Career comparison
Cartographer vs. Surveyor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Cartographers earn more at the median ($81,390 vs. $75,440), while cartographers usually get to work faster (Entry-level with a degree of training). Cartographers make maps and analyze geographic data. Surveyors measure land and set official property boundaries.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Cartographer | Surveyor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $81,390 ($39.13/hr) | $75,440 ($36.27/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $53,740 – $126,950 | $46,880 – $125,590 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +7.4% (much faster than average) | +5.8% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 900 | 3,100 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | Entry-level with a degree | 4 years + experience |
| Key credential | GISP | Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) |
| Work setting | Cartographers work in offices, often remotely, with some field work.. | Surveyors split time between field work in all terrain and weather and office work.. |
What each job does
Cartographer
- Collect geographic data
- Analyze imagery
- Build GIS layers
- Design maps
- Update maps
Surveyor
- Research deeds and records
- Measure land with GPS and total stations
- Set boundary markers
- Prepare plats and legal descriptions
- Stake out construction
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, in-demand, and high-pay. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose cartographer if…
- I love maps
- I like data
- I have a design eye
Choose surveyor if…
- I like working outdoors
- I’m precise
- I enjoy math
Still torn? Take the Cartographer fit quiz and the Surveyor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, cartographer or surveyor?
Cartographers earn more at the median: $81,390 versus $75,440 for surveyors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Cartographers typically train faster (Entry-level with a degree) than surveyors (4 years + experience).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects cartographers to grow +7.4% from 2025–35, compared with +5.8% for surveyors.