Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Pennsylvania is $75,950/year ($36.51/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $79,973 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 26.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $76K get you in Pennsylvania?
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Surveyors pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $76K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Pennsylvania
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $79K | +4% | 610 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $78K | +3% | 80 |
| York-Hanover | $77K | +2% | 70 |
| Pittsburgh | $77K | +1% | 300 |
| Lancaster | $77K | +1% | 60 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $75K | -1% | 130 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $73K | -4% | 50 |
| Reading | $64K | -16% | 60 |
| Erie | $54K | -29% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,130/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $76K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for surveyors?
Pennsylvania pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $75,950 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,160, and experienced surveyors can clear $115,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,957/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 27.3% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $79,973 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.