What qualifications do you need to become a quantity surveyor, a key job role in construction? Find out the routes into a career in quantity surveying, from degrees to degree apprenticeships, how long it takes to qualify and the skills you need.
What is a quantity surveyor?
A quantity surveyor is responsible for estimating costs, quantities, materials and labour timescales for building projects. They prepare Bills of Quantities and tender documents that provide forecasts for projected work, ensure projects meet legal and quality standards and advise on the maintenance costs of specific buildings. Fundamentally, quantity surveyors try to ensure that clients get value for money and the price they pay for quantities and materials is reasonable and accurate.
Take a look at our quantity surveyor job role page to understand more about the role.
Skills and competencies
Quantity surveying is a highly skilled profession, and you will need to be able to demonstrate the following skills:
- Understanding of engineering science and technology
- Ability to use your initiative
- Strong maths knowledge
- Excellent attention to detail
- Analytical thinking skills
- Thorough and good attention to detail
- Knowledge of building and construction
- Project management skills
- Resilience, determination and the ability to work well under pressure
- Good commercial awareness
- A practical, logical and methodical approach to work
What qualifications are needed to be a quantity surveyor?
To become a quantity surveyor, you will usually need a degree in quantity surveying or commercial management accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), although this isn’t always the case.
GCSEs and A-Levels
If your aim is to be a quantity surveyor from an early age, you will need five GCSE’s at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent, including English and Maths. 2-3 A-Levels are then required. No specific subjects are asked for, but it would be useful if one of your A-Levels was in the following:
- Business studies
- Economics
- Geography
- Design & technology
- Maths
If you choose to go to university, it’s important to get good A levels results to secure a place on your chosen BSC Hons Quantity Surveying course.
Degree
It is important to go to a RICS or CIOB accredited university.
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is the international body who train and regulate chartered surveyors. Many universities offer RICS-accredited courses in quantity surveying, and some include placement years to allow you to acquire work experience. By choosing to study a RICS accredited course, you can be reassured that the course will have strict rules and regulations to abide to so the teaching you receive will be in-depth and detailed.
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is a global organisation and the largest professional body for construction management and leadership. Like RICS, CIOB provide accreditation to some university courses that meet their required standards and will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need for a successful career in quantity surveying.
Quantity surveyor degrees
Undergraduate programmes in quantity surveying or commercial management are the most common route to becoming a quantity surveyor. Often, you can study a degree which combines the two, which covers essential elements of surveying such as construction management, building studies, building engineering, engineering management, building technology and more.
Many courses also incorporate a year-long industry placement, giving you essential work experience alongside your studies.
Other relevant degrees
However, a degree in quantity surveying or commercial management isn’t essential as a quantity surveyor qualification. If you have an undergraduate degree in a different subject, you can take a RICS-accredited postgraduate conversion course. Relevant undergraduate subjects which could be converted include:
- Building or construction
- Civil engineering
- Economics
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Project management
- Structural engineering
- Urban and land studies
RICS-accredited postgraduate conversion course
The postgraduate course usually takes one year to complete, or two years if you are taking it part time. Postgraduate conversion is a common route into the field, with many deciding to change career later on in life, and achieving a Masters in surveying is a highly valued qualification.
You can also take this route after taking a completely unrelated subject and undergraduate level, as having a completely different view on land and property is sought after by employers. Some quantity surveyor employers may take on graduates with a non-RICS accredited degree – they are called non-cognates – and support and fund them through the postgraduate course.
Assessment of professional competence RICS
The final part of becoming a fully qualified, chartered quantity surveyor is to obtain RICS membership. To do this, you must complete the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence programme. On completion, you will be able to display MRICS after your name, informing clients and colleagues alike that you are a chartered quantity surveyor.
If you take a quantity surveying degree apprenticeship, sitting the APC is part of the programme and you should receive MRICS status when you complete your course.
However, for those with less than 5 years of practical experience, such as those entering the profession via university, becoming chartered involves completing the APC by gaining a minimum of 24 months of postgraduate experience with an employer. Find out more here.
Continued professional development (CPD)
CPD is an important aspect of maintaining high standards once quantity surveyors have become qualified and chartered. Members of RICS must complete at least 20 hours of CPD annually, which could include attending conferences and events, professional courses, running workshops, private study of academic papers or in-house training.
Can you be a quantity surveyor without a degree?
Yes, it is possible to qualify as a quantity surveyor without having a traditional degree, but a degree apprenticeship will still require a similar level of academic knowledge and achievement.
Degree apprenticeship
A RICS-approved Chartered Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship programme leads to the same level of qualification and accreditation as studying a degree but allows you to earn while you learn. With a degree apprenticeship, the job comes first, and anyone who is accepted onto a degree apprenticeship programme will usually already be employed as a trainee quantity surveyor with a surveying practice or construction company. A degree apprenticeship can take up to 6 years to complete.
Some of the benefits of a degree apprenticeship include:
- No student debt – your tuition fees are paid by your employer and the government
- You are paid a salary – usually at least £20,000 a year, rising once qualified
- Much of your time will be spent in the workplace, giving you practical experience
Work experience
Studying to become a quantity surveyor can take several years to qualify depending on your chosen route so it could be a while until you physically do the job.
Many training routes offer placements which allow you to gain on-the-job experience and acquire working industry knowledge. By having this experience so early on in your career, it will help you to secure a job in the future and show your dedication to the role.
RICS offer a search tool to find the contact details of local surveyors who might be able to offer on-the-job experience.
What can I expect to do in my graduate quantity surveyor role?
Day-to-day responsibilities
A graduate quantity surveying programme is a thorough and wide-ranging introduction to the profession, and will normally involve:
- Assisting in understanding client requirements
- Learning the basics of cost forecasting, profit and loss and estimating
- Helping to prepare monthly management reports
- Understanding and applying health and safety regulations
- Allocating work to subcontractors
- Arranging payments for completed work
- Preparing tender and contract documents
- Writing reports
What skills and knowledge will I gain?
Most aspiring quantity surveyors will already have strong maths knowledge and skills in analytical thinking. Through the course of their work as a trainee or graduate quantity surveyor, they will develop further skills in areas such as:
- Cost planning
- Budgeting
- Project management
- Tendering
- Cost analysis
- Writing Bills of Quantities
FAQs
How can I find a graduate QS role in my area?
RICS run their own job board where quantity surveyor vacancies are advertised alongside other roles in the land, construction and property sectors. You can also search for ‘Graduate quantity surveyor jobs’ online, use the job search function on Gov.uk, or search on Talentview. You can filter your job searches on Talentview by job role, and location and also look for management traineeships, work experience, placements and internships.
Are quantity surveyors in high demand?
Quantity surveyors estimate the costs of building projects, and so play a fundamental role in construction and civil engineering. Quantity surveyors are highly sought after, with 66% of construction firms reporting shortages of qualified quantity surveyors. Some reports say they are harder to recruit than ballet dancers!
This makes quantity surveying appealing for anyone looking for a rewarding career both professionally and financially. Experienced chartered quantity surveyors can earn up to £65,000 or more.
How can I progress my career as a graduate quantity surveyor?
Careers in quantity surveying offer a huge scope for progression. The profession is governed and accredited by RICS – the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Graduates can progress from Associate quantity surveyors to become Chartered after they have acquired at least 5 years of experience and passed the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence.
Quantity surveyors work in independent practices, for construction companies or clients, and often start up their own consultancies. There is a shortage of quantity surveyors in construction, so they are in high demand and can command very competitive salaries. Experienced chartered quantity surveyors can earn up to £65,000 or more.
Find out more about a career as a quantity surveyor
If you’ve found your quantity surveying pathway then get started today – find out what the job entails and hear from Callum Gemmell, an assistant quantity surveyor, about his experience.