Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Bismarck, ND is $79,620/year ($38.28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.02), which stretches that salary to about $87,475 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,175/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Bismarck?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bismarck’s Regional Price Parity (91.02). 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 surveyors
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What this looks like in Bismarck
Surveyors pay in Bismarck tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,175/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.02 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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 surveyors in metros near Bismarck, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $102K | $113K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $92K | $88K |
| Sioux Falls | $81K | $89K |
| Duluth | $75K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bismarck, ND
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Surveyors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $105K | +40% | 4,520 |
| Alaska | $100K | +32% | 250 |
| Oregon | $97K | +29% | 530 |
| Massachusetts | $95K | +25% | 1,290 |
| Washington | $86K | +13% | 780 |
| Montana | $85K | +12% | 350 |
| Minnesota | $84K | +11% | 980 |
| Maine | $83K | +10% | 270 |
| Delaware | $83K | +10% | 120 |
| Nevada | $82K | +9% | 490 |
| Hawaii | $82K | +9% | 140 |
| Wyoming | $81K | +8% | 240 |
| Indiana | $81K | +7% | 870 |
| Wisconsin | $80K | +6% | 610 |
| North Dakota | $79K | +5% | 250 |
| Colorado | $79K | +5% | 1,620 |
| New York | $79K | +5% | 1,470 |
| Arizona | $77K | +3% | 1,360 |
| South Dakota | $77K | +2% | 180 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +2% | 900 |
| Iowa | $77K | +2% | 450 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +2% | 430 |
| Vermont | $76K | +1% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $76K | +1% | 920 |
| North Carolina | $76K | +1% | 1,530 |
| Illinois | $76K | +1% | 1,710 |
| Pennsylvania | $76K | +1% | 1,610 |
| Kansas | $76K | +1% | 350 |
| New Mexico | $74K | -2% | 290 |
| Idaho | $74K | -2% | 250 |
| Utah | $73K | -3% | 650 |
| Michigan | $72K | -4% | 1,050 |
| Kentucky | $72K | -5% | 670 |
| Virginia | $71K | -6% | 1,360 |
| Ohio | $71K | -6% | 1,300 |
| Nebraska | $68K | -10% | 430 |
| Alabama | $67K | -11% | 910 |
| Florida | $65K | -13% | 4,000 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | -14% | 280 |
| Maryland | $65K | -14% | 950 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -16% | 1,000 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -16% | 1,460 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | -17% | 150 |
| Missouri | $62K | -18% | 830 |
| West Virginia | $62K | -18% | 630 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -19% | 960 |
| Texas | $61K | -19% | 6,410 |
| Mississippi | $59K | -22% | 570 |
| Georgia | $58K | -23% | 1,770 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -31% | 550 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bismarck numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bismarck?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,175/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Bismarck?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,608/month. At HUD’s $1,175/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Bismarck?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Bismarck compare to the national average for surveyors?
Bismarck pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.02), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Bismarck, ND?
The median is $79,620 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,130, and experienced surveyors can clear $111,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Bismarck?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,237/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,175/month, which eats 22.4% 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 Bismarck?
Bismarck has a Regional Price Parity of 91.02 (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 $87,475 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.