Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Architecture & Construction · Design/Pre-Construction

Bright outlookJob zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 17-3031.00

Pay and outlook shown for

median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

$35k10th$48kMedian$77k90th

New workers start near $35,420; experienced workers reach $76,790. About 600 people do this job in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.

Job outlook

Alamo region (San Antonio and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034; U.S. figures from the BLS.

Employment change: +14.9%; Alamo region, 571 to 656 jobs · U.S. +5%
Openings a year: 82; in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 7,600
Employed in 2024: 571; in the Alamo region · U.S. 59,400

Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Alamo Colleges programs that lead here

4 programs, with the college that teaches each.

Apply to Alamo Colleges

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

Reading Comprehension3.8
Critical Thinking3.3
Writing3.5
Mathematics3.5
Active Listening3.5
Speaking3.1
Monitoring3.1
Complex Problem Solving3.1

What the work is

Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps.

Position and hold the vertical rods, or targets, that theodolite operators use for sighting to measure angles, distances, and elevations.
Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.
Design or develop information databases that include geographic or topographic data.
Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.
Produce or update overlay maps to show information boundaries, water locations, or topographic features on various base maps or at different scales.
Determine scales, line sizes, or colors to be used for hard copies of computerized maps, using plotters.

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