What are the main factors that influence a Survey Instrument Operator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Survey Instrument Operator's salary?

A Survey Instrument Operator's salary grows with experience: a Survey Instrument Operator (2-4 years)earns $64,215, a Senior Land Surveyor (4-7 years)earns $78,962, a Land Surveyor Supervisor (7+ years)earns $92,113, a Land Surveyor Manager (7+ years)earns $109,550,

What are the highest paying states for a Survey Instrument Operator?

Survey Instrument Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Survey Instrument Operator roles are District of Columbia $70,472, California $70,204, Massachusetts $69,269. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Survey Instrument Operator roles make?

Salaries for Survey Instrument Operator level roles vary by specialization: Survey Director: $220,607; Survey Manager: $104,919; Survey Supervisor: $88,398; Survey Engineer: $79,453; Survey Consultant: $75,688.

How do different companies affect a Survey Instrument Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Survey Instrument Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Survey Instrument Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Survey Instrument Operator make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Survey Instrument Operator in the United States is $63,648 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

However, a Survey Instrument Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $76,401
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $55,483 to $70,324
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $48,049

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Survey Instrument Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$70,324	$5,860	$1,352	$34
Average	$63,648	$5,304	$1,224	$31
25th Percentile	$55,483	$4,624	$1,067	$27

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Key Factors That Influence Survey Instrument Operator Salaries

A Survey Instrument Operator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Survey Instrument Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Survey Instrument Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $70,472.
California: $70,204.
Massachusetts: $69,269.

District of Columbia $70,472 California $70,204 Massachusetts $69,269 Washington $69,014 New Jersey $68,989 Alaska $68,899 Connecticut $68,021 New York $67,665

Hawaii $66,525 Rhode Island $65,991 Maryland $65,628 Minnesota $65,131 Colorado $64,940 Illinois $64,877 Oregon $64,635 Delaware $64,457

New Hampshire $64,345 Virginia $64,094 Pennsylvania $63,362 Nevada $62,993 North Dakota $62,872 Michigan $62,681 Wisconsin $62,611 Vermont $62,471

Texas $62,083 Maine $62,057 Arizona $62,019 Ohio $61,974 Georgia $61,389 Indiana $61,096 Wyoming $61,039 Utah $60,950

Iowa $60,912 Kansas $60,606 Louisiana $60,517 North Carolina $60,485 Missouri $60,472 Florida $60,224 Montana $60,090 Nebraska $59,963

Kentucky $59,893 South Carolina $59,639 Tennessee $59,479 Idaho $59,416 New Mexico $58,951 Oklahoma $58,849 Alabama $58,474 South Dakota $57,844

Arkansas $57,500 West Virginia $57,315 Mississippi $56,762

Top Paying Cities for Survey Instrument Operators

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $80,280
San Francisco: $79,490
Oakland: $77,727

San Jose, CA $80,280

San Francisco, CA $79,490

Oakland, CA $77,727

New York, NY $73,762

Queens Village, NY $73,285

Paramus, NJ $72,776

Passaic, NJ $72,712

Bergenfield, NJ $72,648

Stamford, CT $72,553

Huntington, NY $72,489

Newark, NJ $72,075

Bridgeport, CT $71,948

New Brunswick, NJ $71,738

Vallejo, CA $71,604

Middlesex, NJ $71,566

Somerset, NJ $71,509

Petaluma, CA $71,363

Santa Cruz, CA $71,114

Boston, MA $70,987

Monterey, CA $70,669

Fairbanks, AK $70,624

Los Angeles, CA $70,503

Washington, DC $70,472

Seattle, WA $70,357

Santa Rosa, CA $70,344

Juneau, AK $70,160

Orange, CA $69,950

Anchorage, AK $69,835

Anaheim, CA $69,790

Santa Ana, CA $69,695

Nassau, NY $69,657

Long Beach, CA $69,631

Danbury, CT $69,612

Santa Maria, CA $69,396

Everett, WA $69,383

Bremerton, WA $69,071

Trenton, NJ $68,950

Sacramento, CA $68,925

San Diego, CA $68,893

Brockton, MA $68,868

Tacoma, WA $68,842

Santa Barbara, CA $68,753

Lowell, MA $68,498

New Suffolk, NY $68,473

Nashua, NH $68,397

Lompoc, CA $68,295

Ventura, CA $68,231

Stockton, CA $68,212

New Haven, CT $68,085

Atlantic City, NJ $67,919

Hartford, CT $67,779

Modesto, CA $67,747

Poughkeepsie, NY $67,607

New Britain, CT $67,576

Olympia, WA $67,486

Kennewick, WA $67,486

New London, CT $67,474

Norwich, CT $67,455

Lawrence, MA $67,423

Bakersfield, CA $67,245

Riverside, CA $67,155

New Bedford, MA $67,155

Richland, WA $67,092

Portsmouth, NH $67,041

Vineland, NJ $67,028

San Bernardino, CA $66,977

Boulder, CO $66,799

Worcester, MA $66,748

Portland, OR $66,691

Saint Paul, MN $66,614

Minneapolis, MN $66,614

Philadelphia, PA $66,525

Honolulu, HI $66,188

Springfield, MA $65,965

Providence, RI $65,959

Chicago, IL $65,774

Bellingham, WA $65,698

Baltimore, MD $65,628

Chico, CA $65,469

Wilmington, DE $65,361

Pittsfield, MA $65,297

Manchester, NH $65,176

Spokane, WA $64,896

Denver, CO $64,890

Albany, NY $64,590

Troy, NY $64,565

Schenectady, NY $64,431

Burlington, VT $64,291

Portland, ME $64,068

Salem, OR $64,018

Yakima, WA $64,005

Ann Arbor, MI $63,986

Rochester, MN $63,808

Fresno, CA $63,776

Reno, NV $63,776

Milwaukee, WI $63,718

Detroit, MI $63,655

Allentown, PA $63,636

Carson City, NV $63,629

Houston, TX $63,534

Colorado Springs, CO $63,527

Syracuse, NY $63,496

Eugene, OR $63,375

Bismarck, ND $63,298

Gary, IN $63,298

Galveston, TX $63,298

Springfield, OR $63,247

Medford, OR $63,095

Fort Collins, CO $63,069

Austin, TX $63,018

Mesa, AZ $62,885

Phoenix, AZ $62,872

Dallas, TX $62,853

Reading, PA $62,815

Saint Cloud, MN $62,789

Concord, NH $62,732

Madison, WI $62,706

Utica, NY $62,535

Raleigh, NC $62,484

Las Vegas, NV $62,477

Rochester, NY $62,433

Des Moines, IA $62,426

Atlanta, GA $62,325

Battle Creek, MI $62,305

Salt Lake City, UT $62,286

Lancaster, PA $62,191

Champaign, IL $62,178

Harrisburg, PA $62,102

Durham, NC $62,044

Kansas City, MO $62,038

Kansas City, KS $62,025

Fort Worth, TX $62,019

Boca Raton, FL $61,994

Cleveland, OH $61,987

Columbus, OH $61,974

Pittsburgh, PA $61,968

Richmond, VA $61,943

Indianapolis, IN $61,930

Cincinnati, OH $61,847

Petersburg, VA $61,752

Billings, MT $61,612

Lansing, MI $61,612

Huntsville, AL $61,612

Lebanon, PA $61,605

Dayton, OH $61,599

Pueblo, CO $61,599

Appleton, WI $61,580

Buffalo, NY $61,554

Racine, WI $61,523

Charlotte, NC $61,516

Saint Louis, MO $61,497

Springfield, IL $61,472

Elkhart, IN $61,459

York, PA $61,459

Gastonia, NC $61,453

Benton Harbor, MI $61,453

Beaumont, TX $61,414

Lorain, OH $61,402

Toledo, OH $61,376

Binghamton, NY $61,344

Rock Hill, SC $61,338

Rockford, IL $61,306

Fargo, ND $61,274

Elyria, OH $61,274

Flagstaff, AZ $61,230

Fort Lauderdale, FL $61,192

Miami, FL $61,153

Duluth, MN $61,052

Bangor, ME $60,969

Cedar Rapids, IA $60,899

Louisville, KY $60,867

Grand Rapids, MI $60,854

Hialeah, FL $60,848

Casper, WY $60,759

Scranton, PA $60,682

New Orleans, LA $60,663

Virginia Beach, VA $60,657

Akron, OH $60,625

Peoria, IL $60,542

Sarasota, FL $60,530

Green Bay, WI $60,485

Baton Rouge, LA $60,453

Charleston, SC $60,441

Nashville, TN $60,421

Jamestown, NY $60,409

Davenport, IA $60,409

Tucson, AZ $60,377

Cheyenne, WY $60,358

Saint Petersburg, FL $60,339

Tampa, FL $60,326

Omaha, NE $60,313

Port Arthur, TX $60,288

Evansville, IN $60,288

Bradenton, FL $60,262

Santa Fe, NM $60,148

Orlando, FL $60,084

Clearwater, FL $60,014

Canton, OH $59,880

La Crosse, WI $59,880

Grand Forks, ND $59,861

Albuquerque, NM $59,842

Tulsa, OK $59,842

Newport News, VA $59,836

High Point, NC $59,817

Ogden, UT $59,791

Corpus Christi, TX $59,740

Laramie, WY $59,702

Norfolk, VA $59,702

Rock Island, IL $59,664

Saginaw, MI $59,651

Jacksonville, FL $59,645

Salisbury, NC $59,632

Memphis, TN $59,619

Moline, IL $59,588

Fort Myers, FL $59,569

Waterloo, IA $59,486

Spartanburg, SC $59,422

Lincoln, NE $59,390

Fort Wayne, IN $59,378

Birmingham, AL $59,308

Cedar Falls, IA $59,295

Provo, UT $59,288

Springfield, OH $59,282

San Antonio, TX $59,269

Greensboro, NC $59,244

South Bend, IN $59,238

Winston Salem, NC $59,231

Boise, ID $59,212

Savannah, GA $59,168

Muskegon, MI $59,053

Lima, OH $58,977

Lake Charles, LA $58,951

Anderson, IN $58,938

Lexington, KY $58,919

Augusta, GA $58,900

Greenville, SC $58,900

Wichita, KS $58,843

Tuscaloosa, AL $58,843

Columbia, SC $58,786

Bloomington, IN $58,627

Roanoke, VA $58,588

Asheville, NC $58,506

Knoxville, TN $58,397

Shreveport, LA $58,391

Wilmington, NC $58,308

Frankfort, KY $58,187

Oklahoma City, OK $58,143

Chillicothe, OH $58,117

Longview, TX $58,111

Topeka, KS $58,092

Mobile, AL $57,996

Terre Haute, IN $57,971

Erie, PA $57,965

Altoona, PA $57,933

Melbourne, FL $57,914

Amarillo, TX $57,888

Killeen, TX $57,869

Fayetteville, AR $57,818

Sioux Falls, SD $57,774

Chattanooga, TN $57,735

Idaho Falls, ID $57,729

Gainesville, FL $57,595

Portsmouth, OH $57,564

Little Rock, AR $57,551

Lynchburg, VA $57,551

Lafayette, LA $57,525

Youngstown, OH $57,525

Temple, TX $57,500

Daytona Beach, FL $57,487

Clarksville, TN $57,481

Pensacola, FL $57,475

Hopkinsville, KY $57,284

Charleston, WV $57,277

Florence, SC $57,245

Sioux City, IA $57,207

Macon, GA $57,023

Tallahassee, FL $57,016

Fayetteville, NC $57,004

Waco, TX $56,991

Wichita Falls, TX $56,991

Pine Bluff, AR $56,965

Vincennes, IN $56,844

Lubbock, TX $56,819

Great Falls, MT $56,781

Alamogordo, NM $56,774

Abilene, TX $56,723

Rapid City, SD $56,641

Monroe, LA $56,641

Albany, GA $56,603

Huntington, WV $56,596

Jackson, MS $56,590

Greenville, MS $56,583

Parkersburg, WV $56,520

Montgomery, AL $56,507

Johnstown, PA $56,494

Springfield, MO $56,443

Biloxi, MS $56,412

Sumter, SC $56,278

Columbus, GA $56,272

Twin Falls, ID $56,233

Pascagoula, MS $56,151

Kingsport, TN $55,985

Gulfport, MS $55,966

Alexandria, LA $55,756

Fort Smith, AR $55,597

El Paso, TX $55,425

Helena, MT $55,342

Las Cruces, NM $55,139

Harlingen, TX $54,960

Pocatello, ID $54,903

Florence, AL $54,884

Brownsville, TX $54,871

Dothan, AL $54,769

Mcallen, TX $54,738

Columbus, MS $54,267

Altus, OK $53,974

Lawton, OK $53,853

Pierre, SD $53,624

What Skills Can Increase a Survey Instrument Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Consulting (Mentioned in 2.72% Job Postings): Providing technical or business expertise and advice to internal or external clients.
CAD (Mentioned in 3.03% Job Postings): Computer-aided design is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Consulting	2.72%
CAD	3.03%
Microsoft Office	1.44%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Survey Instrument Operator's salary.

Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Public Works: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Project Management	$66,194	4%
Public Works	$66,194	4%
Innovation	$66,194	4%
Leadership	$66,194	4%
Initiative	$66,194	4%
Analysis	$65,558	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Survey Instrument Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Survey Instrument Operators enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Survey Instrument Operator with a No Diploma is between $70,823 and $76,836).

Survey Instrument Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Survey Instrument Operator

No Diploma 2.4%

High School 46.3%

Associates 29.3%

Bachelors 22.0%

Masters 0.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.4%
High School	46.3%
Associates	29.3%
Bachelors	22.0%
Masters	0.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Survey Instrument Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Survey Instrument Operator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

$55,483

Average $63,648/year

$70,324

$4,624

Average $5,304/month

$5,860

$1,067

Average $1,224/week

$1,352

$27

Average $31/hour

$34

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$70,324	$5,860	$1,352	$34
Average	$63,648	$5,304	$1,224	$31
25th Percentile	$55,483	$4,624	$1,067	$27

Salaries of jobs related to Survey Instrument Operator

Salary Trends for Survey Instrument Operator

Salaries for a Survey Instrument Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $57,178 in 2023 to around $56,099 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Survey Instrument Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Survey Instrument Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$57,178

2024

$56,983

2025

$56,099

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$57,178
2024	$56,983
2025	$56,099
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Survey Instrument Operator

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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