Surveying job titles vary between employers, and the same title can mean different things at a consultancy, a contractor and a council. Here is how the usual career ladder works, and what each level typically involves.
The career ladder
Graduate or Trainee Surveyor
The usual starting point, for people with an accredited degree or working towards one, and for apprentices. You work under supervision and build the experience you need for the APC. Typical pay: £25,000 to £35,000. Graduate and trainee surveyor jobs.
Assistant Surveyor or Surveyor
Running your own jobs with less supervision, often while finishing the APC. Newly chartered surveyors are usually at this level. Typical pay: £31,000 to £46,000. Surveyor jobs.
Senior Surveyor
Usually chartered, running a caseload or a set of projects and clients on your own, and helping to train junior staff. Typical pay: £40,000 to £64,000. Senior surveyor jobs.
Principal Surveyor
Leading larger or more complex work, often specialist, and a technical lead for a team. The title is most common in the public sector and in larger practices. Typical pay: £48,000 to £75,000. Principal surveyor jobs.
Associate and Associate Director
In private practice, the first rung of leadership: winning and looking after clients, managing a team and fee income as well as technical work. Typical pay: £56,000 to £86,000 for an Associate and £65,000 to £105,000 for an Associate Director. Associate surveyor jobs.
Director, Partner and Head of
Running an office, a department or a whole firm. In a partnership, salaried partners are paid a salary and equity partners share in the profits. In the public sector, the Head of Building Control, Head of Estates or Head of Asset Management leads the service. Typical pay: £75,000 to £154,000. Director and partner jobs.
Titles in different kinds of employer
Contractors
Quantity surveyors at contractors usually progress from Trainee or Assistant Quantity Surveyor to Quantity Surveyor, Senior and Managing Quantity Surveyor, then to Commercial Manager and Commercial Director.
Councils and public bodies
Common titles include Building Control Surveyor or Officer, Estates Surveyor, Asset Manager, Valuation Officer and Clerk of Works, with Senior and Principal grades above them and a Team Leader or Manager running each team.
Housing associations
Look for Building Surveyor, Stock Condition Surveyor, Asset Manager and Disrepair Surveyor roles, often within an asset management or repairs team.
Team Leader and Manager
Mostly in the public sector and at housing associations: running a team day to day, with responsibility for its budget and performance. Team leader jobs and surveying and estates manager jobs.
Find jobs by title
Every level and discipline has its own page with the live jobs and what they pay: see all surveying job titles, and our surveying salary guide for typical pay by employer type.