Compare routes: Quantity surveyor

Compare what matters before you decide. Routes are shown side by side, not ranked: an unknown is marked “Not enough data”.

Choose 2 or 3 routes

Route A: RICS-accredited degree, then the APC
Route B: Quantity surveyor degree apprenticeship (Level 6)
Route C: Quantity surveying technician apprenticeship (Level 4)
Route D: Career change: degree in another subject, then an accredited conversion course

Comparing 3 routes. Nothing here is ranked or scored.

Comparison of 3 routes. Unknown values are marked Not enough data and are not ranked.
Route	Route ARICS-accredited degree, then the APC	Route BQuantity surveyor degree apprenticeship (Level 6)	Route CQuantity surveying technician apprenticeship (Level 4)
Entry requirements	Universities set their own entry requirements; the National Careers Service says a degree usually needs 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent Choose a course accredited by RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) for the standard APC route After graduating, an assistant or graduate quantity surveyor job	You apply for an apprenticeship job; each employer sets its own entry requirements The National Careers Service says degree apprenticeships usually ask for 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 and A levels, or equivalent Vacancies are competitive and availability varies by region	You apply for an apprenticeship job; each employer sets its own entry requirements At least 20% of your normal working hours is off-the-job training Vacancies vary by region; 51 training providers were listed when we checked
Official mandatory credentials	None required by law for most jobs. Professional body (for chartered or member titles): RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)	None required by law for most jobs. Professional body (for chartered or member titles): RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)	None required by law for most jobs. Professional body (for chartered or member titles): RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)
Time	About 5 years or more A typical full-time bachelor's degree in England takes 3 years, then at least 24 months' APC structured training.	3 to 5 years Find apprenticeship training lists Construction quantity surveyor (degree) at 36 months and Chartered surveyor (degree) at 60 months. The National Careers Service says 3 to 5 years.	About 3 years to technician level; longer to quantity surveyor Find apprenticeship training lists Construction quantity surveying technician (level 4) at 36 months.
Cash costs	Fees charged: £30,432 Paid up front by you: £1,062 Up-front figure assumes a Tuition Fee Loan pays the tuition. The loan is repaid from future earnings above a threshold, so it is shown separately as a loan balance.	Fees charged: Up to £18,000 of training (funding band maximum), paid for you Paid up front by you: £0 — training and assessment are funded	Fees charged: Up to £9,000 of training (funding band maximum), paid for you Paid up front by you: £0 — training and assessment are funded
Employer-funded possibilities	Possible but not guaranteed — some employers pay fees or give study leave. Ask before you accept an offer. University tuition is usually covered by a Tuition Fee Loan (England), which is repaid from future earnings.	Yes — training and assessment are paid by the employer and government; you must not be asked to contribute.	Yes — training and assessment are paid by the employer and government; you must not be asked to contribute.
Work while studying	Possible Full-time study, then work with structured training. Usually after graduating, although many students take a paid placement year.	Yes Work-based, with at least 20% off-the-job training. From day one â€” apprentices are employees and are paid a wage.	Yes Work-based, with at least 20% off-the-job training. From day one â€” apprentices are employees and are paid a wage.
Salary evidence	Quantity surveyor: £26,000 to £70,000 a year (starter to experienced, England) National Careers Service, checked 14 Oct 2026. Typical range for comparable roles — indicative, not guaranteed.	Quantity surveyor: £26,000 to £70,000 a year (starter to experienced, England) National Careers Service, checked 14 Oct 2026. Typical range for comparable roles — indicative, not guaranteed.	Quantity surveyor: £26,000 to £70,000 a year (starter to experienced, England) National Careers Service, checked 14 Oct 2026. Typical range for comparable roles — indicative, not guaranteed.
Competition and availability	Graduate surveying roles are advertised widely, but employers and support vary by region University can bring broader academic learning, placements, graduate schemes, networks and time to decide	Degree apprenticeship vacancies are competitive and not offered in every area You balance a job with degree-level study, with fewer course choices than at university	Technician apprenticeships are offered by contractors and consultancies; vacancies vary by region Moving up to quantity surveyor roles usually needs further study
Geographical constraints	Applies in: UK (fees and funding shown for England) Tuition fees and student finance shown are England's Moving region changes which employers are near you	Applies in: UK (fees and funding shown for England) Apprenticeship funding rules shown are for England Moving region changes which apprenticeships are available	Applies in: UK (fees and funding shown for England) Apprenticeship funding rules shown are for England Moving region changes which apprenticeships are available
Alternative exits	A surveying degree also suits commercial, project and cost management roles You could work as a quantity surveyor without becoming chartered	You could stay as a quantity surveyor without becoming chartered You could move into estimating, commercial or project roles	You could stay as a quantity surveying technician or estimator You could move on to a degree apprenticeship later
Source freshness	Evidence checked 14 Oct 2026 Oldest source check: 12 Oct 2026	Evidence checked 14 Oct 2026 Oldest source check: 12 Oct 2026	Evidence checked 14 Oct 2026 Oldest source check: 12 Oct 2026

Costs are published fees only (lower and upper ends of official ranges). To change assumptions such as funding, loans, pay or living costs, use Compare costs.

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