Surveying and Mapping Technicians Salary in California
SOC 17-3031 · California · BLS OEWS May 2025
Median Annual Salary
$78,104
$37.55/hr
44% higher than the US national median ($54,246)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Surveying and Mapping Technicians in California is $78,104 per year ($37.55/hr). This is 44% higher than the national median of $54,246.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Wage Percentiles: California
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$23.08
$48,006
+27.9%
P25
$29.37
$61,090
+34.5%
P50MEDIAN
$37.55
$78,104
+44.0%
P75
$49.41
$102,773
+54.1%
P90Top earners
$57.34
$119,267
+46.1%
Get the full percentile report
P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Surveying and Mapping Technicians
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Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+4.5%
Faster than average
Annual openings
8K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
59K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
4% from new growth96% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
35K
$50,340
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
6K
$61,650
Wage range across top 5 industries: $50,340 to $61,650 (22% spread)
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median surveying and mapping technicians salary in California?
The median (P50) annual salary for Surveying and Mapping Technicians in California is approximately $78,104, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 44% higher than the national median of $54,246. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.