Surveying, Mapping and Geographic Information Engineers and Technicians Digital occupation Green occupation

How to become a Geological Surveying and Mapping Engineer

Official Chinese title (2022 occupational classification): 地质测绘工程技术人员

Measures geological and geographic features and draws survey maps and plans.

Main tasks

Surveying geological points, sections and exploration grids for geological surveys and mineral exploration
Surveying positions for geophysical, geochemical, drilling and tunnelling work
Carrying out the control surveys and topographic mapping needed for the design and construction of mine works
Researching and adopting new geological surveying techniques and methods
Developing geological surveying hardware and software
Compiling result maps and building and managing survey databases
Writing technical standards, quality standards and operating procedures for geological surveying
Giving technical advice on geological surveying

Ways in

University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 105 universities in China Related undergraduate subject classes in the Ministry of Education catalogue (2025): Surveying and Mapping (0812); majors such as Surveying and Mapping Engineering, Remote Sensing Science and Technology, Navigation Engineering, National Geographic Conditions Monitoring, Geospatial Information Engineering, Spatiotemporal Information Engineering. Matched to the occupation by Peernovo.
Vocational majors: Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Mine Surveying (420308). Vocational major 420308 Mine Surveying (矿山测量), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Surveying and Geographic Information Data Acquisition and Processing; Intelligent Surveying and Geographic Information Applications.; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Navigation and Location Services (420309). Vocational major 420309 Navigation and Location Services (导航与位置服务), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Surveying and Geographic Information Data Acquisition and Processing; Drone Photogrammetry.; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Surveying and Mapping Engineering Technology (420302). Vocational major 420302 Surveying and Mapping Engineering Technology (测绘工程技术), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Surveying and Geographic Information Data Acquisition and Processing; Real Estate Data Collection and Database Building; Drone Photogrammetry.; Vocational bachelor (职业本科) major: Smart Forestry Technology (210201). Vocational major 210201 Smart Forestry Technology (智慧林业技术), 4 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Forest Firefighter; Environmental Impact Assessment Engineer; Drone Piloting; Surveying and Geographic Information Data Acquisition and Processing.
National qualification: Licence to practise: Registered Surveyor. You need this qualification to work in the job. Listed in the national vocational qualifications catalogue (国家职业资格目录, 2021) as Registered Surveyor (注册测绘师), run by Ministry of Natural Resources; Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Peernovo links it to this occupation.

Pay · AI and this job

Median pay in China: CN¥79,500 a year (2025).
Middle half: CN¥55,200 to CN¥123,700. One in ten earn less than CN¥42,000 and one in ten more than CN¥192,300.
This is the figure for the mid group Engineering and Technical Personnel, not for this job alone.
National figure: wage prices of enterprise employees from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) enterprise pay survey. The public sector and the self-employed are not covered.
Guangzhou only: median CN¥104,534 a year (2025), middle half CN¥97,447 to CN¥134,200.
This is the figure for the minor group Surveying, Mapping and Geographic Information Engineers and Technicians, not for this job alone.
Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Who does this work

The census group Engineering and Technical Personnel holds 2.35% of everyone employed in China; 17.1% of its workers are women (2020 Census).
48.9% are under 35, 45.1% are 35 to 54 and 6% are 55 or older. The middle age band is 35 to 39.
Census figures for the whole mid group (2020 long-form sample), not for this job alone.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Geological Surveying and Mapping Engineer?

Ways in include: Engineering degrees; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Mine Surveying (420308); Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Navigation and Location Services (420309).

How much does a Geological Surveying and Mapping Engineer earn in China?

Across China, the median pay of enterprise employees is CN¥79,500 a year (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS), 2025). The public sector and the self-employed are not covered. It is the figure for the mid group Engineering and Technical Personnel. In Guangzhou alone it is CN¥104,534 a year (2025).

Will AI change the work of a Geological Surveying and Mapping Engineer?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS): 2025 enterprise pay survey information: wage prices of enterprise employees by occupation mid group, and digital occupations (P10 to P90 annual CNY) (2025 (published 2026-07-08)), retrieved 5 October 2026
Guangzhou Human Resources and Social Security Bureau: Guangzhou 2025 labour market wage prices (P10 to P90 annual CNY by occupation) (2025 (enterprise pay survey)), retrieved 4 October 2026
National Bureau of Statistics of China: China Population Census Yearbook 2020, long-form tables 4-6 and 4-7 (employed by occupation mid group, sex, age) (2020 Census long form (10% sample)), retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, State Administration for Market Regulation, National Bureau of Statistics: Occupational Classification of the People's Republic of China, 2022 edition (public consultation draft) (2022 public consultation draft (1,636 occupations; final edition 1,639)), retrieved 4 October 2026

Sources: Occupational Classification of the People's Republic of China (2022 edition, public consultation draft), Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, State Administration for Market Regulation and National Bureau of Statistics; Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, 2025 enterprise pay survey information; Guangzhou Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, 2025 labour market wage prices; National Bureau of Statistics of China (www.stats.gov.cn), 2020 Population Census yearbook; Ministry of Education, vocational education major profiles (2022 revision) and undergraduate major catalogue (2025); Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, national vocational qualifications catalogue (2021); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Figures processed by Peernovo. English text, translations and the matching of occupations to ISCO-08, majors, degree fields and qualifications by Peernovo.

Descriptions and tasks are Peernovo's own words, written from the facts in the Occupational Classification of the People's Republic of China (2022 edition). Job titles and work types are the classification's own.

Updated 5 October 2026