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Surveying Engineeringat Ferris State University

Graduates earn $72,931/yr in their first year — right at the national average. Base-case 10-year earnings $721K; scenarios range from $637K to $744K depending on AI disruption.

Big Rapids, MI Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
56 SOLID
57
Optimistic
54
Pessimistic
Earnings
$72,931
1-year post-graduation
ROI
12.4x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$721K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
51% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Ferris State University

This highly specialized program at Ferris State places you in a unique position within a critical industry. As one of the nation's few accredited options, you'll be entering a field foundational to all land development, infrastructure, and construction projects. The curriculum likely blends traditional surveying principles with cutting-edge technologies like LiDAR, GPS, and drone mapping, preparing you for roles where precision and legal understanding are paramount. While some data collection tasks in surveying may see increasing automation, your long-term value will stem from your expertise in complex problem-solving, regulatory compliance, and project leadership. To truly maximize your career trajectory, seek out diverse internships that expose you to both fieldwork and the office-based legal and design aspects of land management.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$637K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score54/100
Earnings Multiple11.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$721K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple13.2x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$744K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score57/100
Earnings Multiple13.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Ferris State University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Surveying Engineering graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
3
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
4
Cartographers and photogrammetrists
+6.4% 10-yr growth · 1,000 openings/yr
$78,380/yr
High
5
Surveyors
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 3,900 openings/yr
$72,740/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Also at Ferris State University

Other top programs at Ferris State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Ferris State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Surveying Engineering at Ferris State University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Surveying Engineering at Ferris State University?

This program scores 56/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Surveying Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

Will AI replace Surveying Engineering careers?

With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $636,516 in decade earnings vs $744,207 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes Ferris State University's Surveying Engineering program stand out?

Ranked #1 of 1 programs nationally, Ferris State University lands in the top 1%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.