Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Maryland is $64,910/year ($31.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $166K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $65,725 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 42.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in Maryland?
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Maryland
Pay for surveyors in Maryland runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 42.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for surveyorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $166K or more, a $122K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Maryland
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park | $63K | -3% | 50 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $61K | -7% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 42.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,647/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Maryland?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $65K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for surveyors?
Maryland pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Maryland?
The median is $64,910 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,110, and experienced surveyors can clear $166,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,262/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 42.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a surveyors salary go in Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $65,725 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.