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Surveying Engineering

Instructional content is defined in code 14.3801.

Types of Degrees Surveying Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Surveying Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	58
Master’s Degree	41

What Surveying Engineering Majors Need to Know

Programs in Surveying Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Surveying Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Surveying Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Surveying Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Surveying Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Surveying Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Surveying Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Surveying Engineering graduates include:

• Mechanical Drawing Teacher
• College Faculty Member
• Geological Engineering Teacher
• Adjunct Engineering Instructor
• Radio Engineering Teacher
• Motion and Time Study Teacher
• Chemical Engineering Professor
• Ceramic Engineering Professor
• Metallography Teacher
• Instructor
• Surveying Teacher
• Electronic Science Teacher
• Aeronautics Teacher
• Adjunct Instructor
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Surveying Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share 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%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Surveying Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 71.7% of Surveying Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	28	28.3%
Men	71	71.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Surveying Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	71	71.7%
Asian	3	3.0%
Hispanic or Latino	5	5.1%
Black or African American	5	5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	1.0%
Two or More Races	2	2.0%
Race Unknown	3	3.0%
International Students	8	8.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Surveying Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Surveying Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$72,931

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Surveying Engineering Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Surveying Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering	197,615
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
Engineering, Other	3,529

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.