by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Surveying Engineering involves the study of Surveying Engineering. Read on to learn the important information every surveying engineering major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering surveying engineering programs.
Across the country, surveying engineering is a popular field of study, with 99 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Surveying Engineering Schools ranking analyzes these 14 schools to determine the best overall colleges for surveying engineering students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of surveying engineering programs later in this article.
Studies in Surveying Engineering develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations surveying engineering graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a surveying engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a surveying engineering major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several surveying engineering degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 58 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 41 |
People currently working in careers related to surveying engineering tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 32.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 26.9% |
| Master’s degree | 10.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 7.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 6.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.7% |
| Some college courses | 3.6% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.1% |
| First professional degree | 1.3% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in surveying engineering careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in surveying engineering can lead to numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to surveying engineering.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to surveying engineering.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Surveyors | 397,409 | 15.0% |
| Nanosystems Engineers | 358,781 | -2.9% |
| Wind Energy Engineers | 353,305 | 12.7% |
| Engineers, All Other | 292,948 | -4.3% |
| Solar Energy Systems Engineers | 266,797 | 14.5% |
| Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar | 227,778 | 6.7% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of surveying engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $72,931 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for surveying engineering graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers surveying engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Engineers, All Other | $136,628 |
| Surveyors | $131,353 |
| Geodetic Surveyors | $125,113 |
| Solar Energy Systems Engineers | $116,775 |
| Mechatronics Engineers | $115,569 |
| Microsystems Engineers | $104,558 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Wind Energy Engineers | $98,460 |
With 14 different surveying engineering programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased surveying engineering school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in surveying engineering, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Surveying Engineering | 99 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 42,939 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 26,760 |
| Civil Engineering | 20,005 |
| Computer Engineering | 19,986 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 13,914 |
| Engineering, General | 13,411 |
| Chemical Engineering | 10,939 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 9,596 |
| Industrial Engineering | 8,533 |
| Systems Engineering | 3,956 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
