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Surveying and Mapping Technicians in Washington
Thinking about a career as a Surveying and Mapping Technicians in Washington? 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).
What do Surveying and Mapping Technicians Make in Washington?
The surveying and mapping technicians working in Washington, wages run about $61,660 per year (or roughly $29.64/hour).Pay can range from $46,200 at the 10th percentile to $81,110 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,200 | $22.21 |
| 25th percentile | $52,000 | $25.00 |
| Median (50th) | $61,660 | $29.64 |
| 75th percentile | $72,840 | $35.02 |
| 90th percentile | $81,110 | $39.00 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Washington nationwide is 0.87, suggesting 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 Washington median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 34,470 surveying and mapping technicians across the United States. In Washington alone, around 1,140 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 680 surveying and mapping technicians.
Top Washington Metros for Surveying and Mapping Technicians
These are the Washington metros with the most surveying and mapping technicians in Washington.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 600 | $61,670 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 60 | $60,600 |
| Bellingham, WA | 50 | $63,050 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 40 | $59,900 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 40 | $60,240 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 30 | $63,290 |
Top States for Surveying and Mapping Technicians Employment
View the states that employ 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
The highest-paying states for 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
Key surveying and mapping technicians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for surveying and mapping technicians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- 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
Technologies frequently used: 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:
Related Careers
Related occupations to surveying and mapping technicians include:
- Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians
- Data Scientists
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
- Surveyors
- Geodetic Surveyors
- Civil Engineers
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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