Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Arizona is $77,490/year ($37.26/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $111K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $80,375 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,437/month, or 27.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $77K get you in Arizona?
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Arizona
Surveyors pay in Arizona tracks closely to the national median, $77K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,437/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $111K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Arizona
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $80K | +3% | 970 |
| Tucson | $73K | -6% | 140 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $60K | -23% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 28.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,936/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Arizona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $77K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for surveyors?
Arizona pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Arizona?
The median is $77,490 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,940, and experienced surveyors can clear $110,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,080/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 28.3% 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 Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (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 $80,375 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.