Geographers: Career Profile
Study the nature and use of areas of the Earth's surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants, and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.
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What Do Geographers Take On?
The core tasks performed by geographers span:
- Create and modify maps, graphs, or diagrams, using geographical information software and related equipment, and principles of cartography, such as coordinate systems, longitude, latitude, elevation, topography, and map scales.
- Gather and compile geographic data from sources such as censuses, field observations, satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and existing maps.
- Teach geography.
- Write and present reports of research findings.
- Provide geographical information systems support to the private and public sectors.
- Study the economic, political, and cultural characteristics of a specific region's population.
- Analyze geographic distributions of physical and cultural phenomena on local, regional, continental, or global scales.
- Develop, operate, and maintain geographical information computer systems, including hardware, software, plotters, digitizers, printers, and video cameras.
What Geographers Need to Know
Successful geographers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Biogeographer
- Cultural Resources Specialist
- Earth Observations Scientist
- Economic Geographer
- GIS Coordinator (Geographic Information Systems Coordinator)
- GIS Geographer (Geographic Information Systems Geographer)
- GIS Physical Scientist (Geographic Information Systems Physical Scientist)
- Geographer
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 37,941 geographers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +10.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Geographers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $77,391 |
| Hourly median | $37.21 |
| 10th percentile | $54,717 |
| 25th percentile | $66,054 |
| 75th percentile | $88,727 |
| 90th percentile | $100,064 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $110,340 |
| Maryland | $109,120 |
| Colorado | $106,350 |
| Missouri | $94,870 |
| Illinois | $91,270 |
| Arizona | $87,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $85,220 |
| Texas | $75,550 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for geographers differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $110,340 | 4.2% | 1.01 |
| Rocky Mountains | $106,350 | 12.5% | 3.53 |
| Middle Atlantic | $105,933 | 41.7% | 9.16 |
| Plains States | $94,870 | 5.6% | 1.46 |
| Great Lakes | $91,270 | 6.9% | 0.85 |
| Southwest | $77,740 | 29.2% | 1.38 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $117,960 | 270 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $109,550 | 60 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $88,280 | 60 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | TX | $71,780 | 120 |
Which Industries Hire Geographers
The bulk of geographers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 150 | $65,150 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 70 | $73,250 |
Below are examples of industries where geographers work:
Software Geographers Use
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Python (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: SAS (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for geographers reflects the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How to Become Geographers
Typical geographers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Statisticians (Primary-Long)
- Data Scientists (Primary-Short)
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists (Primary-Short)
- Geodetic Surveyors (Primary-Long)
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians (Supplemental)
- Conservation Scientists (Supplemental)
- Atmospheric and Space Scientists (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for geographers commonly pursue programs in:
Social Sciences
4 programs across 2 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
4 programs across 4 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-3092.00 (Geographers).
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