The median annual wage of surveyors was $54,880 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,800, and the top 10 percent earned more than $89,930.
Median annual wages for surveyors in selected industries in May 2010 were the following:
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | $71,020 |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 60,930 |
| Construction of buildings | 56,970 |
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | 53,360 |
| Heavy and civil engineering construction | 52,060 |
Surveyors usually work full time. They may work longer hours during the summer, when warm weather and long hours of daylight are most suitable for field work.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition