Land surveying is a mix of both education and licensing and the path depends a bit on where you plan to work.
In the US, many people start with an associate or bachelor’s degree in land surveying, geomatics, or civil engineering, that gets you the technical foundation (mapping, GIS, boundary law, CAD, etc.). From there, you typically work under a licensed surveyor to gain field experience.
After that, you move through licensing steps like the FS (Fundamentals of Surveying) exam, then the PS (Professional Surveyor) license once you’ve logged enough supervised work hours. Some states allow entry through apprenticeships instead of a full degree, but education usually speeds things up and opens more doors.
So it’s not just certifications or just college, it’s a combination of both with hands-on field work being the key bridge between the two.