The Best Undergraduate Surveying Degree Programs

Did you know: Surveying engineering is rapidly growing in popularity. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is projected to be 49,800 surveying jobs available in 2026 (an 11 percent increase from 2016). 

Are you interested in pursuing a career in surveying? To become a surveyor, one must acquire an engineering undergraduate degree from an accredited university. Then, to become licensed, the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) and Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exams must be taken and passed. To help you out with this process, we have listed five top-ranked surveying engineering programs to get you on the right track. Keep in mind, taking an FS review course during your senior year of undergrad will help you obtain a professional surveyor license earlier in your career than those who wait. 

Check out our list of surveying engineering programs below: 

Table of Contents

1. University of Florida

2. California State University- Fresno

3. The University of Maine

4. The University of Akron

5. Kennesaw State University

1. University of Florida

University of Florida offers a geomatics bachelor's degree with a specialization in surveying and mapping. This 120-credit hour degree covers in-depth information on spatial visualization, UAS mapping, geometrics and design, photogrammetry, and many other surveying topics. 

Location: Gainesville, FL 

Total Number of Undergraduate Students: 39,565ⁱ 

2. California State University- Fresno

California State University- Fresno, also known as Fresno State, offers a geomatics/surveying bachelor's degree. This degree focuses on boundary/land surveying, geodesy, GIS, and digital mapping. 

Location: Fresno, CA 

Total Number of Undergraduate Students: 22,189ⁱⁱ 

3. The University of Maine

The University of Maine's College of Engineering offers a 126-credit hour surveying technology degree. Courses in this program include construction surveying, plane surveying, instrumentation and data collectors, site planning, and subdivision design. 

Location: Orono, ME 

Total Number of Undergraduate Students: 9,279ⁱⁱⁱ 

4. The University of Akron

The University of Akron's curriculum for their B.S. in surveying and mapping degree not only provides classroom lectures but greatly focuses on interactive learning as well as hands-on research. The university's degree focuses on field measurement techniques, construction project and subdivision design, GIS, and GPS technology. 

Location: Akron, OH 

Total Number of Undergraduate Students: 18,802^iv 

5. Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University's 121-credit hour surveying and mapping bachelor's degree teaches students to create maps using field measurements, construction projects, and subdivision developments. This program also teaches how to establish vertical and horizontal control with the use of satellite geodesy. 

Location: Kennesaw, GA 

Total Number of Undergraduate Students: 32,945^v 

References

i. "Enrollment". University of Florida. February 20, 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018. 

ii. "Table 1 Total Enrollment by Sex and Student Level, Fall 2017." Retrieved 10 September 2018. 

iii. "Overall Enrollment" (PDF). University of Maine Enrollment. Retrieved 10 September 2018. 

iv. "Enrollment Data." University of Akron. Retrieved 10 September 2018. 

v. https://www.kennesaw.edu/about/