Remote Sensing Technicians in California
Considering working as a Remote Sensing Technicians in California? Below are the key facts. All life, physical, and social science technicians not listed separately.
What do Remote Sensing Technicians Make in California?
The remote sensing technicians working in California, the median annual wage is $75,780 per year (or about $36.43/hour).Earnings range from $46,220 at the 10th percentile to $105,030 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,220 | $22.22 |
| 25th percentile | $57,680 | $27.73 |
| Median (50th) | $75,780 | $36.43 |
| 75th percentile | $93,020 | $44.72 |
| 90th percentile | $105,030 | $50.49 |
The job concentration index in California compared to the national average — is 1.21, meaning that remote sensing technicians are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, remote sensing technicians earn a median of $99,834 per year ($48.00/hour), lower than the California median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 31,122 remote sensing technicians nationwide. In California alone, approximately 10,120 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 650 remote sensing technicians.
Top California Metros for Remote Sensing Technicians
The metro areas below employ the most remote sensing technicians in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,000 | $80,100 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,980 | $65,560 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 520 | $75,670 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 260 | $58,650 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 250 | $56,990 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 120 | $63,580 |
| Fresno, CA | 90 | $60,600 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 90 | $64,460 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 70 | $82,290 |
| Chico, CA | 50 | $49,960 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 40 | $52,530 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 40 | $58,380 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 40 | $61,550 |
Top States for Remote Sensing Technicians Employment
View the states that employ the most remote sensing technicians work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 10,120 |
| Texas | 7,670 |
| New York | 7,220 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,100 |
| Maryland | 3,080 |
| Virginia | 2,930 |
| Georgia | 2,830 |
| Florida | 2,810 |
| Missouri | 2,230 |
| North Carolina | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | 1,770 |
| Colorado | 1,660 |
| Louisiana | 1,650 |
| Ohio | 1,600 |
| Minnesota | 1,500 |
| Utah | 1,420 |
| Michigan | 1,260 |
| Oregon | 1,160 |
| Washington | 1,160 |
| Hawaii | 1,130 |
Highest-Paying States for Remote Sensing Technicians
These states pay the most for remote sensing technicians.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $75,780 |
| Oklahoma | $73,940 |
| Connecticut | $72,090 |
| District of Columbia | $70,680 |
| Washington | $70,650 |
| Alaska | $68,600 |
| Maryland | $67,040 |
| North Carolina | $66,090 |
| North Dakota | $65,800 |
| Georgia | $65,070 |
Skills
Key remote sensing technicians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for remote sensing technicians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Remote Sensing Technicians typically:
- Collect geospatial data, using technologies such as aerial photography, light and radio wave detection systems, digital satellites, or thermal energy systems.
- Verify integrity and accuracy of data contained in remote sensing image analysis systems.
- Integrate remotely sensed data with other geospatial data.
- Consult with remote sensing scientists, surveyors, cartographers, or engineers to determine project needs.
- Adjust remotely sensed images for optimum presentation by using software to select image displays, define image set categories, or choose processing routines.
- Manipulate raw data to enhance interpretation, either on the ground or during remote sensing flights.
- Merge scanned images or build photo mosaics of large areas, using image processing software.
- Participate in the planning or development of mapping projects.
- Prepare documentation or presentations, including charts, photos, or graphs.
- Correct raw data for errors due to factors such as skew or atmospheric variation.
- Calibrate data collection equipment.
- Develop or maintain geospatial information databases.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Getting Information
- Processing Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Photoshop, AJAX, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2, Amazon Web Services AWS software, Ansible software, Atlassian Confluence In-demand technologies: C, C++
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
- Criminal Justice & Corrections
- Security Science and Technology
- Criminology
- Other Science Technologies
- General Science Technologies
- Physical Science Technicians
- Atmospheric Sciences
- Materials Sciences
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Related occupations to remote sensing technicians include:
- Software Developers
- Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
- Surveyors
- Geodetic Surveyors
- Aerospace Engineers
Also Known As
Commercial Drone Operator, Commercial Drone Pilot, Commercial Drone Technician, Digital Cartographic Technician, Document Image Technician, Drone Operator, Drone Pilot, Drone Technician, Geospatial Extractor, Geospatial Technician (Geospatial Tech), Image Scientist, Imagery Analyst, LIDAR Analyst (Light Detection and Ranging Analyst), LIDAR Technician (Light Detection and Ranging Technician), Locate Technician (Locate Tech).
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 19-4099.03