If you’re thinking about a career in land surveying, you might be wondering what it entails. Your inquiry, ‘land surveying a good career choice?’ will be answered in this article so please keep reading!
Many people are drawn to these jobs because they work outside in high-paying, low-labor positions. Nobody wants to be cooped up in an office all day. This article will explain the land surveyor’s cycle and the benefits and drawbacks of studying Landry surveying.
What Is Land Surveying?
At its most basic level, surveying is the process of determining the value of the land. Boundary lines are frequently checked and certified due to land sales, construction projects, and other factors.
Even though the job title includes the word “land,” surveyors also certify air and marine boundary lines. Depending on where they work and what type of surveying the organization conducts for a living, their work takes them all over – some of it in isolated locations.
As a land surveyor, you will need outstanding analytical and arithmetic skills, high attention to detail, and excellent communication skills. To be successful in their field, land surveyors must have extensive knowledge of complex measurement procedures, data processing, and accurate recording of results.
5 Reasons Why Land Surveying a Good Career Choice
Availability of Jobs
In the next few years, around 2,000 additional surveying employment will be available. There are insufficient students studying property and construction surveying to fill slightly over half of the available posts. Students who opt to study surveying now have a good chance of getting a job after completing their four-year curriculum.
It Is a Traveling Career
Surveyors with a certificate can be found all around the world. SCSI Chartered Members have the opportunity to work on some of the world’s most fascinating construction projects in places like the Middle East, Canada, and Australia. That’s important to know if you want a job that requires a lot of travel.
Versatility
Throughout your career as a surveyor, you’ll have numerous opportunities to move across segments and change responsibilities within them. It is not uncommon for those who begin their careers in quantity surveying to progress to project management over some time. They are also highly transferable due to the increased need for these experiences and competencies. Surveying is a good choice if you want a job with many variations.
Cutting Edge
Geomatics is a branch of surveying that involves gathering and analyzing data about the earth’s surface and interpreting the results. This is one of the few technical skills that are in high demand.
The Ability to Work with Large Multinationals
Some of the world’s most well-known corporations have flocked to our shores because of the US’s position as an entrance point to EMEA marketplaces. Several of these individuals now own considerable real estate holdings and land. Working with large multinationals like Google and Facebook’s facility management workgroups not only looks excellent on your resume, but it may also lead to fantastic travel advantages.
Types of Land Surveying Jobs
Construction Surveying
In addition to surveying land for property owners or developers, construction surveys are also available. With this knowledge, roads and structures can be adequately planned, as the slope and grade of land can determine the degree of difficulty, or even the feasibility, of a particular construction project. They consider elements, including soil type and the look of rock or streams, if the project has an underground component.
Experts in Forensics
the judicial system With the help of forensic investigators, a crime or accident scene can be rebuilt. They can also examine storm damage and environmental concerns. These professionals provide paperwork to law enforcement, insurance companies, federal authorities, and other related parties.
A Hydrographic Surveyor
The land is measured primarily around watercourses. You can map shorelines, riverbanks, and seafloors in this fashion, for example. This information is critical for the Navy and other sailors, as well as development businesses planning riverfront programs and government bodies erecting bridges.
Environmental Surveyors
They map vacant land to locate habitats for endangered animals. Hazardous waste sites, as well as locations that have been devastated by storms, water, or fire, may be surveyed.
Qualifications for Land Surveyor Certification and Licensing
Whether you have an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree, you must pass the Basics of Land Survey assessment test to become a certified surveyor in your region. Because a surveyor’s work is utilized in courtrooms and on land deeds, it’s critical to get it correctly the first time.
Check with your state’s licensing board if you’re unsure what your state’s regulations and licensing board are before committing to your responsibilities.
Some countries, on the other hand, allow ambitious young land surveyors to forego a college degree in exchange for additional years of experience.
After completing the appropriate number of years of schooling and the Theory and Practice of Surveying assessment test, a state-specific evaluation must be passed.
What Does a Land Surveyor Do?
Land surveyors are responsible for creating and maintaining accurate maps of the earth’s surface. They use various tools and techniques to measure distances, angles, and elevations between points on the ground. This information is then used to create or update land maps, site plans, subdivision plats, legal descriptions, and more.
Does Land Surveying Make Good Money?
In the United States, a land surveyor’s average annual income is $74,814 with $1,500 profit sharing. 1.1k wages were reported on February 23, 2022, and were last updated on February 23, 2022.
Land surveyors typically make a good wage, with an average annual income of around $74,814. This figure can vary depending on location and experience, but it’s a good starting point. Additionally, many land surveyors receive profit sharing, which can bump their total income even higher. With the right skills and qualifications, land surveying can be a very lucrative career choice.
What Are the Best Colleges to Study Land Surveying
Here is a list of some of the best colleges for pursuing a career in land surveying
University of Florida
The University of Florida provides a geomatics bachelor’s degree with a surveying and mapping focus. This 120-credit-hour program covers many surveying topics, including spatial visualization, UAS mapping, geometrics and design, photogrammetry, and many others.
California State University- Fresno
A bachelor’s degree in geomatics/surveying is available at California State University- Fresno, better known as Fresno State. Boundary/land surveying, geodesy, GIS, and digital mapping are all included in this program.
The University of Maine
A 126-credit hour surveying technology degree is available through Maine’s College of Engineering. Construction surveying, plane surveying, instrumentation and data collectors, site planning, and subdivision design are topics covered in this program.
The University of Akron
The University of Akron’s B.S. in surveying and mapping degree curriculum emphasizes not only classroom lectures but also interactive learning and hands-on research. Field measuring techniques, building projects, subdivision planning, GIS, and GPS technologies are all covered in the university’s degree program.
Kennesaw State University
The surveying and mapping bachelor’s degree program at Kennesaw State University, which consists of 121 credit hours, teaches students to create maps using field measurements, construction projects, and subdivision developments. Using satellite geodesy, this program also teaches students to establish vertical and horizontal control over their environments.
Pros and Cons of Land Surveying as a Career
Pros:
- The field appears to be pretty stable, with more job openings than qualified workers (I believe?).
- Apprenticeship opportunities are available.
- A reasonable entry-level wage (approximately $40,000) can be earned with two years of education combined with some on-the-job experience if one chooses to pursue an educational path.
- Allows for a degree of independence. Just get to work and finish the job.
- While basic social/negotiation/teamwork/business/professionalism skills are required, this is not a customer service or marketing position where you will be expected to be courting people for their business constantly. In this case, you’re providing a technical service.
- Obtaining funding opportunities to conduct research (especially at higher levels?)
- Outdoors. (Some jobs indeed require more desk time than others, especially as you advance in your career.) Not always in picturesque settings, but… in the great outdoors.)
- Clothing serves a functional purpose. In addition to being expensive and time-consuming, dressing for professional office jobs can be tricky, especially for women. Or, at the very least, for this particular woman. I can pull it off when the situation calls for it, but dressing up every day is exhausting for me.)
Cons:
- Long working hours, particularly during the summer
- travel a long distance from home (daily? Is the time spent traveling reimbursed? (Or is it more like a daily commute to get to where you want to go?)
- labor elements? (In other words, will this work put a strain on my body over several years? Many of my uncles worked in the manufacturing industry, and their bodies have suffered as a result of the strenuous work that they did. I don’t imagine those scoping contraptions [pardon my ignorance] are particularly heavy, at least not in my experience.
Does Surveying Have A Future?
The future of surveying is changing rapidly. Land surveyors are in high demand, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicting that the profession will grow by 28% from 2012 to 2022. These numbers are even more promising when considering that this growth rate is higher than average for all other professions. The BLS predicts a total increase of 14 million jobs during this period.
The reason for this rapid growth is two-fold: rising population and increased construction activity among homeowners and developers alike. As the United States continues to grow, so does our need for land surveyors who can document property boundaries, easements, encroachments, and rights-of-ways and map natural resources like minerals, vegetation, or wetlands.
Best Online Course for Land Surveying
Here Are Some Online Courses
Michigan Land Surveyors Professional Development Courses
This is one of the best land surveyor classes available online for a licensed Land Surveyor in Michigan who wishes to renew their certification. Additionally, anyone who surveys the land parcels up to the monument or who describes or maps the boundaries and corners of the parcel will find this course to be highly beneficial.
Additionally, this is one of the best land surveyor courses available online, making it an excellent choice for anyone interested in pursuing continuing education through self-paced online classes. Despite your hectic schedule, you can complete this course from the comfort of your own home and at your own pace.
Surveying and Mapping in Civil Engineering by Udemy
The topics covered in this course are surveying and mapping in the civil engineering field. Students will learn about the different types of equipment used in land surveying. Angle measurement equipment, height measurement equipment, distance measurement equipment, and area measurement equipment are all included in this category. There is also an explanation of the procedure to be followed when operating surveying equipment, how to interpret surveying data results, and how to calculate measurements. Putri Arumsari was in charge of delivering this course. In addition to being a Lecturer, she has a specialization in Construction Management. She teaches foundational courses such as Building Construction, Surveying, and Construction Material Technology to undergraduate students.
Land Surveyors by PDH Academy
PDH Academy is a one-stop shop for a diverse selection of the best land survey training courses available. Depending on your requirements and preferences, you can select the appropriate course.
There is also the option to purchase a 12-hour bundle or create your custom bundle based on your preferences. These are some of the best land surveying certificate programs available today.
However, to receive an online land surveying certificate, you must complete the course in its entirety and earn a score of seventy percent on the final examination.
Quantity Surveying and Estimation for Roads and Tunnel Works by Udemy
First and foremost, I divided this course into fourteen sections, each of which contains 60 high-definition lectures and specific resources. These sections will deal with the introduction to the course, essential to advanced Excel and AutoCAD training, and a significant amount of attention will be paid to the bill of quantities. Aside from that, complete items that are part of the road are discussed one by one in a manner that is both practical and effective. The final section is intended to provide students with an understanding of interest rates and analyses, as well as how we can create a new interest rate.
Conclusion
Land Surveying can be a gratifying profession, but it also requires a great deal of technical expertise and manual labor. If you are interested in the outdoors and have an eye for detail, then surveying may be a good choice for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for something more office-based or offer more opportunities for advancement, then surveying may not be the right fit. Ultimately, only you can decide if land surveying is the right career choice for you.
