Land Surveyor

What does a land surveyor do?

As a land surveyor, you will be responsible for carrying out the review of land using technical equipment to ensure it is suitable for a construction project to take place.

The job role of a land surveyor involves the following duties:

• Carrying out surveys of the environment with construction projects in mind
• Working in diverse sectors, such as construction, property, cartography (maps), offshore engineering and exploration
• Assessing land due for redevelopment
• Surveying airports, landfill sites, mines, quarries, pipeline systems and more
• Managing and monitoring projects from start to finish
• Producing maps using GPS, surveying instruments, digital images and satellite photographs
• Analysing data using geographic information systems (GIS) and drawing charts using computer-aided design (CAD)
• Monitoring changes in the land during the construction process
• Writing reports and sharing crucial information with colleagues and clients
• Working in an office, with regular site visits.

How to become a land surveyor

You can gain the qualifications you need by doing a university course, a graduate training scheme, or an apprenticeship.

You may need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card to work on a construction site.

University

You will need to complete a degree accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Graduate training scheme

If your first degree isn’t relevant to surveying, you could do a postgraduate conversion course at university, or through an employer.

You could also gain higher qualifications through an employer’s graduate training scheme. If you have a foundation degree or graduate diploma in surveying, you could get a graduate job as a surveying technician. You could then apply for RICS membership and study to be a fully qualified land surveyor.

Some people become surveyors by working for a surveying practice and completing a distance learning course with the University College of Estate Management.

• Equivalent entry requirements explained
• Find a university course
• Funding advice

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship with a land surveying company is a good way into the industry. Apprenticeships are open to anyone over the age of 16.  As an apprentice, you will be fully employed by your company and expected to work a minimum of 30 hours a week. Your time will be split between on-the-job experience and a college or training provider.

You could start your career as a surveying technician or a geospatial survey technician.

• Guide to apprenticeships

Work experience

Work experience is essential to gaining employment within the construction industry. You could gain this at school, or by working weekends and holidays with a company or relative who works in construction. Potential employers will always be pleased to see work experience listed on your CV.

• Find out more about work experience

Skills

• Additional skills which may benefit anyone considering a job as a land surveyor include:
• Knowledge of engineering science, maths, geography, and technology
• Analytical thinking skills
• Be thorough and pay attention to detail
• Able to use your initiative
• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Thinking and reasoning skills
• Able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

How much could you earn as a land surveyor?

The expected salary for a land surveyor varies as you become more experienced.

 • Newly trained land surveyors can start at £25,000

 • Trained with experience land surveyors can earn up to £60,000*

Salaries depend on location, employer, level of responsibility, any overtime you may do, and whether you have completed an industry recognised training route. 

* Salaries have been collected from multiple industry sources