Surveying & Civil Engineering Technology is an Associate Degree program offered by Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis, MN. The program takes 2 years to complete, with a total tuition of $60,077.
Program Overview
Dunwoody’s Surveying & Civil Engineering Technology program prepares you for your career as a Civil Engineering Technician or Land Surveying Technician.
Hands-on, outdoor projects and experiments get you out of the classroom and into the environment you’ll be working in. And opportunities to participate in national competitions promise to build your resume and expand your networks.
Throughout the program, our expert faculty members will train you on industry-utilized equipment and software.
Upon graduation, you will have the capacity to assist surveyors in data collection, map the earth’s surface, create surveying drawings and engineering plans, and help civil engineers design and construct the infrastructure of tomorrow.
Students interested in becoming a surveying technician will be prepared to take the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) Certified Survey Technician (CST) Level 1 exam and the Autodesk Certified User (ACU) exam.
This degree directly transfers into Dunwoody’s Bachelor of Science in Construction Management.
Top 5 Reasons to Consider Becoming a Surveyor
- You don’t want a desk job
Land surveying is perfect for people who don’t want to be in an office all day and who enjoy getting outside. Surveying involves both fieldwork and office work, making it a great career choice for outdoor enthusiasts who want a professional-level job that isn’t labor-intensive.
- You like working with technology
Since surveyors are responsible for taking precise measurements of land to determine property boundaries and develop land, they have to work with some very high-tech equipment and programs, including GPS devices, 3D laser scanning technology, drones, and computer-aided drafting software.
- You want a career that makes a difference
From boundary work and construction projects to court cases and land mapping, surveyors and the data they collect play an important role in our world. It’s a career that impacts a wide variety of fields and industries and their work shapes everything from building projects to GPS data.
- You are curious and you like to problem solve
Land surveyors are often part detective, using everything from historical research to on-site data and measurements to solve a problem or answer a question for a client.
- You want a great paying career that’s in-demand
According to beasurveyor.com, projections from the U.S. Department of Labor show the need for land surveyors and technicians will outpace the average growth for all occupations. In addition, the average salary for a land surveyor in Minnesota is $86,490. At Dunwoody, the rate for graduates hired in their field of study for both Land Surveying and Surveying & Civil Engineer Technology is 100 percent.
What sets this Program apart
Facilities used in this program include:
Surveying Lab. Uses the Dunwoody campus and its environs as a lab for learning the tools and techniques used in surveying both outdoor and indoor spaces. SURVEYING EQUIPMENT:
- Sokkia Automatic & Digital Levels
- Trimble & Leica Total Stations
- Trimble & Topcon GNSS (GPS) Receivers & Data Collectors
- Phantom 3 & Phantom 4 Drones (used for photogrammetry & RTK surveying)
- Faro Laser Scanner
- Laptop Computers loaded with Industry Software
Admission Requirements and Process
Students applying for admission to Dunwoody College of Technology must provide a final, official high school transcript (with graduation date) or a GED score from a recognized GED testing center. Admission decisions are based on a careful, overall assessment of each student’s academic preparation and performance, as well as the additional information provided in the application. Additional requirements may be required for certain programs.
General Requirements
- High school diploma or GEDProvide a final, official high school transcript (with graduation date) or a GED score from a recognized GED testing center.
- College transcriptsIf you have completed college credits and intend to apply for federal financial aid, or want the credits considered for transfer, an official transcript from that institution is…
- Admission reviewAdmission decisions weigh coursework through high school graduation, any previous college-level coursework, grade point average and the application essay.
- Test scores optionalACT, SAT or PSAT scores are considered if available but are not required.
- ImmunizationMinnesota law (M.S. 135A.14) requires students born after 1956 to be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps and rubella; accepted students fill out an immunization…
- OrientationOrientation is an enrollment requirement for all new students; admitted students are mailed information on Orientation sessions.
Application Process
- 1Fill out an application for admissionRegister for Dunwoody’s Admissions portal and start your application; you can save your progress and come back to it.
- 2Provide official transcriptsRequest official transcripts from all educational institutions attended (including high school), sent directly to the Dunwoody Admissions Office, or have your GED scores sent.
- 3Personal interviewA personal interview with an Admissions Counselor is recommended to ensure Dunwoody is the right fit for your educational and career goals.
- 4Admissions decisionYour completed file goes to the admissions committee, which meets once a week; students are notified of decisions within four business days.
- 5Apply for financial aidComplete the FAFSA (Dunwoody school code 004641); a completed FAFSA is also required to be considered for Dunwoody scholarships.FAFSA Code for Minneapolis Campus: 004641Complete FAFSA Application
- 6Attend orientationAdmitted students are mailed information on Orientation, an enrollment requirement for all new students, where they receive their class schedule and student ID.
Program Schedule
Length of program. 2 years (4 semesters).
Classes offered. Day/Evening*.
Available starts. Fall Semester; Spring Semester.
Upcoming start dates. January 25, 2027, August 30, 2027, January 24, 2028 (per the 2026-2027 academic calendar).
- January 25th, 2027
- August 30th, 2027
- January 24th, 2028
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
Program cost (2026-27). Total program tuition is $60,077 (Year 1: $30,982; Year 2: $29,095). Required fees (device) total $1,556 and books, supplies, materials and course/program fees total $1,240, for an estimated total program cost of $62,873.
Cost of attendance. For the 2025-26 academic year Dunwoody lists average annual costs (which vary by program) of $27,704 tuition, $744 books and supplies and $710 fees, plus living expenses of $3,898 food, $11,766 on-campus or $12,106 off-campus housing, $2,000 transportation and $2,200 miscellaneous.
Financial aid. Most Dunwoody students receive some form of financial aid, including federal and state grants, federal loans and work study. Start by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); Dunwoody’s federal school code is 004641. A completed FAFSA is also required to be considered for Dunwoody scholarships, and each year Dunwoody gives out nearly $4 million in scholarship funding.
Minnesota programs. Dunwoody participates in the Minnesota State Grant, Dream Act, Postsecondary Child Care Grant, GI Bill Scholarship, Indian Scholarship, Fostering Independence Grant, State Work-Study and SELF Loan programs.
Veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes Dunwoody as a Benefits Eligible College, and Dunwoody is a Yellow Ribbon School. Dunwoody waives the application fee and enrollment fees for veterans and military students.
Payment plans. Dunwoody offers a payment plan option for students to divide the balance owed each semester into smaller payments; students must enroll in the payment plan each semester.
Curriculum
The Surveying & Civil Engineering Technology (SCVL), AAS requires 62 credits. By the end of this program, students will be able to:
- Initiate and apply design of entry level complexity.
- Analyze drawings, specifications, surveys, and apply industry standards.
- Interpret and review engineering and survey work.
- Analyze surveying and civil engineering principles, practices, and techniques.
- Utilize field and office procedures to complete tasks.
- Operate industry software and equipment.
Class topics include:
- Control & Geodetic Surveying
- Transportation & Municipal Design
- Land Use Planning
- Materials, Testing & Construction Methods
- Laser Scanning & Remote Sensing
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Career Outcomes
Common job titles. Possible job titles upon graduation include:
- Civil Engineering Technician
- Surveying Technician
Recent employers of graduates. Companies that hire our graduates include:
- Sunde Land Surveying
- WSB & Associates
- MnDOT
- Hennepin County Public Works
2024-25 graduate outcomes. Of 6 Surveying & Civil Engineering Technology graduates in 2024-25, the in-field employment rate was 100% and the career outcomes rate was 100% (Dunwoody Career Services Annual Report 2024-2025; employment recorded up to six months after graduation).
Average salary. $65K (Construction Sciences & Building Technology, A.A.S.; 2023-24 Dunwoody Career Services Annual Report, as shown on the program page).
What to expect as a Dunwoody College of Technology student
Student organizations. Opportunities to get involved outside of the classroom include:
- Surveying & Civil Engineering Club
- Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK)
Campus Address
Why Accreditation Is Important
Dunwoody College of Technology is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Student Demographics
These are demographics for all students at the Minneapolis Campus (IPEDS, 2024).
Percentages are of total fall enrollment. 9 students whose race or ethnicity was not reported are included in that total but shown as no category, so the figures above come to 99.4% rather than 100%.
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