The Average Salary of a Marine Surveyor

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics defines a marine surveyor as someone who measures and records the topography and geography of bodies of water. These include harbours, rivers, shorelines and reservoirs. Surveyors determine the depth, the geological formation of the body of water's bottom, and of any land masses within it, such as islands. They may also assess the viability of marine structures, such as oil rigs. Pay levels for marine surveyors are likely to vary according to factors such as location and employer type.

Average Salary

• For the purposes of its May 2010 national employment analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics categorized marine surveyors alongside their counterparts who measure topographic features on land. It calculated that the average annual salary for the profession was $58,140. Synthesized from pay data supplied by over 40,000 practitioners, this equates to a monthly income of $4,845 and an hourly pay rate of $27.95.

Salary by Industry

• According to the bureau's figures, the vast majority of surveyors work in architectural, engineering and related services. The average wage in this sector of the industry was given as $56,700, somewhat higher than salaries in highway, street and bridge construction, which averaged $53,830. Surveyors also work for government agencies. At state level the average salary was $72,270, while at local level it was reported at $62,370.The federal executive branch offered some of the highest wages in the profession, at an average of $82,230 a year.

Salary by Geography

• Wage comparison website SalaryExpert.com analyzed salaries for marine surveyor based in certain major cities. It reported that pay rates were highest in Miami, Florida, and Phoenix, Arizona, averaging $81,865 and $77,970, respectively. Chicago, Illinois was listed at $59,899, and Atlanta, Georgia at $48,659. The bureau listed California and Alaska as the states in which surveyors, across all industry sectors, were likely to earn the highest wages, averaging $79,460 and $73,270, respectively. Nevada and Washington completed the top four at $71,730 and $70,930, respectively, while Vermont was listed at just $45,410

Outlook

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that across the surveying, photogrammetric and cartography professions, employment opportunities will increase by around 19 percent over the period from 2008 to 2018. This is a faster growth rate than that expected of the country as a whole, across all occupations, which is between 7 and 13 percent for the same time frame. This growth will be fuelled by the increasing number of industries using geographical data, such as natural resource exploration, construction and emergency planning. As such, wage levels should remain reasonably competitive, particularly for those surveyors with a college education and strong technical skills.

Source: The Average Salary of a Marine Surveyor | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8500011_average-salary-marine-surveyor.html#ixzz1dslYJaMv

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