How to Become a Surveyor
Once upon a time, how to become a surveyor simply involved getting a job with a surveyors firm and getting a lot of on-the-job training. However, evolving state standards have often required even veterans in the field to have some level of formal education in the field. Fortunately, there are many programs at various institutions that provide quality and accredited career training.
What is it Like to Be a Surveyor?
The initial, concrete step in how to become a surveyor involves receiving applicable education in the career field.
Because each state has its own standards, you should investigate your state’s education requirements. If you attend a vocational school that awards an associate’s degree in surveying, but you need a bachelor’s degree for licensing, you will have to go back to school for that additional online degree. If you have work experience in this field, your state may allow the associate’s degree, but determine what level of degree you need according to your circumstances, then search for a top online school that will award that minimum qualification.
Some states require that your school be specifically approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology or ABET. Make sure you note that requirement if included in your state’s standards. Vocational school, community colleges and universities offer programs that award associate and baccalaureate degrees in surveying, civil engineering, forestry or related field. Depending on what school you attend and the degree required, you may complete the appropriate education in one to four years.
What Kind of Schooling Do I Need to Become a Surveyor?
The next step in how to become a surveyor involves meeting testing and training requirements. This phase is actually a long and involved process, for you cannot take the required tests all at once. Most states require that you pass a series of tests administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying or NCEES, and you must take and pass at least two. Some states require a third test directly applied to the license itself.
Your first test should be taken as quickly as possible after your degree. You need a passing score on the Fundamentals of Surveying exam to qualify for a four-year internship. If you do not pass this test, you cannot get credit for any work experience you might gain after that, and you will not be able to work in a directly-related endeavor.
During your four-year internship, you will be closely trained and supervised by an experienced surveyor, and you will gain first-hand knowledge and experience that you will need to pass your second test, the Principles and Practices of Surveying. Once you have the minimum internship completed, and you pass your second test, you might apply for your license. Remember to check additional testing requirements, though. Some states require cartographers and photogrammetrists—map-makers using various technology, including surveying—to have a surveyor’s license. Many surveyors extend their expertise to these fields and can work in any qualifying field.
You learned of the basic or standard education standards, the testing and internship required to gain a surveyor’s license. You even know a few future options once you have that important accreditation. Now that you know how to become a surveyor, don’t hesitate to find the right school for you and get started.
