All careersEngineering & science

Cartographer / GIS Specialist

$78,380
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Collect and analyze geographic data to build maps and digital mapping systems.

Where you work

Offices, with some fieldwork

The hours

Full time, regular hours

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$78,380
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~1,000
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+6%
Faster than average
Working in the U.S.
13,400
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's in geography, GIS, or surveying.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

What it takes

GIS softwareData analysisGeographyAttention to detail

The honest take

Builds maps and analyzes geographic data, work that increasingly runs on GIS software.

Standard Occupational Classification 17-1021. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.