Surveyors pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $70,810 a year or less, while the top 10% make $175,800 or more. The middle half of surveyors in San Francisco earn between $97,810 and $152,260.
- $71K10th
- $98K25th
- $125KMedian
- $152K75th
- $176K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $126,380 | $10,532 | $60.76 |
| Median | $125,060 | $10,422 | $60.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $97,810 | $8,151 | $47.02 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $152,260 | $12,688 | $73.20 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Surveyors pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Surveyors in San Francisco earn 15% more than the California average ($110,220) and 57% more than the U.S. average ($80,570). At the median the gap is +66% against the U.S. median of $75,440.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $126,380 | $125,060 | $70,810 | $175,800 | 630 |
| California | $110,220 | $105,330 | $59,310 | $160,430 | 4,520 |
| United States | $80,570 | $75,440 | $46,880 | $125,590 | 50,830 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Surveyors salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $126,380, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $89,985 a year, or $7,499 a month and $3,461 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for surveyors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $126,380 buys what about $109,313 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 9.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Surveyors salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 2nd of 18 California metro areas for this job; Yuba City pays the most ($127,690).
- Yuba City$127,690
- San Francisco$126,380
- Redding$124,490
- Sacramento$120,210
- Stockton$118,870
- Vallejo$117,030
- San Jose$116,770
- San Luis Obispo$111,600
- Fresno$110,060
- San Diego$108,630
Highest-paying cities for surveyors
Yuba City, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($127,690).
- Yuba City, CA$127,690
- San Francisco, CA$126,380
- Redding, CA$124,490
- Sacramento, CA$120,210
- Stockton, CA$118,870
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Surveyors salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do surveyors make an hour in San Francisco?
$60.76 an hour on average, and $60.13 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level surveyors salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $70,810 a year and the 25th percentile is $97,810, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the surveyors take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $89,985 a year ($7,499 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $126,380. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do surveyors earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 57% more than the U.S. average for this job ($80,570).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-1022; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.81, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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