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Surveyor Job Function and Salary Prospects (USA)
Posted by ScrappySurvayir on May 27, 2022 at 8:15 pmHello All,
I’ve been considering after I get my CA PLS to go to a different state, and apply for a license in new state by comity. That being said, I’m curious as to how other states Licensed Surveyors make out. I got this attached image from the most recent salary survey done by POB (I believe) before they closed shop.
In addition, beyond the regular scope of surveying, that in my mind involves boundary, ALTA, construction, topo, etc. Is there any companies out there that have niche offerings for surveyors, such as laser scanning (mobile and static), hydrographic, remote sensing, and tunneling? I do find the regular scope of surveying interesting, but my heart yearns for above mentioned niches. Any advice on how to continue in that direction, or if any firm allows specialization beyond the regular scope of surveying?
Regards,
Scrappy
rover83 replied 1 year, 9 months ago 15 Members · 21 Replies- 21 Replies
FYI, although the term is often used in most states “by comity” doesn’t mean much. Usually you get to use the regulations that were in effect when you got your first license, and that’s it.
In Texas you get 1/2 the test new applicants get.
I worked for David Evans and Associates for a while and they do a variety of the stuff you’re looking for– drones, both mobile and static scanning, and they have a marine services survey group. Their HQ is in Portland but they’ve got offices around the pacific northwest. Might be worth a look.
@aliquot yes, state surveying boards are too old fashioned, most requiring you to take their state portion of the PS exam, unlike engineering that most times gives you a license in their state by just applying for one. Survey boards should just give a memorandum of notable state laws to be aware of instead of making applicants take the test when they are licensed in another state. All about ??protecting state jobs?, well surveyor numbers are dwindling as noted by a news article saying projects are being delayed by a year in one location due to lack of surveyors!
I will respectfully disagree with that post.
I spent 40 yrs surveying in Colonial States. Taking the AK exam made me think I met the minimum qualifications to practice in AK.
@robertusa After four years walking people through our process, helping new licensees, and investigating and prosecuting incompetence, I’ll have to disagree with that entire post. I pushed incredibly hard to help comity licensees prepare for success and your post is absolute crap.
I’m licensed in three Colonial states and have found almost no overlap in the exams excepting drainage questions. The tests have dealt almost exclusively on legal issues particular to that state. My takeaway is that surveying varies from state to state to a greater extent than most realize. The comparison should not be to engineers it should be to attorneys as the laws, though similar in spirit, are quite different when it comes to proper implementation.
My advice is to pinch, punch, or slap yourself if you say or think anything along the lines of, “But engineers get to..”, or, “But engineers only have to…”
Agreed.
And this:
???? ??? ???? ????
And all you PEs simmer down, it’s just a funny t-shirt, we’re all working together in our areas of professional experience….
One thing I have learned over my lifetime is that one should not look down on another simply because of an assigned label. There are winners and losers in all job titles. Some people were born to be losers. That is their niche in this world. They aspire to nothing greater. They are content where they are. In turn, they view many winners as fools who have wasted their lives being drunk on notoriety.
The expression, “I wish I could buy him for what he is really worth and sell him for what he thinks he is worth, I would be incredibly rich.” holds much merit.
- Posted by: @scrappysurvayir
I’ve been considering after I get my CA PLS to go to a different state, and apply for a license in new state by comity.
I have licenses by comity in 2 states in addition to Oregon, and have spent time working in both those states. Having a license by comity has never been an issue. What can be an issue is when someone comes in from another state crowing about how great things are “back home”. That gets old fast. It is a particular complaint regarding Californians moving into the Portland area.
Naturally, there are unique issues when surveying in different areas, let alone different states. For example, passing over the Columbia River from Portland to Vancouver, WA is like the river is a thousand miles wide.
- Posted by: @scrappysurvayir
Is there any companies out there that have niche offerings for surveyors, such as laser scanning (mobile and static), hydrographic, remote sensing, and tunneling?
Every market has outfits that serve these niches. If you have specialized training and experience you can expect to find opportunities. If not, expect that these outfits will choose to train their long term employees in preference to a carpetbagger.
@robertusa I don’t agree with this either. Engineers have codes that vary between states but those are minor things that can just be looked up. Being a surveyor in one state does not necessarily mean that you have the right knowledge base and experience to survey in any other state.
Maybe someday we can have a non boundary license that is portable.
- Posted by: @norman-oklahomaPosted by: @scrappysurvayir
Is there any companies out there that have niche offerings for surveyors, such as laser scanning (mobile and static), hydrographic, remote sensing, and tunneling?
Every market has outfits that serve these niches. If you have specialized training and experience you can expect to find opportunities. If not, expect that these outfits will choose to train their long term employees in preference to a carpetbagger.
Carpetbagger. Lol
- Posted by: @fairbanksls
Carpetbagger. Lol
I like words that have stood the test of time.
It’s an Infinity loop in that case.
And it’s not that I don’t respect engineers, it’s just a funny jab between the professions.
Until it isn’t and someone gets all butt hurt. ????
- Posted by: @aliquot
Being a surveyor in one state does not necessarily mean that you have the right knowledge base and experience to survey in any other state.
In California, being a surveyor in one county does not necessarily mean that you have the right knowledge base and experience to competently survey in another county.
I have zero credibility here (and I’ve completely joined into the off topic comity debate. Sorry about that), but I wouldn’t expect any surveyor in any the of the other 50 to be able to even adequately record a boundary in Hawaii without understanding their dual torrens registration/common law system and the subtle differences in rights affected. Not because they’re any more complex, but because of the requirements to include on every boundary map the chain of title, which in most cases goes back to ahupuaa, kopono and ili original Land Commission Awards, Royal Patents and grants. Still not having a firm grasp and at the same time deeply understanding the inadequacies of Hawaiian bureaucracy in general, it’s still kind of a charlie foxtrot to me. I do get that many states operate on many of the same principles, so yes it should be fairly easy, but I understand CA has a unique subdivision map act that may not be familiar in most other states. I’d guess many states have requirements that have matured through their unique conveyance histories as well. Comity, IMO, should still probably include a a requirement to pass their state exam.
I also noticed that HI is #48 in the list of places you’d want to professionally survey…. that says quite a lot.
dd- Posted by: @dave-o
Comity, IMO, should still probably include a a requirement to pass their state exam.
I’d say that’s the easy part. States can make it as in-depth as they want to ensure candidates understand unique requirements for practicing there.
The hard part is ensuring the candidate is up to minimum competency standards as a surveyor. States vary quite a bit in what they require for licensure regarding experience (and breakdown thereof), training and education.
I’m no NCEES apologist, but they have the right idea with the Model Law designation. If all states adopted it, licensure by comity would be far easier to obtain across the board. We’re trending in that direction, but slowly.
“…people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.” -Neil Postman - Posted by: @rover83Posted by: @dave-o
Comity, IMO, should still probably include a a requirement to pass their state exam.
I’d say that’s the easy part. States can make it as in-depth as they want to ensure candidates understand unique requirements for practicing there.
The hard part is ensuring the candidate is up to minimum competency standards as a surveyor. States vary quite a bit in what they require for licensure regarding experience (and breakdown thereof), training and education.
I’m no NCEES apologist, but they have the right idea with the Model Law designation. If all states adopted it, licensure by comity would be far easier to obtain across the board. We’re trending in that direction, but slowly.
What’s the model law designation?
dd
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