Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Alabama is $66,840/year ($32.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $113K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $75,645 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 24.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $67K actually covers in Alabama, month by month
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for surveyors in Alabama runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $75K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Alabama can be a reasonable trade-off for surveyors who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $113K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Alabama
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $75K | +12% | 240 |
| Montgomery | $71K | +7% | 40 |
| Mobile | $65K | -3% | 100 |
| Tuscaloosa | $64K | -4% | 40 |
| Huntsville | $63K | -6% | 180 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $60K | -11% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,602/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is surveyor a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $67K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for surveyors?
Alabama pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Alabama?
The median is $66,840 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,520, and experienced surveyors can clear $112,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,353/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 24.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a surveyors salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (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 surveyors salary is worth about $75,645 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surveyors 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.