Choosing a career is one of the biggest decisions you will make in your life. Not only does it determine the trajectory of your post-secondary education, should you choose that route, but it affects your lifetime earning potential as well. A career in land surveying gives you a wide range of opportunities to travel, to work outdoors, to use the latest technology.
Land surveying is an exciting career but it is not one you can luck into. It takes time and study to learn the fundamentals and to obtain a surveyor license. You may need to complete introductory courses and must obtain a certain level of experience before you can sit for the NCEES exam in the hopes of becoming a professional surveyor.
Land surveying is an exciting field that presents an opportunity for continuous education and career growth. Job satisfaction in the surveying industry is very high. Between 2014 and 2016, satisfaction rates hovered between 71% and 72% of respondents being “very satisfied to extremely satisfied” with their profession. That number jumped to 76% in 2017 with only 2% reporting being “not satisfied.”
Once you are fully trained and licensed, you have the option to practice in an office or outdoors in the field. You will have the chance to work with the most cutting-edge technology and workers with your skills will always be in high demand. Licensed land surveyors are the only professionals who can set property lines, so work will always be available in government as well as the private sector.
Not only is land surveying an exciting field, but it is a lucrative one as well. In 2017, the average salary for surveyors was over $77k - it was nearly $85k the year before. Salary increases often come in the form of bonuses and benefits packages as well as cost-of-living increases and promotions. The economy is a top driver in salary changes, but that is true of most industries.
A bachelor’s degree is generally not required to practice as a land surveyor, but it can be very helpful. On-the-job training was the preferred method of training for many years, but developments in modern survey technology have increased the necessity for formal training. In fact, some states require it.
Though a bachelor’s degree in engineering is a benefit, associate’s degrees are more common in the field of land surveying. You may be able to qualify with an online land surveying certificate. You will need to complete coursework focusing on math and science topics such as data analysis, photogrammetry, satellite imagery, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Individual states have different requirements, but you will need to be licenced by the NCEES board to practice in the industry which requires you to pass an NCEES exam.
The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the professional licensure of surveyors and engineers. This organization is responsible for developing, administrating, and scoring the exams used for licensure in engineering and surveying fields in the United States.
Passing an NCEES exam is the first step in the application process to becoming a professional engineer or surveyor. The Fundamentals of Engineering exam or NCEES FE exam is for students and recent graduates who hope to become a professionally licensed engineer or PE. The Fundamentals of Surveying exam is for students and graduates in the process of becoming a professional licensed surveyor or PS.
To become a licensed professional, you must pass the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam and meet certain experience requirements before you can sit for the Principles and Practice of Surveying or PS exam. The PS exam requires at least four years of professional experience in the industry and comes with a $300 application fee payable to NCEES.
The PS exam tests your ability to practice the profession competently. It has been administered via computer-based testing (CBT) since 2016 at approved Pearson VUE test centers. The NCEES exam consists of 100 questions and applicants must complete the test within 6 hours. The PS exam is divided into two sections of 50 questions each.
Prior to applying for the exam, check with your state licensing board for additional requirements. The licensing board may require you to file a separate application and pay an additional fee to qualify for a seat to take the NCEES exam. Exam results are typically released to the licensing board 8 to 10 weeks after the exam but applicants may receive their results within 7 to 10 days.
You will be notified of your exam results online through your NCEES account or by mail from the state licensing board. In 2019, the pass rate for the FS exam was only 40% among first-time test takers. Repeat test takers passed at a rate of 26%. For the PS exam, the pass rate for first-time takers was nearly 70%, and for repeat takers it was 43%
Though some states and employers may not require a bachelor’s degree for you to practice in the field, you will need to pass the PS exam. Preparing for an NCEES exam can be overwhelming - past examinees report spending up to 300 hours studying for the exam.
The NCEES provides exam preparation materials on their website to help test-takers determine what they do and do not know before taking the test. Perhaps the most valuable way to prepare for the exam is by completing practice tests. NCEES practice exams contain questions from past exams and they simulate the style, format, and level of difficulty you can expect. You may also receive solutions and/or feedback on your performance in each topic area.
Here are some of the other ways you can prepare for the NCEES exam:
It takes several years of study and experience to become a professional in the surveying industry, but it is well worth the effort. You will be hard-pressed to find another career where you get to work with the latest technology in a field that is constantly growing and changing. If you are looking for an exciting and fulfilling career, start reviewing your state board requirements and take the first step toward obtaining a PS license.
