Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA is $72,800/year ($35/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.56), which stretches that salary to about $77,811 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,252/month, or 25.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $73K get you in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Scranton--Wilkes-Barre’s Regional Price Parity (93.56). 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre
Surveyors pay in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre tracks closely to the national median, $73K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,252/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.56 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for surveyors in metros near Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $79K | $77K |
| Pittsburgh | $77K | $81K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $75K | $76K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $78K | $78K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $60K 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
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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 26.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,252/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,284/month. At HUD’s $1,252/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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $73K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Scranton--Wilkes-Barre compare to the national average for surveyors?
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?
The median is $72,800 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,740, and experienced surveyors can clear $115,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,780/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,252/month, which eats 26.2% 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre?
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre has a Regional Price Parity of 93.56 (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 $77,811 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.