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What are the Education Requirements for Becoming a Land Surveyor?
What are the Education Requirements for Becoming a Land Surveyor?
Land surveyors gather the data that determines land, water and air boundaries. Read on to find out about what education is needed to become a land surveyor and land surveyor training requirements.
Land Surveyor Education Requirements & Job Overview
Most aspiring land surveyors complete a bachelor's degree program and are expected to attain a license. Some pursue certification for career advancement and to demonstrate knowledge. As a land surveyor, you are primarily responsible for collecting the data used to designate land, air and water boundaries. This information establishes state lines, property deeds and airspace restrictions. Your job duties might also include describing land contours, elevation and other physical features. Land surveyors often work for private engineering and surveying firms, but some are employed by the government.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutLandSurveyors">Important Facts About Land Surveyors</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td> Median Salary (May 2018)* </td><td> $62,580</td></tr>
<tr><td> Job Outlook (2018-2028)* </td><td> 6% growth</td></tr>
<tr><td> Key Skills </td><td> Excellent oral and written communication, attention to detail, physical endurance, problem-solving, technological competence, time management, visual creativity</td></tr>
<tr><td> Work Environment </td><td> Field and office settings</td></tr>
<tr><td> Similar Occupations </td><td> Architect, civil engineer, urban and regional planner, cartographer and photogrammetrist</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h2 id="section---HowToBecomeALandSurveyor">How to Become a Land Surveyor</h2><p>The process of becoming a land surveyor can be broken down into four steps:
</p><ul><li>Earn a <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Bachelors_Degrees_in_Land_Surveying_Your_Questions_Answered.html">bachelor's degree in land surveying</a> or a closely related field (or whatever education your state requires)
</li><li>Take and pass the Fundamentals of Surveying exam
</li><li>Obtain hands-on experience working for a licensed surveyor (usually 4 years)
</li><li>Take and pass the Principles and Practice of Surveying exam
</li></ul><p>Read below for more details about each of these steps.
</p><h3 id="section---LandSurveyorDegreePrograms">Land Surveyor Degree Programs</h3><p>Due to the increasingly technical nature of the profession, most employers require you to hold a bachelor's degree in surveying, mapping or geomatics. Such degree programs usually include courses such as calculus, geographic information systems (GIS) and cartography. Some states require surveyors to complete a degree program that's approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
</p><h3 id="section---LandSurveyorLicensing">Land Surveyor Licensing</h3><p>Licensing requirements for land surveyors vary from state to state - some may only ask for a high school diploma. However, all states require you to take the Fundamentals of Surveying exam given by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). After passing this test, you can start your hands-on training with a licensed surveyor, which generally lasts about four years. After you've completed the required work experience in land surveying, you'll be ready to take the Principles and Practice of Surveying exam, which is also administered by the NCEES. Also, some states require a state licensing board exam, and some states require continuing education to maintain your license.
</p><h3 id="section---LandSurveyorCertification">Land Surveyor Certification</h3><p>Certification is optional, but, according to the BLS, earning your certification through organizations such as the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) can lead to promotion in the land-surveying field. The NSPS offers four levels of certification, which include written exams and varying degrees of work experience.
</p><h3 id="section---OtherRequirements">Other Requirements</h3><p>To succeed as a land surveyor, you must be able to record data with a high degree of accuracy. You should also be able to envision distance and size to describe physical objects used as mapping landmarks. Finally, land surveying is often done as a team, so the ability to work and communicate well with others is also essential.</p>
