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The differences between surveyors and appraisers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a surveyor, becoming an appraiser takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a surveyor has an average salary of $46,875, which is higher than the $42,223 average annual salary of an appraiser.
The top three skills for a surveyor include GPS, survey data and data collection. The most important skills for an appraiser are commercial property, appraisal reports, and customer service.
| Surveyor | Appraiser | |
| Yearly salary | $46,875 | $42,223 |
| Hourly rate | $22.54 | $20.30 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 4,087 | 1,186 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A surveyor is responsible for measuring the physical boundaries of a property based on the design documents. Surveyors' duties include determining reference points using special measuring equipment, analyzing land records, evaluating the stability of the property location, verifying data to property agencies and other organizations, responding to the client's inquiries, processing legal property documents, and finalizing boundary lines and maps. A surveyor must have a broad knowledge of the land and property processes, as well as excellent research and analytical skills.
An appraiser is someone who assesses the monetary value of a property such as an automobile, real property, and personal claim. His/Her or her responsibilities include resolving disparities between a property's monetary values and preparing narrative reports for projects. The essential skills that an appraiser should possess to accomplish such responsibilities include a keen eye for details, strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills, and the ability to work under pressure. The education requirements for the job vary depending on the area of focus.
Surveyors and appraisers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Surveyor | Appraiser | |
| Average salary | $46,875 | $42,223 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $67,000 | Between $29,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Diego, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | City National Bank |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a surveyor and an appraiser in terms of educational background:
| Surveyor | Appraiser | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between surveyors' and appraisers' demographics:
| Surveyor | Appraiser | |
| Average age | 44 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.4% Female, 27.6% | Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 4.9% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 81.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 8% |