Becoming a land surveyor requires a bachelor’s degree in surveying, passing state licensing board exams, and on-the-job training. Some surveyors may hold a degree in geography. On-the-job training or apprenticeships are necessary to learn to use surveying equipment and meet job requirements.
Surveyors determine land, water, and airspace boundaries, locate key land features, and help draft deeds and construction documents. Becoming a land surveyor requires education and training. Surveyor qualifications include earning a bachelor’s degree in surveying, passing the exams required to become licensed by a state licensing board, and on-the-job training to learn to work with surveying equipment.
Qualifications required by most companies include having a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Many accredited universities offer a bachelor’s degree program in surveying, although some surveyors may hold a degree in a field such as geography. Surveyors can also earn an associate degree or complete a two- to three-year surveying certification program through a community college or technical school. Those with an associate degree or certificate may need to supplement their education with a related apprenticeship or work experience to meet the qualifications required by many companies.
Every state in the United States requires inspectors to pass at least one or two exams and receive training to be licensed to work by the state licensing board. Generally, inspector qualifications to become licensed is a two-step process. First, researchers must pass a basic exam given by the National Board of Examiners for Engineering and Inspection. After passing the initial exam, many states require an inspector to work under the direct supervision of a licensed inspector before taking the second and final exams. Meeting the inspector’s qualifications for the exams, as well as the job requirements, will allow the prospective inspector to obtain a license to work in that state.
Becoming an inspector requires on-the-job training, the length of which varies depending on state requirements for licensing and company requirements for hiring new inspectors. Some surveyors apprentice to another licensed surveyor for several years before working as independent surveyors. On-the-job training or an apprenticeship teaches prospective researchers how to use the equipment used for the survey, including global positioning systems (GPSs), digital cameras, and measurement tools. This formal training also gives inspectors first-hand experience with job duties and expectations, which are often rigorous. Surveyors often stay for long periods of time, spend many hours walking or hiking, carry heavy equipment, and may have to travel to different locations while working.
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