Quantity surveyor

What does a quantity surveyor do?

• Estimate the cost of construction projects at each design stage.
• Measure quantities of materials and work from drawings and digital models.
• Prepare tender documents and compare bids from contractors.
• Manage contracts, including changes to the work and their cost.
• Value completed work and agree payments with contractors.
• Report on budgets, cash flow and financial risks to clients or managers.
• Help settle disputes about costs and contracts.

Where do they work?

Quantity surveyors work for consultancies that advise clients, for construction contractors, and for developers, governments and large property owners. Consultants, sometimes called professional quantity surveyors, work mainly in offices. Contractors' quantity surveyors spend more time on site and focus on the contractor's income and costs. Some work in energy, mining and infrastructure. Hours are usually regular but increase near tender deadlines and at the end of projects.

What skills do you need?

• Measurement and cost estimating
• Construction technology
• Contract law and procurement
• Numeracy and spreadsheets
• Cost planning software and BIM
• Negotiation
• Attention to detail
• Report writing

Official skills profile (ESCO)

Essential skills listed for this occupation in ESCO, the European Commission's multilingual classification of skills and occupations.

• perform cost accounting activities
• order construction supplies
• control of expenses
• oversee construction project
• manage contracts
• prepare construction documents
• finish project within budget
• communicate with construction crews
• advise on construction materials
• keep records of work progress
• manage budgets
• identify customer objectives

Essential knowledge: construction industry · cost management · building construction principles · urban planning law · building codes

How do you become a quantity surveyor?

Most quantity surveyors have a degree in quantity surveying or commercial management, ideally one accredited by a professional body. One widely recognised body is the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), which operates in many countries. Graduates in other subjects can take an accredited conversion master's. After joining an employer, you build structured experience and then take a professional assessment to become chartered or registered. Apprenticeships and part-time study are also common, especially in the UK. Some people start as trainee estimators or surveying technicians and qualify while they work.

1. Accredited degree. A degree in quantity surveying, commercial management or construction economics covers measurement, construction technology, contract law, cost planning and procurement. Accredited programmes make it easier to become chartered or registered later. Many courses include placements, and employers often recruit students for summer or year-long work experience.
2. Apprenticeship or part-time study. In the UK and some other countries, you can train through an apprenticeship, including degree-level programmes, while working for a contractor or consultancy. Others start as surveying technicians or estimators and study part-time. These routes let you earn while you qualify, and employers respect them.
3. Conversion master's. Graduates in subjects such as engineering, architecture, economics, finance or mathematics can take an accredited master's in quantity surveying, often in one year full-time or two years part-time. This is a common route for career changers, especially from finance and engineering backgrounds.

Degrees that lead to this career

• Civil engineering

  A civil engineering degree teaches how to design, build and maintain the structures and systems that communities depend on, such as roads, bridges, railways, buildings, water supply and flood defences.

  6 linked careers

• Architecture

  An architecture degree teaches how to design buildings and spaces that are safe, useful and beautiful, combining creative design with technology, history and the needs of people and the environment.

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• Accounting and finance

  An accounting and finance degree teaches how organisations record, report, analyse and manage money, from financial statements and tax to investment and risk.

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• Mathematics

  A mathematics degree develops advanced reasoning and problem-solving through pure mathematics, such as algebra and analysis, and applied areas, such as statistics, modelling and computing.

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Do you need a licence to work as a quantity surveyor?

Quantity surveying is regulated in some countries and open in others. In countries such as Malaysia, Nigeria and South Africa, you must register with a statutory board to practise or to use the title. In the UK and many other places, you can work without registration, but chartered status through RICS is widely expected for senior roles. In the United States and much of mainland Europe, the profession is less common, and similar work is done by cost estimators and cost engineers.

How much does a quantity surveyor earn?

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate pay estimate that matches this occupation, so we do not show one.

Earnings of Professionals around the world

Most countries do not publish pay for single job titles. The International Labour Organization collects median monthly earnings for broad occupation groups instead. This career belongs to ISCO-08 major group 2, "Professionals". The table covers the whole group, which includes quantity surveyor and many other occupations.

Source: ILOSTAT, median monthly earnings of employees, latest year available. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries so figures can be compared. "vs all employees" compares the group's median with the median for all occupations in the same country.

Career progression

1. Trainee or assistant quantity surveyor
2. Quantity surveyor
3. Chartered or senior quantity surveyor
4. Commercial manager or associate director
5. Commercial director or partner

Job outlook

Quantity surveyors are needed on almost every construction and infrastructure project, and experienced surveyors are often in short supply. Demand follows construction activity, so it falls during downturns. Digital tools such as building information modelling and automated measurement are reducing manual measurement work, while increasing the value of cost advice, risk management and contract skills. Knowledge of whole-life costs and low-carbon construction is becoming more important.

Questions about becoming a quantity surveyor

What does a quantity surveyor do?

A quantity surveyor manages the money side of construction. They estimate what a project will cost, prepare documents so contractors can bid for the work, check and value work as it is done, handle changes to the contract and agree the final cost. They may work for the client, to control spending, or for the contractor, to protect its profit.

Is quantity surveying a good career?

It can be a stable career with clear progression, because construction projects always need cost control. Experienced surveyors are often in demand, and chartered status is recognised in many countries. The work is detailed and can be pressured near deadlines, and demand falls when construction slows. It suits people who like numbers, negotiation and practical problem solving.

Is a quantity surveyor the same as a cost estimator?

They are similar but not the same. In the United States and some other countries, cost estimators prepare cost estimates for construction projects, which is one part of a quantity surveyor's work. Quantity surveyors usually have a wider role, including contracts, procurement, payments and final accounts. Which job title is used depends on the country.

Can I become a quantity surveyor without a degree?

Yes, in many countries. You can start as a trainee, technician or apprentice and study part-time while you work. In the UK, for example, degree apprenticeships lead to an accredited degree and then chartered status. In countries where quantity surveying is regulated, you usually need an accredited qualification before you can register.

Related careers

• Construction manager

  Construction managers plan, coordinate and oversee building and infrastructure projects, managing workers, subcontractors, budgets, schedules, quality and safety on site.

  Degree often expected

• Civil engineer

  Civil engineers plan, design and oversee the building and upkeep of roads, bridges, railways, tunnels, water systems, dams and large buildings.

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• Project manager

  Project managers plan, organise and lead projects so they are finished on time, within budget and to the agreed standard.

  Degree often expected

Sources

1. ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — ISCO-08 major groups, latest year per country
2. European Commission — ESCO occupation profile — ESCO code 2149.12

How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). How to become a quantity surveyor: degrees, skills and salary. https://coursetojob.com/careers/quantity-surveyor/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

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