WISCONSIN SOCIETY OF LAND SURVEYORS

What WISCONSIN SOCIETY OF LAND SURVEYORS does

The Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors (WSLS) is a 501(c)-aligned nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1952 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. It serves licensed Professional Land Surveyors (PLS), Certified Survey Technicians (CST), surveying students, and vendor Sustaining Members across the state, organized through 8 regional chapters (Central, Northeast, Madison Area Surveyors Council, Northern Lakes, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, Western). WSLS membership automatically confers National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) membership, extending members' access to national representation, certification pathways (CST, Certified Floodplain Surveyor), insurance programs, and the Trig-Star student competition.

The association's core offerings center on continuing education and professional development delivered through the Annual Institute (held each January at Kalahari Resorts, Wisconsin Dells), the Summer Meeting, and chapter-level programming, all of which yield Professional Development Hours (PDHs) required for license maintenance. WSLS publishes the quarterly Wisconsin Professional Surveyor magazine, operates a Find a Surveyor public directory on its website (built on Wild Apricot membership software), runs a member job board, and administers multiple scholarship and grant programs through the affiliated WSLS Foundation (501c3, est. 1993), which has disbursed over $463,700 in scholarships since 1968.

Revenue is generated primarily through tiered annual membership dues ($20-$430 depending on member category), magazine advertising, event registration, chapter dues, merchandise sales, and pass-through scholarship sponsorship. Additional revenue comes from Certified Floodplain Surveyor program fees and Workforce Development programming. WSLS also maintains a Government Affairs Committee and WIDOT Liaison Committee that interface with Wisconsin's Department of Transportation and legislature on surveying standards, including the WSRS2022 datum transition implemented in partnership with the Wisconsin State Cartographer's Office and the National Geodetic Survey. The organization is governed by an elected volunteer Board of Directors and is not owned by any parent company or institutional investor.

Name

WISCONSIN SOCIETY OF LAND SURVEYORS

Legal name

Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors

Website

https://wsls.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors is a 1952-founded nonprofit professional association serving licensed land surveyors, certified survey technicians, students, and vendors in Wisconsin through 8 regional chapters, providing continuing education, certification, advocacy, publications, and scholarship programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from multiple levels (Regular $215, Associate $110, CST $130, Student $20, Sustaining $430) constitute the primary revenue stream. WSLS membership automatically includes NSPS membership.
2. Wisconsin Professional Surveyor Advertising: Quarterly magazine (March, June, September, December) accepts advertising from equipment suppliers and surveying services. Ad sizes range from eighth-page ($50) to full-page ($280). Sustaining members receive business card size ad as membership benefit.
3. Shop Merchandise and Publications: Sale of merchandise including medallions, trophies, books (Sprague's Manual, Onsrud's Manual, Wisconsin Laws Relating to the Practice of Land Surveying), digital downloads, and chapter dues.
4. Annual Institute Registration: Registration fees for the Annual Institute event with discounted rates for WSLS members. Attendees earn Professional Development Hours (PDHs).
5. Chapter Dues: Various chapter dues collected through the online shop for Central, Northeast, Northwest, Northern Lakes, Southeast, Southwest, Western chapters, MASC, and Wisconsin County Surveyors Association.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

WSLS is a statewide nonprofit professional membership association serving Wisconsin land surveyors. It sells tiered memberships (Regular, Associate, CST, Student, Sustaining, Affiliate), delivers continuing-education events such as the Annual Institute and Summer Meeting, administers certification pathways (CST and CFS), publishes the Wisconsin Professional Surveyor quarterly magazine, runs a public Find a Surveyor directory, and operates the WSLS Foundation scholarship program that has awarded more than $463,700 since 1968.

Product overview

The Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors operates primarily as a professional membership organization rather than a technology product company. The WSLS website functions as a membership management and information portal powered by Wild Apricot software. The organization's core offerings include professional development programs (Annual Institute, Summer Meeting), certification pathways (CST and CFS programs), scholarship programs (Annual Institute, First-Year Student, and WIYSN grants), the quarterly Wisconsin Professional Surveyor magazine, a member job board, and various educational publications and merchandise. The WSLS Foundation, established in 1993, supports educational scholarships with over $463,700 awarded since 1968.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WSLS Foundation: A 501c3 nonprofit foundation formed in 1993 to support land surveying education through scholarships, with over $463,700 awarded since 1968.

Products and services

• WSLS Membership Annual tiered professional memberships for Wisconsin land surveyors. Tiers include Regular ($215) for licensed surveyors, Associate ($110) for non-registered surveyors, Certified Survey Technician ($130), Student ($20), Sustaining ($430) for equipment/service providers, and Affiliate. All tiers include automatic NSPS membership, the Wisconsin Professional Surveyor quarterly magazine, and access to chapter events; mid-year entries are prorated.
• Annual Institute Premier annual conference held in January at Kalahari Resorts, Wisconsin Dells, providing PDH-credited continuing education, networking, industry updates, the Bucky's Challenge trivia contest, photo and map/plat contests, award ceremonies, and scholarship presentations. Open to members and non-members with discounted registration rates for WSLS members.
• WSLS Summer Meeting Annual summer conference hosted by rotating chapters, featuring educational sessions, networking, recreational activities, and the summer membership meeting. Hosts the WSLS Foundation First-Year Student Scholarship presentation.
• Certified Survey Technician (CST) Program National multi-level certification program administered by NSPS and supported by WSLS for survey technicians working under licensed land surveyors. Offered in field and office tracks at four levels; CST Level III+ members qualify for WSLS CST-tier membership at $130/year.
• Certified Floodplain Surveyor (CFS) Program Certification program providing comprehensive knowledge of the National Flood Insurance Program, including NFIP, FIRM maps, Letters of Map Change, and Elevation Certificates. Approved for 16 CEUs and offered to Wisconsin surveyors seeking specialized floodplain credentials.
• Wisconsin Professional Surveyor Magazine Award-winning quarterly publication issued in March, June, September, and December. Includes industry articles, member news, and Sustaining Member business-card ads. Accepts paid advertising from equipment suppliers and surveying service providers at unit rates from $50 (eighth-page) to $280 (full-page).
• WSLS Job Board Online job listings platform for internships, contract, part-time, and full-time surveying positions. Members can post openings in 30, 60, or 90 day durations through the Wild Apricot platform.
• Surveyor Merchandise and Publications Online shop selling bronze medallions, acrylic trophies, reference manuals (Sprague's Manual, Onsrud's Manual, Wisconsin Laws Relating to the Practice of Land Surveying), digital downloads, chapter dues payments, and Southwest Chapter Point of Beginning Cribbage Boards.

Quantifiable outcome

• $31,000+ awarded annually in scholarships; $463,700 total since 1968
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• WSLS FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993WSLS Foundation was formed in February 1993 and granted 501c3 status in June 1994. Foundation supports educational scholarships ($31,000+ annually), maintains surveying equipment inventory, and supports young professionals. Bequest program available for legacy giving.
• National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1952WSLS membership automatically includes NSPS membership. NSPS is the national voice of surveying and provides Trig-Star program, Certified Survey Technician (CST) certification, Certified Floodplain Surveyor (CFS) certification, professional journals, reduced conference rates, and liability/health insurance packages.
• Wisconsin County Surveyors Association (WCSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCSA is hosted on WSLS website platform. WCSA represents county surveyors and holds meetings coordinated with WSLS events. Next meeting schedule includes joint activities.
• Wisconsin School Counselor Association (WSCA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWSLS School Counselor Initiative occupies booth at WSCA annual conference reaching approximately 1,200 school counselors. Goal is to promote land surveying as a career option to students through counselor outreach.
• Get Kids into Surveying (GKiS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational program providing posters, comic books, and stickers for WSLS outreach programs. WSLS participates to introduce youth to surveying careers.
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWSLS WIDOT Liaison Committee serves as communication bridge between WSLS and WisDOT on DOT surveying/mapping standards, policies, and practices. WisDOT developed online mapping tool for GPS on Benchmark program tracking. WisDOT staff contribute to WSRS2022 Task Force.
• Wisconsin State Cartographer's OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWSRS2022 Task Force supported by SCO for new 2022 datum implementation. SCO provides ControlFinder for horizontal/vertical control information. SCO hosts Wisconsin Spatial Reference System 2022 information.
• National Geodetic Survey (NGS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPS on Benchmarks program asking surveyors to make observations on monuments nationwide to improve vertical data model for 2022 datum transition. Wisconsin ranks #2 in nation for GPS observations completed.
• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWSP Continuing Education manages Annual Institute registration and education certificate processing. Multi-year contract for event management.
• Kalahari Resorts and Convention CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Institute venue host at Wisconsin Dells location. WSLS maintains room block for attendees. Multi-year hosting arrangement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS): The national-level professional surveying association of which WSLS membership is automatically a subset. NSPS administers CST and CFS certifications, Trig-Star, and national advocacy that WSLS members benefit from, making it the umbrella peer relationship.
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): National professional association with overlapping member base (civil engineers who work alongside land surveyors). Operates a much larger magazine, conferences, and certification programs in an adjacent engineering discipline.
• National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE): National professional engineering association whose licensure-advocacy and continuing-education mission parallels WSLS's role for surveyors, operating at a broader engineering profession level.
• International Federation of Surveyors (FIG): The international umbrella body for surveying associations globally. Provides the global framework within which national and state societies like WSLS operate and align professional standards.

Direct peers

• Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors: Direct peer as a neighboring state-level professional surveying association with a similar chapter-based structure, magazine, and membership tier model — the closest direct comparable in scale and scope.
• Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors: Direct peer as an Upper Midwest state surveying association serving licensed surveyors with similar dues structure, annual conference, scholarship foundation, and legislative advocacy mission.
• Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association: Direct peer as a neighboring state surveying association with parallel membership tiers, continuing education offerings, and advocacy on licensing matters — comparable in mission and operating model.
• Wisconsin County Surveyors Association (WCSA): Hosted on the WSLS platform, WCSA represents county government surveyors in Wisconsin and coordinates meetings with WSLS events — a tightly affiliated adjacent professional body sharing infrastructure and audience.
• Land Surveyors' Association of Washington (LSAW): Another state-level professional surveying association operating a chapter-based membership model, magazine, and annual conference — directly comparable to WSLS in structure, though serving a different state market.

Regional players

• Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers (WSPE): Wisconsin-based professional association for licensed engineers, operating with a similar chapter-based, dues-funded, continuing-education-focused model — analogous in structure but serving a different profession.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wisconsin-society-of-land-surveyors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WISCONSIN SOCIETY OF LAND SURVEYORS