Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Kentucky is $71,840/year ($34.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $79,619 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 23.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $72K actually covers in Kentucky, month by month
About surveyors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kentucky
Surveyors pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 23.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Kentucky
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Kentucky
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $79K | +10% | 190 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $72K | -0% | 150 |
| Bowling Green | $66K | -8% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 23.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,651/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for surveyors?
Kentucky pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Kentucky?
The median is $71,840 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,000, and experienced surveyors can clear $101,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,671/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 23.8% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $79,619 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.