Surveyors
Make exact measurements and determine property boundaries. Provide data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, or dimension of land or land features on or near the earth's surface for engineering, mapmaking, mining, land evaluation, construction, and other purposes.
50,830 people do this job in the US. $75,440 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 59%
- 9%
- 32%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 6%. Today's estimate: 12%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 24 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 5 h1.7 h to 1.3 work days | 19%Half by Mar 2027 | |
| Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 6.7 h2.5 h to 1.7 work days | 10%Half by May 2027 | |
| Prepare, or supervise preparation of, all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 6.7 h2.5 h to 2.1 work days | Stays with people | |
| Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles.Done daily by most who do it. | 9% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 3.3 work days | Stays with people | |
| Plan and conduct ground surveys designed to establish baselines, elevations, and other geodetic measurements.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 9% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 3.3 work days | Stays with people | |
| Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.Done daily by most who do it. | 8% | 4.2 h50 min to 1.3 work days | 18%Half by May 2027 | |
| Establish fixed points for use in making maps, using geodetic and engineering instruments.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 1.7 work days | Stays with people | |
| Conduct research in surveying and mapping methods, using knowledge of photogrammetric map compilation and electronic data processing.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 7% | 2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.3 work weeks | 1%Half by Jul 2028 | |
| Analyze survey objectives and specifications to prepare survey proposals or to direct others in survey proposal preparation.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 5 h1.7 h to 1.3 work days | 19%Half by Mar 2027 | |
| Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 3.3 h50 min to 1.3 work days | 25%Half by Mar 2027 | |
| Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 3.3 h50 min to 6.7 h | 32%Half by Jan 2027 | |
| Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 3.3 h50 min to 1 work day | 28%Half by Feb 2027 |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Geodetic Surveyors34% now, 70% by 2028
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians39% now, 69% by 2028
- Civil Engineers5% now, 52% by 2028
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists20% now, 98% by 2028
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians21% now, 76% by 2028
- Construction and Building Inspectors24% now, 48% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).