Geographic Information Science

Types of Degrees Geographic Information Science Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many geographic information science graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Graduate Certificate	777
Master’s Degree	728
Doctor’s Degree	37

What Geographic Information Science Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, geographic information science majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Geographic Information Science Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

Skills for Geographic Information Science Majors

When studying geographic information science, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Geographic Information Science Majors

Geographic Information Science majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Geographic Information Science Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with geographic information science:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists	19.0%	$64,430
Compliance Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Geography Professors	8.0%	$80,350
Regulatory Affairs Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Supply Chain Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Wind Energy Project Managers	8.0%	$107,480

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Geographic Information Science?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 56% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of geographic information science majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	23
Black or African American	20
Hispanic or Latino	82
White	430
International Students	126
Other Races/Ethnicities	47

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Geographic Information Science, too. About 17.3% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Geographic Information Science

Some degrees associated with geographic information science may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to geographic information science have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.5%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	6.3%
Some College Courses	1.8%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	5.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	46.7%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	1.9%
Master’s Degree	13.1%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	3.0%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.7%
Doctoral Degree	19.0%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.1%

Online Geographic Information Science Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	38	5
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	52	6
Bachelor’s Degree	106	24
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	71	16
Post-Master’s	10	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	11	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Geographic Information Science

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to geographic information science.

Major	Number of Grads
Geography	3,742
Other Geography	212

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Couleur under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.