Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Virginia is $71,070/year ($34.17/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $110K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $74,976 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 35.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $71K get you in Virginia?
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Virginia
Surveyors pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $71K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 36% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Virginia
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $110K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Virginia
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $74K | +4% | 160 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $72K | +1% | 190 |
| Charlottesville | $66K | -7% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 36% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,046/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $71K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for surveyors?
Virginia pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Virginia?
The median is $71,070 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,770, and experienced surveyors can clear $109,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,568/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 36% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $74,976 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.