Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Wisconsin is $79,650/year ($38.3/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $84,438 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,202/month, or 23% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $80K actually covers in Wisconsin, month by month
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Surveyors pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,202/month, 23.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Wisconsin
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Wisconsin
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $90K | +13% | 70 |
| Green Bay | $82K | +2% | 30 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $81K | +2% | 170 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 23.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,854/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for surveyors?
Wisconsin pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Wisconsin?
The median is $79,650 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,510, and experienced surveyors can clear $118,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,104/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 23.6% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $84,438 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.