Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Joplin, MO-KS is $65,340/year ($31.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.72), which stretches that salary to about $76,225 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $947/month, or 22.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Joplin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Joplin’s Regional Price Parity (85.72). 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 Joplin
Pay for surveyors in Joplin runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $75K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $947/month, 21.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Joplin can be a reasonable trade-off for surveyorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for surveyors in metros near Joplin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $66K | $69K |
| Kansas City | $74K | $80K |
| Springfield | $65K | $73K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $80K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Joplin, MO-KS
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $78K 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
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 Joplin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Joplin?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 21.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $947/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Joplin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,458/month. At HUD’s $947/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Joplin?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $65K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Joplin compare to the national average for surveyors?
Joplin pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Joplin, MO-KS?
The median is $65,340 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,960, and experienced surveyors can clear $119,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Joplin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,336/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $947/month, which eats 21.8% 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 Joplin?
Joplin has a Regional Price Parity of 85.72 (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 $76,225 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.