Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Maine is $83,200/year ($40/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $85,159 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,281/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $83K get you in Maine?
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Maine
Surveyors pay in Maine tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,281/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Maine
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $89K | +7% | 160 |
| Bangor | $64K | -23% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,367/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Maine?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Maine compare to the national average for surveyors?
Maine pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Maine?
The median is $83,200 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,110, and experienced surveyors can clear $131,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,207/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 24.6% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $85,159 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.