,Civil engineering, Building Estimation...

4. The Ultimate Guide for Land Surveying with Drones - Part 3

4.3

(277)

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

5. Utilize Survey Monkey as an Evaluation Tool

Surveys and evaluations can be used to reflect on your training or customer experiences. The data you collect can help to adjust your training and you can find out directly from your employees if they are satisfied. Customers can let you know what they are thinking and what they actually want. In this project you will learn about Survey Monkey as an evaluation tool throughout the cycle of developing an event. By the end of your time in this project you will have multiple evaluation surveys to...

6. Use SurveyMonkey to Create a Survey and Analyze Results

In this project, we will walk through the survey making process and explore the many ways that SurveyMonkey streamlines and simplifies data collection. We will learn how the program is organized and how it operates, helping you feel comfortable and confident enough to create your own survey to meet your own individual needs. SurveyMonkey is a cloud based survey software which allows its users to create online surveys for free. SurveyMonkey can help move a business in the right direction by...

7. Statistics / Data Analysis: Survey Data and Likert Scales

4.6

(505)

How to Process Survey Data and Analyze Likert Scales In SPSS...

8. Quantity Surveying Building Estimation,Cad Excel & Planswift

4.4

(2,658)

Quantity Surveying, Quantity Takeoff, BBS In Excel ,Complete Project In Autocad, Project Planning With Primavera P6...

9. Design a User Experience Survey in SurveyMonkey

By the end of this project you will be able to design a User Experience survey that will collect data to uncover user needs, how products meet those needs, and mine insights that will aid in building and designing solutions. To do this, you will gain hands-on experience designing a User Experience survey with a free account on the SurveyMonkey cloud-based software service. Note: This course works best for learners who are based in the North America region. We’re currently working on providing...

10. AutoCAD Civil 3D Training: The Ultimate Course

4.4

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Get the Auto CAD Civil 3D Premium Course and Free download Pdf Book (reference training manual)...

11. Diploma in Basics of Civil Engineering for Construction

4.3

(294)

Practical Course to Gain Quick Knowledge in Civil Engineering & Get Entry Level Jobs in Construction as Freshers...

12. The Ultimate Guide for Land Surveying with Drones - Part 2

4.1

(515)

Learn to work with Pix4D & Drone Deploy outputs on QGIS, Auto CAD & Google Earth. Start your own UAV mapping business now!...

13. Quantity Surveying With Rate Analysis And Take Off-Beginners

4.2

(340)

Quantity Surveying, Quantity Takeoff, Estimation, Rate Analysis, Blubeam Revu, Planswift, Costing, Construction Drawings...

14. Construction Methodology Basics in Civil Engineering

4.5

(1,001)

New Home Construction & Building construction along with Home Repair ,Estimation & Plumbing With Video Step By Step...

15. Learning AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016

4.5

(387)

A Practical Course That Teaches How To Get The Most From Auto CAD Civil 3D...

16. The Ultimate Guide for Land Surveying with Drones - Part 1

4.3

(1,178)

Master the complete workflow using Drone Deploy, Litchi and Pix4D. Start your own UAV mapping business right away!...

17. Quantity Surveying Templates for Effective Cost Management

4.5

(345)

Quantity Surveying, Payment Application, Payment Tracker, Variation, Claim, Material Claim, Guarantees, Price Comparison...

18. Complete KoboToolbox Training Course

4.5

(388)

Learn the basic & advanced techniques of developing & deploying mobile survey data collection forms with Kobo Toolbox...

19. Quantity Surveying/Bar-bending Schedule (B.B.S) Course

4.2

(429)

Quantity Surveying/Bar bending Learn To Create Bar-Bending Schedule For Different Structures In Excel...

20. AutoCAD Civil 3D 2020 Training

4.4

(279)

Learn Auto CAD Civil 3D With Practical Approach...

Top 10 most affordable universities for survey engineers

The most affordable schools for survey engineers are University of Florida, florida state university, and florida atlantic university.

If the best universities for survey engineers 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 survey engineers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

3. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

4. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,310

Cost of attendance

19,807

5. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

9. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for survey engineers

The hardest universities for survey engineers to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for survey engineers 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 survey engineers 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,545

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

9. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

10. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for survey engineers

The easiest schools for survey engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, washington state university, and alabama a & m university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a survey engineer 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 survey engineers.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Washington State University

Pullman, WA • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,123

3. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

4. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

5. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

6. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

7. North Dakota State University

Fargo, ND • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,170

8. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

9. Lamar University

Beaumont, TX • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,043

10. The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX • Private

Admissions rate

80%

SAT average

1,157

Average survey engineer salary by education level

According to our data, survey engineers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $53,477 annually. Survey engineers with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $53,009.

Survey engineer education level	Survey engineer salary
Master's Degree	$53,477
Bachelor's Degree	$47,128
Doctorate Degree	$53,009

Survey engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Survey Engineers?

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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