New technologies, advances in measuring instruments, and computer data processing have made surveying and mapping technical careers more complex and dynamic in the last few years. These changes have increased the accuracy of surveying and mapping and extended its use beyond the surface of the land to the ocean floors and neighboring planets. These new technologies are increasingly demanded in the business world where planners and real estate professionals use GIS to analyze land use patterns, traffic patterns, and economic and demographic components of urban areas. Environmentalists are also using advanced mapping techniques to track endangered species, measure the destruction of environmentally sensitive areas, and study various ecosystems. The skilled technician can make a positive contribution to these new and exciting areas in the future.
Related Professions
- Architectural Drafter
- Structural Drafter and Detail Checker
- Engineering Technician
- Landscaper
- Cartographic Drafter
- Architect
- Landscape Architect
- CAD Technician
- Drafter Surveyor
- Survey Assistant
- Photogrammetric Technician
- Highway Technician
- Rail and Waterway Technician
Survey technicians and mapping technicians can attend junior and community colleges, technical institutes, and vocational schools, which offer 1 , 2 , and 3 year programs in both surveying and mapping technology. For those who choose to enroll in a two year program, the first year classes generally include English, composition, drafting, applied mathematics, surveying and measurements, statistics, computer courses, and physics. The second year courses include technical physics, advanced surveying, photogrammetry, mapping, soils and foundations, legal courses, and technical reporting. High school students interested in surveying should take courses in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, drafting, mechanical drawing, and computer science.
Special Certifications
No professional certification is required for this occupation.
Setting
Surveying technicians will spend most of their time outdoors; the working conditions are similar to those of a surveyor. Conversely, mapping technicians, spend most of their time working in an office environment with mapping scientists. For both surveying and mapping technicians the ability to pay close attention to detail and work well with others is particularly important.
Employment Statistics And Major Employers
Surveyor technicians are employed in the same areas as surveyors; these include architectural, engineering, and surveying firms; government agencies; mining, oil, gas, and utility companies, and construction firms. The demand for technicians is expected to remain strong in the foreseeable future. At the same time, new technologies combined with the demand for more sophisticated geographic data will offer more opportunities for those technicians with the required education and skills. This is a rapidly changing field that is best suited for those who enjoy learning and are willing to continually upgrade their skills in order to keep up with the latest changes in technology particularly GIS and GPS processing.
Salary Statistics
In the early 1990s, the median annual earnings for survey and mapping technicians were about $23,200 per year. The middle 50 percent earned between $17,000 and $32,100 a year; 10 percent earned less than $14,500 a year; and 10 percent earned more than $43,700 per year.
Sources of Further Information
- American Congress on Surveying and Mapping 210 Little Falls St. Falls Church, VA 22046
- American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers 345 East 47th St. New York, NY 10017
- American Congress on Surveying and Mapping 5410 Grosvenor Ln. Bethesda, MD 20814 2122
- American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 5410 Grosvenor Ln. Suite 200 Bethesda, MD 20814 2122
