Geodetic Surveyors
Measure large areas of the Earth's surface using satellite observations, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), light detection and ranging (LIDAR), or related sources.
Most important skills
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Speaking
Key knowledge
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Geography
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Physics
- Education and Training
- Design
What the work involves
- Review existing standards, controls, or equipment used, recommending changes or upgrades as needed.
- Provide training and interpretation in the use of methods or procedures for observing and checking controls for geodetic and plane coordinates.
- Plan or direct the work of geodetic surveying staff, providing technical consultation as needed.
- Distribute compiled geodetic data to government agencies or the general public.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, continue education, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in technology, equipment, or systems.
- Verify the mathematical correctness of newly collected survey data.
- Request additional survey data when field collection errors occur or engineering surveying specifications are not maintained.
- Prepare progress or technical reports.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Investigative, Conventional.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree (81.5% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (29.6%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (25.9%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Geodetic Surveyors is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
- Projection education uses SOC 17-1022 (detailed_parent); it may describe a broader group.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very low | Lower on contact with others than 84% of occupations compared | 37% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others most of the time” |
| Dealing with the public | Moderate | Lower on dealing with the public than 52% of occupations compared | 37% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Teamwork | Low | Lower on teamwork than 73% of occupations compared | 50% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Moderate | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 51% of occupations compared | 50% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very low | Lower on time pressure than 89% of occupations compared | 35% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Conflict situations | Very low | Lower on conflict situations than 89% of occupations compared | 63% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 81% of occupations compared | 60% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Very low | Lower on consequence of error than 84% of occupations compared | 38% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very low
- Conflict situations: very low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
- Consequence of error: very low
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 7.41%
- Contact with others about half the time: 29.63%
- Contact with others most of the time: 37.04%
- Constant contact with others: 25.93%
n = 27, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 7.41%
- Fairly important: 22.22%
- Important: 14.81%
- Very important: 37.04%
- Extremely important: 18.52%
n = 27, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 12.5%
- Important: 8.33%
- Very important: 50%
- Extremely important: 29.17%
n = 24, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: 19.23%
- Some freedom: 50%
- A lot of freedom: 30.77%
n = 26, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Time pressure
- Never: 3.85%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 19.23%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 34.62%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 34.62%
- Every day: 7.69%
n = 26, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Conflict situations
- Never: 11.11%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 62.96%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 22.22%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 3.7%
- Every day: 0%
n = 27, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 8%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 60%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 28%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 4%
- Every day: 0%
n = 25, Occupational Expert 08/2022
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 29.17%
- Fairly serious: 37.5%
- Serious: 20.83%
- Very serious: 4.17%
- Extremely serious: 8.33%
n = 24, Occupational Expert 08/2022
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O*NET-SOC 17-1022.01 · SOC 17-1022 (detailed_parent, medium confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8