Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Fargo, ND-MN is $102,270/year ($49.17/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $141K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.87), which stretches that salary to about $112,545 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,112/month, or 16.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $102K get you in Fargo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fargo’s Regional Price Parity (90.87). 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 Fargo
Fargo sits well above the national pay line for surveyors, local pay runs about 36% higher than the U.S. median of $75K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,112/month, 17% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.87 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Fargo offers a genuinely strong financial position for surveyorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for surveyors in metros near Fargo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bismarck | $80K | $87K |
| 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, Fargo, ND-MN
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $141K or more, a $73K 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 Fargo numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fargo?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 17% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,112/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Fargo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,079/month. At HUD’s $1,112/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is surveyor a high-paying job in Fargo?
Local pay is 36% above the national median — $102K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Fargo compare to the national average for surveyors?
Fargo pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $113K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Fargo, ND-MN?
The median is $102,270 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,980, and experienced surveyors can clear $141,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Fargo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,528/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,112/month, which eats 17% 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 Fargo?
Fargo has a Regional Price Parity of 90.87 (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 $112,545 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.