AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 17-1022.00

Will AI replace Surveyors?

Surveyors: AI can already handle 17 of 24 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 24 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Surveyors, from most to least exposed. 17 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Train assistants and helpers, and direct their work in such activities as performing surveys or drafting maps. 85 Estimated Standard 4.1
Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites. 80 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain. 80 Estimated Standard 4.3
Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features. 65 Estimated Standard 4.3
Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles. 60 Estimated Frontier 4.9
Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases, or other legal documents. 60 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed. 60 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features. 60 Estimated Standard 4.5
Prepare, or supervise preparation of, all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys. 60 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Establish fixed points for use in making maps, using geodetic and engineering instruments. 60 Estimated Frontier 4.2
Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas, using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS). 60 Estimated Standard 4.2
Analyze survey objectives and specifications to prepare survey proposals or to direct others in survey proposal preparation. 60 Estimated Standard 4.0
Testify as an expert witness in court cases on land survey issues, such as property boundaries. 60 Estimated Standard 3.9
Direct aerial surveys of specified geographical areas. 60 Estimated Frontier 3.5
Conduct research in surveying and mapping methods, using knowledge of photogrammetric map compilation and electronic data processing. 60 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Locate and mark sites selected for geophysical prospecting activities, such as efforts to locate petroleum or other mineral products. 60 Estimated Standard 3.3
Determine specifications for equipment to be used for aerial photography, as well as altitudes from which to photograph terrain. 60 Estimated Frontier 2.9
Plan and conduct ground surveys designed to establish baselines, elevations, and other geodetic measurements. 50 Estimated Standard 4.3
Coordinate findings with the work of engineering and architectural personnel, clients, and others concerned with projects. 50 Estimated Standard 4.0
Develop criteria for survey methods and procedures. 50 Estimated Frontier 3.8
Develop criteria for the design and modification of survey instruments. 50 Estimated Standard 2.3
Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed. 20 Estimated Standard 4.7
Adjust surveying instruments to maintain their accuracy. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.9
Survey bodies of water to determine navigable channels and to secure data for construction of breakwaters, piers, and other marine structures. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 24 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 24 of 24. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 96% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 96% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 4% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
50,830
Median annual wage
$75,440
Middle half of earners
$58,170 to $98,130
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+4.4%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Surveyors and AI

Will AI replace Surveyors?

AI already handles 17 of the 24 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 56 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +4.4% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Surveyors?

56 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 24 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 24 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Surveyors tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Train assistants and helpers, and direct their work in such activities as performing surveys or drafting maps; Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites; Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain. They are three of the 17 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 96% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Surveyors, and what do they earn?

50,830 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $75,440 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +4.4% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Surveyors. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/surveyors

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