Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Indiana is $80,510/year ($38.71/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $87,692 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $81K get you in Indiana?
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Indiana
Surveyors pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $81K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 21.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $71K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Indiana
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne | $85K | +5% | 60 |
| Evansville | $83K | +3% | 30 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $82K | +2% | 40 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $82K | +1% | 250 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 21.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,896/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $81K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for surveyors?
Indiana pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Indiana?
The median is $80,510 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,260, and experienced surveyors can clear $118,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,214/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 21.9% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $87,692 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.