Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Texas is $61,150/year ($29.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $66,838 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 33.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Texas?
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for surveyors in Texas runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,415/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Texas
17 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Killeen-Temple | $70K | +15% | 40 |
| Sherman-Denison | $67K | +10% | 30 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $66K | +8% | 180 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $66K | +8% | 1,400 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $63K | +3% | 1,960 |
| Corpus Christi | $62K | +1% | 180 |
| Midland | $61K | +0% | 90 |
| Odessa | $60K | -2% | 30 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $59K | -3% | 480 |
| Waco | $58K | -4% | 30 |
| Longview | $58K | -6% | 100 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $58K | -6% | 790 |
| Tyler | $57K | -7% | 110 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $53K | -13% | 40 |
| El Paso | $51K | -16% | 60 |
| Lubbock | $51K | -17% | 50 |
| College Station-Bryan | $50K | -19% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 17 metros
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 33.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,547/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Texas?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $61K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for surveyors?
Texas pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Texas?
The median is $61,150 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,450, and experienced surveyors can clear $107,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,264/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 33.2% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $66,838 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.