Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians: Job Description
Assist scientists or related professionals in building, maintaining, modifying, or using geographic information systems (GIS) databases. May also perform some custom application development or provide user support.
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What Tasks Do Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of geographic information systems technologists and technicians cover:
- Produce data layers, maps, tables, or reports, using spatial analysis procedures or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, equipment, or systems.
- Design or prepare graphic representations of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, using GIS hardware or software applications.
- Maintain or modify existing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases.
- Provide technical expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to clients or users.
- Perform computer programming, data analysis, or software development for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications, including the maintenance of existing systems or research and development for future enhancements.
- Enter data into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases, using techniques such as coordinate geometry, keyboard entry of tabular data, manual digitizing of maps, scanning or automatic conversion to vectors, or conversion of other sources of digital data.
- Review existing or incoming data for currency, accuracy, usefulness, quality, or completeness of documentation.
- Perform geospatial data building, modeling, or analysis, using advanced spatial analysis, data manipulation, or cartography software.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful geographic information systems technologists and technicians combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- CADD GIS Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Geographic Information Systems Technician)
- Cartographic Technician
- Conversion Specialist
- Field GIS Technician (Field Geographic Information Systems Technician)
- GIS Consultant (Geographic Information Systems Consultant)
- GIS Specialist (Geographic Information Systems Specialist)
- GIS Technician (Geographic Information Systems Technician)
- Geographic Information System Analyst (GIS Analyst)
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 540,311 geographic information systems technologists and technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -1.9% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $82,846 |
| Hourly median | $39.83 |
| 10th percentile | $46,560 |
| 25th percentile | $64,703 |
| 75th percentile | $100,988 |
| 90th percentile | $119,131 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | $179,830 |
| Maryland | $141,540 |
| District of Columbia | $137,610 |
| Virginia | $132,810 |
| Delaware | $132,670 |
| Washington | $131,800 |
| California | $128,750 |
| Colorado | $119,560 |
| West Virginia | $113,030 |
| Hawaii | $112,050 |
| Arizona | $112,010 |
| Vermont | $109,220 |
| Texas | $108,170 |
| North Carolina | $106,240 |
| Massachusetts | $105,890 |
| New York | $105,210 |
| Ohio | $104,330 |
| Alabama | $104,330 |
| South Carolina | $104,330 |
| New Jersey | $103,910 |
| Iowa | $103,690 |
| Oregon | $102,940 |
| Florida | $102,750 |
| New Mexico | $102,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $102,330 |
| Michigan | $102,300 |
| Maine | $101,760 |
| Georgia | $100,950 |
| Nevada | $100,570 |
| Illinois | $100,310 |
| Kansas | $100,090 |
| Alaska | $100,040 |
| Minnesota | $99,740 |
| South Dakota | $98,550 |
| Connecticut | $97,870 |
| Rhode Island | $96,990 |
| Indiana | $96,530 |
| Idaho | $95,640 |
| Utah | $95,640 |
| Oklahoma | $95,640 |
| Kentucky | $90,380 |
| Wyoming | $90,010 |
| Nebraska | $87,920 |
| New Hampshire | $87,420 |
| Mississippi | $86,380 |
| Wisconsin | $85,290 |
| Missouri | $84,250 |
| Montana | $78,690 |
| Arkansas | $77,830 |
| Louisiana | $75,560 |
| North Dakota | $69,640 |
| Tennessee | $65,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $42,250 |
Where Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Earn the Most
Compensation for geographic information systems technologists and technicians shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $126,964 | 25.0% | 1.54 |
| Middle Atlantic | $121,117 | 18.1% | 2.97 |
| Rocky Mountains | $108,235 | 3.6% | 0.97 |
| Southwest | $107,900 | 16.0% | 1.38 |
| New England | $102,646 | 2.6% | 0.65 |
| Southeast | $101,290 | 22.4% | 1.02 |
| Great Lakes | $97,392 | 6.3% | 0.61 |
| Plains States | $89,865 | 5.8% | 1.14 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $168,070 | 15,550 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $157,380 | 18,680 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $144,040 | 35,080 |
| Charlottesville, VA | VA | $142,150 | 140 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | MD | $139,940 | 420 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $138,090 | 1,020 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $134,230 | 10,400 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $133,680 | 9,110 |
Top Industries Employing Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians
The bulk of geographic information systems technologists and technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 130,160 | $106,200 |
| Information | 43,000 | $126,550 |
| Finance and Insurance | 28,690 | $126,080 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 25,660 | $127,600 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 24,880 | $96,000 |
| Manufacturing | 21,020 | $102,950 |
| Educational Services | 18,100 | $79,900 |
| Wholesale Trade | 13,130 | $100,550 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple iOS (hot technology)
- Content workflow software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Bootstrap (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of geographic information systems technologists and technicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Spend Time Sitting
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Telephone Conversations
How to Become Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians
This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Computer Systems Analysts (Primary-Long)
- Database Administrators (Supplemental)
- Database Architects (Primary-Long)
- Data Warehousing Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer Programmers (Supplemental)
- Software Developers (Supplemental)
- Computer Systems Engineers/Architects (Supplemental)
- Statisticians (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring geographic information systems technologists and technicians typically earn programs in:
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
5 programs across 5 majors
- Computer Science
- Computer Information Systems
- Information Science
- Information Technology
- Data Processing
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
4 programs across 4 majors
- Computational Science
- Human Computer Interaction
- Mathematics & Computer Science
- Accounting & Computer Science
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
2 programs across 1 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
Physical Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced 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: 15-1299.02 (Computer Occupations, All Other).
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