Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Montgomery, AL is $71,210/year ($34.24/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.68), which stretches that salary to about $79,405 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,016/month, or 21.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $71K get you in Montgomery?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Montgomery’s Regional Price Parity (89.68). 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 Montgomery
Surveyors pay in Montgomery tracks closely to the national median, $71K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,016/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.68 (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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for surveyors in metros near Montgomery, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $75K | $81K |
| Huntsville | $63K | $68K |
| Mobile | $65K | $74K |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $60K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montgomery, AL
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $64K 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 with published data
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 Montgomery numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montgomery?
Yes — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,016/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Montgomery?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,894/month. At HUD’s $1,016/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Montgomery?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $71K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Montgomery compare to the national average for surveyors?
Montgomery pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.68), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Montgomery, AL?
The median is $71,210 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,230, and experienced surveyors can clear $111,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Montgomery?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,591/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,016/month, which eats 22.1% 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 Montgomery?
Montgomery has a Regional Price Parity of 89.68 (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 $79,405 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.