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Surveying and Mapping Technicians in South Dakota

Considering working as a Surveying and Mapping Technicians in South Dakota? Below are the key facts. Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps. Excludes “Cartographers and Photogrammetrists” (17-1021), “Surveyors" (17-1022), and “Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers” (19-2042).

$49,000 Median Annual Wage (South Dakota)

$123,658 National Median Annual Wage

100 South Dakota Employment

Medium Preparation Needed Typical Preparation

What do Surveying and Mapping Technicians Make in South Dakota?

For a surveying and mapping technicians working in South Dakota, the median annual wage is $49,000 per year (or roughly $23.56/hour).Pay can range from $38,480 at the 10th percentile to $61,350 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$38,480	$18.50
25th percentile	$46,480	$22.35
Median (50th)	$49,000	$23.56
75th percentile	$58,550	$28.15
90th percentile	$61,350	$29.49

Salary ranges for Surveying and Mapping Technicians in South Dakota

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in South Dakota relative to the national average — is 0.61, indicating fewer surveying and mapping technicians per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, surveying and mapping technicians earn a median of $123,658 per year ($59.45/hour), lower than the South Dakota median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 34,470 surveying and mapping technicians nationwide. In South Dakota alone, about 100 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 680 surveying and mapping technicians.

Forecasted number of jobs for Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Top South Dakota Metros for Surveying and Mapping Technicians

These are the South Dakota metros with the most surveying and mapping technicians in South Dakota.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Sioux Falls, SD-MN	40	$53,320

Top States for Surveying and Mapping Technicians Employment

The table below shows the states where the most surveying and mapping technicians work.

State	Number Employed
Texas	7,810
Florida	4,900
North Carolina	4,510
California	3,670
Colorado	2,440
Virginia	2,170
New York	1,900
Pennsylvania	1,560
Ohio	1,380
Georgia	1,350
Tennessee	1,330
South Carolina	1,270
Alabama	1,210
Oklahoma	1,180
Washington	1,140
Illinois	1,130
Michigan	1,080
Indiana	950
Idaho	930
Minnesota	910

Highest-Paying States for Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Where surveying and mapping technicians earn the most: surveying and mapping technicians.

State	Annual Median Salary
Nevada	$75,660
Alaska	$73,320
District of Columbia	$72,230
California	$71,860
Minnesota	$66,080
Maryland	$64,460
Wyoming	$61,790
Washington	$61,660
New Jersey	$61,170
Connecticut	$60,150

Skills

Top surveying and mapping technicians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Reading Comprehension 3.9 / 5

Critical Thinking 3.4 / 5

Writing 3.2 / 5

Mathematics 3.2 / 5

Speaking 3.1 / 5

Monitoring 3.1 / 5

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Computers and Electronics 4.2 / 5

Geography 3.9 / 5

Mathematics 3.7 / 5

English Language 3.6 / 5

Engineering and Technology 3.5 / 5

Design 3.3 / 5

Abilities

Top abilities for surveying and mapping technicians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Written Comprehension 3.8 / 5

Near Vision 3.5 / 5

Oral Comprehension 3.4 / 5

Inductive Reasoning 3.4 / 5

Oral Expression 3.4 / 5

Information Ordering 3.2 / 5

Daily Tasks

Surveying and Mapping Technicians typically:

Position and hold the vertical rods, or targets, that theodolite operators use for sighting to measure angles, distances, and elevations.
Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.
Design or develop information databases that include geographic or topographic data.
Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.
Produce or update overlay maps to show information boundaries, water locations, or topographic features on various base maps or at different scales.
Determine scales, line sizes, or colors to be used for hard copies of computerized maps, using plotters.
Compile information necessary to stake projects for construction, using engineering plans.
Identify and compile database information to create requested maps.
Operate and manage land-information computer systems, performing tasks such as storing data, making inquiries, and producing plots and reports.
Compare survey computations with applicable standards to determine adequacy of data.
Analyze aerial photographs to detect and interpret significant military, industrial, resource, or topographical data.
Research and combine existing property information to describe property boundaries in relation to adjacent properties, taking into account parcel splits, combinations, or land boundary adjustments.

Work Activities

Working with Computers
Documenting/Recording Information
Getting Information
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Analyzing Data or Information
Processing Information
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk AutoCAD In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

Engineering-Related Technologies

Related occupations to surveying and mapping technicians include:

Also Known As

Aerial Photograph Interpreter, Aerotriangulation Specialist, Assessment Technician, Ax Survey Worker, CAD Technician (Computer Aided Design Technician), Cartographic Aide, Cartographic Drafter, Cartographic Technician, Cartography Technician, Chain Carrier, Chainman, Compass Operator, Drafting Technician, Draftsman, Engineering Assistant.

References

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
O*NET-SOC code: 17-3031.00

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