Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Fresno, CA is $107,230/year ($51.55/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $160K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.16), that's roughly $104,963 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,664/month, or 25.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $107K get you in Fresno?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fresno’s Regional Price Parity (102.16). 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 Fresno
Fresno sits well above the national pay line for surveyors, local pay runs about 42% higher than the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,664/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for surveyors in metros near Fresno, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $102K | $90K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $125K | $108K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $101K | $94K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $102K | $91K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fresno, CA
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $107K. Top earners bring in $160K or more, a $99K 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 Fresno numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fresno?
Yes — at the median salary of $107K, rent takes 25.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,664/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Fresno?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,707/month. At HUD’s $1,664/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Fresno?
Local pay is 42% above the national median — $107K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Fresno compare to the national average for surveyors?
Fresno pays $107K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +42%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $105K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Fresno, CA?
The median is $107,230 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,790, and experienced surveyors can clear $160,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $107K enough to live in Fresno?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,476/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,664/month, which eats 25.7% 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 Fresno?
Fresno has a Regional Price Parity of 102.16 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median surveyors salary is worth about $104,963 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.