Construction surveyor Salary??

http://labor.alaska.gov/lss/pamp600.htm

The above link is the prevailing wage rates for Alaska, which is one of the few states that specifies prevailing wage for field surveyors. You could use this as a reference, I suppose.

Despite all the hand-waving and make-believe you might hear, requiring prevailing wage for field surveyors on public construction projects has not hurt the profession in the slightest here. And there's no shame in insisting that you be paid more than an operator or laborer. As for the faint promise of not getting laid off, well, you tell me: Would you rather work 1000 hours a year for $65/hr, or 2000 hours a year for $30/hr? Yeah. Me too.

Shortly after I was licensed in the early eighties I went to work for a highway contractor. I was salaried. I was actually making about twice what a PLS in an office setting could make. It was a good gig.

I worked my bum off. I lived in hotels and was on site sixteen hours a day. I remember blue-topping subgrade after dark with headlights shining on the rod. I obtained experience that I use to this day.

I thought I was making good money. I remember handing out paychecks to the concrete crew one Friday. Their hourly take-home made mine look anemic. But it was 180 degrees out come winter. We had 10 weeks of frozen tundra on the ground and all I did was some quantity take-offs and piddle in the shop brushing up on my welding. The concrete crew was at home eatin' beans and staring out the window. I was still cashing my paychecks every Friday.

Salary is variable and regional item. I would take what a local PC is making and double that amount.

I hold multiple licenses in multiple jurisdictions, in multiple disciplines.

15 years on the job.

Never even come close to a salary like what you're getting.

Be thankful.

Im making $67k a year, I stay on the job longer than 8 hours and I work at home. Even if the operator works 8 months at $64/hr thats $82k with 4 months on unemployment. I really don't find that to be fair. I am thinking about asking $100k. I'm just curious what others were getting.

"Fair" has nothing to do with it. What matters is what it would cost them to replace you and what you can get somewhere else. Good luck with your job search.

If your skills as an equipment operator are good why not just shift to doing that full time and get the pay you desire?

Good gosh,

And you are complaining?

Make hay while the sun shines young man.

No wonder why certain cities and county's and states are broke.

Randy

You didn't say what your experience level is. I assume since you are asking this that you are still a little green. That being said , in Texas , a right to work state, 67k is probably in the average to above average range for a 5 to 10 yr guy. That is salary, if you want to be hourly expect to get around 18-20 hr, and expect to get sent home when there is nothing to do.

Now I am very much for a person earning the most he can negotiate for, I think it drives the wages up for us all. I would be careful asking for a 50% increase in your salary though. 10% would still be hard to get but not unheard of. Secondly, and this is just some friendly advice, don't get caught in the worrying about what other people make trap. What they make is their business and what you make is yours and should not be discussed openly. That only leads to lower wages for everyone. I for sure would not use that as a bargaining chip in your raise request. Show them you deserve it own your own merits.

I have been doing construction layout for 12 years for DOT where the wages were set. I recently started the new job 4 months ago, when I interview the PM brought up a laborer makes $50/hr but only works 8 months, but when you do the math it doesnt work out to be a bad deal for the laborer. I am really good at what I do, I have been told my numerous guys on the job I'm the best they have had. I think it does matter that the guy with a shovel working 8 hours M-F is making more than me. I have a lot more responsibility of getting the layout right, I'm also a one man crew with a robot. After leaving the sight I go home open the plans and doore work. I think the prevailing wage amounts are crazy but thats what they are but it allows that guy with the shovel to make a good life.

67K isn't bad. Pretty much all construction surveyors working for construction outfits do the tasks that you do, so don't feel too irreplaceable...

Your main negociating item is the amount of extra hours that you put in as a salary man. If you are salary based on 40 hours / week and you end up working 55-70 hours / week for the good of the projects, that warrants extra money. Be fair to the company. I don't think you will jump for 33 to 48.

Salary men are often company men. Look at companies like Kiewit, Dexter who have guys that grew through the ranks. There are a lot of benefits in the long run.

Lastly, it sounds like you do work outside surveying. Leave that to others. As I learned in school "if you do the impossible, they will only add it to your daily routine" or something like that.

75k max would be my guess.

And get the book "construction surveying and layout" from Wesley Crawford, a gem of a book.

People have said it a few times but you are not hearing them. It does stink that a flunky operating a shovel is making more than you but at the same time there are a lot of very capable people that would love to have your job at your current pay rate.

Maybe you should bring it up with your boss but I would sure tread lightly. Go in with a spirit of being grateful but just ask how you could make more. You might mention all the hours you work and all the things you are responsible for but be careful comparing your wages to other employees. I have managed employees for about 15 years and one thing that won't get you anywhere with me is "John Doe makes this much and I think I should make the same or more" People are paid different amounts for lots of different reasons.

If you left this job how easy would it be for you to get another one making more? That is another way for you to look at it.

Time your request carefully. Right after the company has been awarded a big contract would be ideal. If that's not possible maybe after you've done a good job on something.

Are you a good negotiator? Be ready to negotiate without getting overly emotional. If you can stay calm and present a good case it will work in your favor. Stay at the table, keep the conversation going. Don't force him into a yes/no answer in 60 seconds.

You're probably in a better position than anyone to decide how much to ask for. Can you find other construction surveyors in your area for comparison?

Shoot for 100k and be willing to settle for 80k? Impossible for anyone but you to say.

Good luck.

And remember, some in private industry may not think much of the 12 years with DOT. They may even joke, this guy deserves a pay cut!

If you want to compare to others, look at the full spectrum. You have freedom. Operators and laborers are under set schedule and have supervisor over their shoulders.

Thats why I posted here to see what other surveyors were getting. As far as I can tell other salary surveyors make around $80K-$100K. Thanks for the input, I appreciate it. I also asked for the $70K during the interview not really knowing what I know now.

Discovering what others make is usually not a good thing. Our perception of our value is normally out of line with how we value certain co-workers.

Many years ago I was budget responsible manager on projects to which numerous others charged hours routinely. Every week we received printouts detailing how much we had spent that week and to date. It would also list the new totals by employee charging time. It took no great effort on my part to soon figure out the weekly pay of every last one of those charging to my accounts. There were plenty being excessively rewarded for their presence and a few being grossly underpaid. One of the highest skilled workers, with a long list of credentials, was making about 60 percent of people with minimal talents for their jobs. He had come from an area with significantly lower wages and had negotiated for what, to him, was a great step up financially, but which left him far behind his peers. Several who were underpaid left and then returned about six months later. At that time they were able to negotiate for salaries far above what they would have been making had they stayed. Bureaucracy hates justifying big salary bumps for one employee compared to another. A new hire (even if a retread) can command a higher wage with no problem.

I will reiterate the part to make this about your compensation. Joe shovel made his deal, you make yours.
Another very important consideration hasn't been mentioned.
Most folks pick a handle that reflects something about them. Mine is no exception. I spent a while as a laborer. It was great money. When I ripped the ligaments in my thumb loose it slowed me down for a few weeks. When I broke my back I was done. The wear and tear in between took a while to show up. I just had my 16th surgery. If I could give back every penny ten fold to have my body back I would consider it a very good deal.
My advice is to forego any thoughts of comparison to others. Take the crappy pay or make a better deal on your merits. While your at it think long and hard before you ditch a lifelong profession for the short term quick bucks..

As Scaled said, not many states specify prevailing wages for surveyors. Both Washington and California have surveyors classified. Oregon uses the laborer rate which I thing stinks.

The real questions is how they think they can classify you as salaried. The feds and state have certain criteria to meet for the classification of exempt employee which I would guess you are not meeting if your primary responsibility is construction layout. I own my own business and still have to show that I'm making prevailing wage when I do certified pay roll for p/w jobs. So even if you legally an exempt employee they need to show that you are making prevailing wages. Hell we are starting a long term rail project that has a labor agreement & I thing I have to pay union dues when I work on site.

Prior to going out on my own I worked for a large engineering firm as a project surveyor. The professional staff, i.e licensed surveyors and engineers, were classified as exempt. We were paid based on an hourly rate. We were guaranteed 40 hours a week so it was basically salaried but if we billed clients over 40 hours in a week we got the additional hours paid straight time. We had several crew chiefs that were licensed but they were still classified as hourly employees. It all had to do with our responsibilities.

> Salary men are often company men. Look at companies like Kiewit, Dexter who have guys that grew through the ranks. There are a lot of benefits in the long run.
>

These 'company men' are generally not the ones doing the layout but rather managing the survey operations. I have a friend has been a 'company woman' for Kiewit since the 90's. She works a lot of hours but is extremely well rewarded for it. The difference is that she rarely works in the field doing layout but rather as a project surveyor/manager. Those folks are hired through the union hall.

Mass is a state that specifies prevailing wage for surveyors. Party chief/field engineer $64.47/hr, the rodman Instrument man are little less. After all the research I have done, I do believe I should be a prevailing wage employee, not salary. I would mich rather be salary and work every week rather than only when I'm needed.