How to become a survey technician
Official title: Survey technician
Also called: Surveyor, Land surveyor, Field assistant, Aerial survey technician, Cadastral surveyor
Survey technicians use surveying equipment to collect geographical information. They analyse data to prepare maps, reports and plans.
Main tasks
- Survey land and water areas
- Work out exact locations from data
- Create maps, reports and plans
- Use computer software, applications and systems
- Check mathematical calculations
- Check designs and plans
- Explain projects
- Make sure work meets quality standards
How to become one
You need a qualification to become a survey technician and experience may be useful. You need NCEA Level 3 or University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Required: to do intermediate or advanced training in surveying and mapping science and get a New Zealand Certificate in Surveying (Level 4) or a New Zealand Certificate in Hydrographic Surveying (Level 4) OR; a New Zealand Diploma in Surveying OR; a Bachelor of Surveying; to be licensed by the Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board of New Zealand (for cadastral surveying only). Other requirements: experience in similar work.
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in surveying and mapping science. TEC links this job to study in geomatic engineering. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Surveying. Usually 2 years. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $72,000 a year one year after study; 100% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
- Registration or licence: To be licensed by the Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board of New Zealand (for cadastral surveying only).
Pay · Past change
- Most common pay: $62,000 to $95,000 a year (median $75,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Upper: $116,000 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
- Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Steady (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Who does this work
- About 340 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
Related jobs
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Questions people ask
How do I become a survey technician?
You need a qualification to become a survey technician and experience may be useful. You need NCEA Level 3 or University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Required: to do intermediate or advanced training in surveying and mapping science and get a New Zealand Certificate in Surveying (Level 4) or a New Zealand Certificate in Hydrographic Surveying (Level 4) OR; a New Zealand Diploma in Surveying OR; a Bachelor of Surveying; to be licensed by the Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board of New Zealand (for cadastral surveying only). Other requirements: experience in similar work.
How much does a survey technician earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $75,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $62,000 to $95,000 a year.
Has the number of people working as a survey technician grown in New Zealand?
It has held steady: TEC records the number of people doing this job as steady between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026