Future Indiana Surveyor

Land surveyors are engineers, architects, historians, searchers, archeologists, and adventurers. Surveyors play a vital role in society and are instrumental in the development of all of properties, buildings, bridges, and roads in America.

Surveyors make precise measurements to determine property boundaries, and provide data relevant to the shape and contour of the Earth’s surface for engineering, map making, and construction projects.

Surveyors occupy a respected position among professionals in Indiana, and compensation for licensed surveyors and land surveying paraprofessionals has continued to grow enormously. A survey of licensed surveyors conducted by the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors found an average salary of $106,000.

The Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors is the organization that supports students during their education and professional growth. Find out about scholarship opportunities. Find out more about the benefits of being a member here.

One of the goals of ISPLS is to keep the public, especially young people, informed about surveying education opportunities in and around the State of Indiana. Please click on the name of the university or college below to further explore the opportunities they offer.

• Vincennes University
  • Surveying Program Overview
  • Associate’s Degree – Traditional
  • Associate’s Degree – Hybrid
  • Bachelor’s Degree
  • Online Course Offering
  • Hybrid Program
• Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
  • Cincinnati State Working Toward BS Degree in Land Surveying
  • Online Surveying Courses
• Ferris State University
  • Program Overview
  • Surveying Engineering Program
  • Certificate in GIS Overview
  • Certificate in GIS Website
• Great Basin College
• Michigan Tech
• University of Akron
• Idaho State University
  • Civil Engineering Technology 
  • Surveying and Geomatics Engineering Technology
• New Mexico State University

Other Programs

• Parkland College
  • Weekend Land Surveying Program Guide
  • Weekend Land Surveying Program Overview
  • Associate’s & Certificates Program Catalog

Other Programs

• Purdue University
• Purdue University Northwest
• Alfred State College
• California State University, Fresno
• East Tennessee State University
• Florida Atlantic University
• Kennesaw State University
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Nicholls State University
• North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
• Oregon Institute of Technology
• Pennsylvania University, Wilkes-Barre Campus
• Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico
• St Cloud University
• Troy University
• University of Alaska Anchorage
• University of Florida
• University of Maine

The following information is from 865 IAC 1-2-1:The education of all applicants must include the following minimum level of education:

• Twelve (12) semester credit hours in college level mathematics, including at least a three (3) semester credit hour course in calculus or differential equations. One (1) course of no more than three (3) semester hours in statistics may count toward the required twelve (12).
• Five (5) semester credit hours in college level physics.
• Six (6) semester credit hours in any of the following college level science subjects:
  • Chemistry.
  • Astronomy.
  • Physics.
  • Geology.
  • Botany.
  • Dendrology.
• Twenty-seven (27) semester credit hours in college level surveying courses consisting of the following:
  • Courses totaling at least twenty-four (24) semester credit hours that include substantial course work in each of the following eight (8) subjects:
    • Land survey systems with substantial content related to the U.S. Public Land Survey System including the various instructions for surveys of the public lands, original surveys and resurveys, section corner perpetuation, lost and obliterated corners, and subdivision of sections.
    • Property surveying.
    • Analysis of and writing of property descriptions.
    • Boundary law.
    • Surveying calculations, including mensuration statistics.
    • Subdivision planning and design.
    • Control surveying including GPS.
    • Geographic information systems (GIS).
  • Courses totaling at least three (3) semester credit hours that include substantial course work in one (1) of the following:
    • Topographic surveying.
    • Photogrammetric surveying.
    • Route surveying.
    • Construction surveying.
  • One (1) basic engineering course related to roads, stormdrainage, and sanitary sewer extensions may be counted toward the requirements of this clause.

The following tables are to be used with 865 IAC 1-2 “Rule 2”, 865 IAC 1-5 “Rule 5”, Indiana Code 25-21.5-1-7(b)(4) through (b)(7). “Practice of surveying”, and 865 IAC 1-12-3(a) Surveyor responsibility.

• No experience obtained before the applicant’s 18th birthday shall qualify.
• The surveying experience must be progressive in nature and show that the applicant has demonstrated the ability to assume continuously increasing levels of responsibility and sophistication in the surveying activities listed in 865 IAC 1-12-3(a).
• At least 60% of an applicant’s surveying experience must be in the activities listed in IC 25-21.5-1-7(b)(4) through IC 25-21.5-1-7(b)(7).

Visit the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency at https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/state-board-of-registration-for-professional-surveyors/license-application-and-instruction/ for more information on licensing requirements and how to submit an application.

The Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors, Inc. (ISPLS) and the Indiana Professional Land Surveyors Foundation, Inc. (IPLSF) is pleased to provide financial assistance through scholarships to students pursuing a career in the land surveying profession and seeks to become a Professional Surveyor.
ISPLS and IPLSF currently offers four scholarships which are 1) the John G. McEntyre Endowment Scholarship 2) the Peggy Archer Memorial Scholarship 3) the IPLSF Purdue University Calumet Scholarship; 4) the IPLSF Benchmark Scholarship. Details concerning these scholarships are found below. Additionally, ISPLS has ten regional chapters across the State of Indiana that from time to time participate in awarding scholarships. Typically these chapters select their recipients based upon the recommendations from the ISPLS Scholarship Committee. However, there are a few chapters that have their own scholarship application and process. View the full list of scholarships.

ISPLS offers students pursing a career in surveying the opportunity to connect with surveyors across the state through networking opportunities, education and resources to help you start your career. Join ISPLS today!

From a higher median salary to more employment flexibility, a career as a professional land surveyor allows you to do use the skills you’ve acquired as a technician while offering more opportunities for career growth. 

Land surveyor’s need a associate’s degree and all of the education requirements from Indiana Code  865 IAC 1-2-1  to be met. The clock start’s ticking as soon as you earn any degree–so if you have an Associate’s degree, you can begin earning work experience at the same time as you continue meeting the educational requirements. 

Is your school holding a career day or job fair? If so, invite your local ISPLS Chapter to be a presenter. They will gladly speak about the profession and may also bring field equipment for their presentations. Contact ISPLS Communication Coordinator Rachon Lucio for more information.

Trig-Star is an extracurricular competition held each your across Indiana. The timed exercise involves solving trigonometry problems using right triangle formulas and the laws of sines and cosines. It’s a perfect opportunity to introduce students to the surveying profession. Visit trig-star.com or contact the ISPLS State Coordinator Tony Gregory.

For more information, please visit the following land survey/GIS/mapping education resources to realize the tremendous opportunities for students who choose a land surveying career path.

Land Surveying Career Brochure
Get Kids Into Survey
Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors
George Washington as a Land Surveyor (Lesson Plan)