Surveyors pay in California
$110,220avg. a year
$52.99 an hour · 4,520 employed
Surveyors in California earn an average of $110,220 a year. That is $29,650 (37%) more than the U.S. average of $80,570. The best-paying metro area is Yuba City, CA at $127,690.
$105,330Median pay
$52.99Average hourly
+13%Avg. pay since 2020
#1Of 50 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for surveyors by metro area. Swipe to see all 18.
150 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$127,690
$61.39 an hour
2630 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$126,380
$60.76 an hour
340 jobs
Redding, CA
$124,490
$59.85 an hour
4370 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$120,210
$57.79 an hour
540 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$118,870
$57.15 an hour
650 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$117,030
$56.26 an hour
7170 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$116,770
$56.14 an hour
880 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$111,600
$53.65 an hour
9190 jobs
Fresno, CA
$110,060
$52.92 an hour
10430 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$108,630
$52.23 an hour
11100 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$106,490
$51.20 an hour
12480 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$106,390
$51.15 an hour
13130 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$105,720
$50.83 an hour
14970 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$105,400
$50.67 an hour
1540 jobs
Salinas, CA
$105,190
$50.57 an hour
1660 jobs
Modesto, CA
$104,370
$50.18 an hour
1780 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$101,980
$49.03 an hour
18110 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$91,730
$44.10 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Surveyors pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California surveyors work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $72k$72k–$79k$79k–$87k$87k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $80,570 | $38.73 |
| California | $110,220 | $52.99 |
| Oregon | $96,920 | $46.60 |
| Nevada | $92,420 | $44.43 |
| Arizona | $78,630 | $37.80 |
Related jobs in California
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$121,910
- Landscape Architects$110,360
- Civil Engineers$124,540
- Industrial Engineers$125,850
- Mechanical Engineers$136,660
- Electrical Engineers$151,180
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do surveyors make in California?
The average is $110,220 a year, and the median is $105,330. That is $29,650 (37%) more than the U.S. average of $80,570.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$52.99 an hour on average; the median is $50.64.
Where in California do they earn the most?
Yuba City, CA ($127,690), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($126,380). The lowest average among 18 metro areas with data is Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($91,730).
How does California rank?
California ranks #1 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 17-1022. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national surveyors page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.