Surveying and Mapping Technicians Salary
The median pay for a surveying and mapping technicians in Charleston, WV is $46,100/year ($22.16/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $51,961 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,036/month, about 32.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.72). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About surveying and mapping technicians
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What this looks like in Charleston
Pay for surveying and mapping technicians in Charleston runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $54K. Rent runs $1,036/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for surveying and mapping technicians in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $46K | $52K |
| Morgantown | $47K | $51K |
| Wheeling | $55K | $63K |
| Charlottesville | $52K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level surveying and mapping technicians (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Surveying and Mapping Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Surveying and Mapping Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $78K | +44% | 3,340 |
| Alaska | $77K | +42% | 300 |
| Minnesota | $73K | +35% | 1,060 |
| Washington | $63K | +16% | 1,030 |
| Maryland | $62K | +14% | 470 |
| North Dakota | $61K | +12% | 160 |
| New Jersey | $61K | +12% | 750 |
| Ohio | $60K | +11% | 1,350 |
| Montana | $60K | +11% | 430 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | +11% | 110 |
| Utah | $60K | +10% | 360 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | +9% | 660 |
| Iowa | $59K | +9% | 390 |
| Connecticut | $59K | +9% | 380 |
| Nevada | $59K | +8% | 680 |
| Massachusetts | $59K | +8% | 640 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | +7% | 1,340 |
| Wyoming | $58K | +7% | 150 |
| Colorado | $58K | +7% | 2,340 |
| Illinois | $57K | +6% | 1,110 |
| New York | $57K | +6% | 2,540 |
| New Hampshire | $57K | +6% | 260 |
| Delaware | $57K | +5% | 180 |
| Virginia | $57K | +5% | 2,440 |
| Maine | $56K | +4% | 220 |
| Vermont | $56K | +4% | 40 |
| Indiana | $56K | +4% | 1,060 |
| New Mexico | $56K | +4% | 610 |
| Oregon | $56K | +3% | 1,280 |
| Hawaii | $56K | +2% | 140 |
| Arizona | $54K | -0% | 700 |
| North Carolina | $53K | -2% | 4,100 |
| Idaho | $53K | -3% | 450 |
| Missouri | $52K | -5% | 720 |
| Kansas | $51K | -6% | 730 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -7% | 1,340 |
| Michigan | $50K | -7% | 690 |
| South Dakota | $50K | -8% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -9% | 930 |
| Georgia | $49K | -10% | 1,890 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -11% | 370 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -11% | 770 |
| Florida | $48K | -11% | 4,810 |
| Texas | $48K | -12% | 8,720 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -13% | 550 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -14% | 810 |
| Alabama | $46K | -14% | 1,320 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -15% | 810 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -15% | 920 |
| South Carolina | $44K | -19% | 1,420 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track surveying and mapping technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveying and mapping technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 33.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,036/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveying and mapping technicians in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveying and mapping technicians typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,071/month. At HUD’s $1,036/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is surveying and mapping technician a high-paying job in Charleston?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $46K here vs. $54K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for surveying and mapping technicians?
Charleston pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do surveying and mapping technicians make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $46,100 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,520, and experienced surveying and mapping technicians can clear $74,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,129/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 33.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a surveying and mapping technicians salary go in Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 88.72 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median surveying and mapping technicians salary is worth about $51,961 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surveying and mapping technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.