What does a chartered surveyor earn across the UK?
Our modelled figures, based on ONS data, put the median UK surveying salary at £48,900. A quarter of surveyors earn under £38,300 and a quarter earn over £63,100. The figures cover the whole occupation, so trainees and partners are both in the sample. A newly chartered surveyor usually sits somewhere near the median. Someone running a team or holding a specialist instruction book is more likely to be in the top quarter.
Location has the biggest effect after seniority. London's median is about £59,900, roughly £11,000 above the UK figure. The South East comes next at £50,200, then the East at £47,100 and the West Midlands at £46,400. Wales (£42,000) and the East Midlands (£42,200) have the lowest medians. Living costs are lower outside the South East too, so the gap in what you can actually spend is smaller than these numbers suggest.
How much does chartered status add?
RICS's careers page says chartered surveyors earn about £16,000 a year more on average than surveyors outside RICS. It also says MRICS pay can start at around £23,000 for a newly qualified graduate and reach six figures in senior roles such as Fellow (FRICS). That page dates from August 2023, so take the starting figure as a floor rather than today's going rate.
AssocRICS, the associate grade, falls between the two. RICS puts the average AssocRICS salary at about £45,000 in the UK. In practice the jump at MRICS usually shows up in one of two ways: a pay review once you pass the APC, or a move to a firm that needs chartered sign-off on its reports. Both can be worth thousands of pounds a year.
Which specialisms pay more?
Quantity surveying pays slightly better than general surveying. Our modelled UK median for QS is £53,400, against £48,900 for all surveyors. RICS gives these benchmarks for quantity surveyors: £25,000 to £32,000 for a graduate, £44,500 to £56,000 once chartered, and £57,000 to £71,000 or more at senior or management level. The National Careers Service quotes £26,000 to £70,000.
Building surveyors do well at the top. Macdonald & Company's 2025 research, which RICS cites, found a median basic salary of £28,000 for junior building surveyors (£39,000 in London) and £110,000 for the most senior (£130,000 in London). RICS says chartered valuation surveyors can earn over £70,000. The National Careers Service lists planning and development surveyors at £27,000 to £55,000 and land surveyors at £20,000 to £50,000.
What else is in the package?
Base salary is only part of it. RICS's specialism pages mention performance bonuses for meeting targets, car allowances, pensions, private healthcare and life insurance. These become more common as you move up. Contractor-side QS roles and commercial agency jobs often pay more in bonus than client-side or public sector work. Public sector roles tend to offer a stronger pension instead.
Once chartered, some surveyors set up on their own or work abroad. RICS points to the international value of the qualification. Self-employed income depends on your fees and how much work you win, so salary surveys do not capture it well.
Pay
GBP a year, before tax. Each range runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile for surveying jobs. Figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, April 2026 (provisional), moved to the current year with a wage index. Regional figures are modelled. Seniority, specialism, chartered status and London weighting have the most effect on where you sit. Refer to the Surveying salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- Accredited degree routeWith an RICS-accredited degree you need at least 24 months' structured training and at least 96 hours of CPD before you can take the APC.
- Accredited degree plus 5 yearsWith an accredited degree and at least 5 years' relevant experience, you need 12 months' structured training and 48 hours of CPD.
- Accredited degree plus 10 yearsWith an accredited degree and at least 10 years' relevant experience, there is no structured training period. You need 48 hours of CPD over the previous 12 months.
- Any degree plus 5 yearsA bachelor's degree or higher, plus at least 5 years' relevant experience (at least 12 months of it after qualifying), lets you apply. You must pass a preliminary review and complete 48 hours of CPD.
- ApprenticeshipRICS confirms you can also qualify as a chartered surveyor through a surveying apprenticeship.
- AssocRICS firstAssociate status needs 1 year's experience with a relevant degree, 2 years with a higher or foundation qualification, or 4 years with no qualifications. You can then progress to chartered status.
How to get there
- Year 0-1Trainee or apprenticeRICS puts trainee quantity surveyors on £18,000 to £24,000, and the National Careers Service lists surveying technicians at £24,000 to £32,000.
- Year 1-3Graduate surveyor on APC trainingGraduate quantity surveyors earn about £25,000 to £32,000, according to RICS. Junior building surveyors' median is £28,000, or £39,000 in London.
- Year 2-4Chartered (MRICS)After passing the APC, pay usually moves towards the UK median of about £48,900. RICS puts chartered QS pay at £44,500 to £56,000.
- Year 6-10Senior or associate directorSenior quantity surveyors earn £57,000 to £71,000 or more, says RICS. The top quarter of all surveyors earn over £63,100.
- Year 10+Director, partner or FRICSRICS says senior roles such as Fellow can reach six figures. The median for the most senior building surveyors is £110,000.
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Questions people ask
What is the average chartered surveyor salary in the UK?
Our modelled ONS-based figure puts the median UK surveying salary at about £48,900 a year. That covers all surveyors, chartered or not. RICS says chartered members earn about £16,000 a year more on average than surveyors outside RICS.
How much does a newly chartered surveyor earn?
RICS puts chartered quantity surveyors at £44,500 to £56,000 a year. Its older careers page says MRICS pay can start as low as £23,000 for a newly qualified graduate. Most people who pass the APC after two years' training end up somewhere in the £40,000s outside London.
Do surveyors earn more in London?
Yes. The modelled median surveying salary in London is about £59,900, against £48,900 for the UK. A quarter of London surveyors earn over £77,300. Building surveying research cited by RICS shows the same pattern at every level.
Which type of surveyor earns the most?
Quantity surveyors have a higher modelled UK median, £53,400, than surveyors overall at £48,900. At the top, senior building surveyors have a median basic salary of £110,000 (£130,000 in London), according to Macdonald & Company's 2025 research. Investment valuation in major commercial centres also pays well.
What do AssocRICS members earn?
RICS puts the average AssocRICS salary at about £45,000 in the UK. Associates usually start lower than chartered surveyors and earn somewhere in the middle of the range. Many use the associate grade as a step towards MRICS.
Sources
- RICS: How to become a chartered surveyor
- RICS: What is a quantity surveyor?
- RICS: What is a building surveyor?
- RICS: What is a valuation surveyor?
- National Careers Service: Building surveyor
- National Careers Service: Quantity surveyor
- National Careers Service: Planning and development surveyor
- National Careers Service: Land surveyor
- National Careers Service: Surveying technician
