The Survey Engineer – A Rare Species

The Sixth National Surveying Teachers Conference, supported by National Science Foundation, sponsored by American Society for Engineering Education and the other professional societies concerned with surveying, held August 1968, revealed an annual demand in the United States for 3,750 survey techniques, 2,750 professional graduates competent in survey engineering at the B.S. level, and 225 graduates with advanced degrees. However, the average annual supply of graduates at each level, respectively, is 4%, 1%, and 19%. At the M.S. and/or Ph.D. level 42 graduates pre year are produced. Government mapping agencies and private survey organizations have attempted in-house programs to develop the required personnel. These programs have been useful, though expensive, at the technician level but ineffective at the professional level. Salaries for technicians, rodmen, chainmen, instrumentmen, party chiefs, and plotter operators, range from $7,000 to $15,00 guaranteed annual income. Salaries for B.S. graduates in surveying are approximately 10% to 25% higher than for graduates in other areas of engineering competence. Recommendations to correct the situation were developed by the 125 delegates to the Surveying Teachers Conference in ten broad areas.