Cartographers and photogrammetrists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $53,740 | $25.84 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $81,390 | $39.13 |
| Mean (average) | $86,690 | $41.68 |
| 90th percentile | $126,950 | $61.03 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Cartographers and photogrammetrists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 42 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $89,170 | $69,610 | $116,900 | 60 | 2.04 |
| Arizona | $82,260 | $58,400 | $114,770 | 400 | 1.35 |
| California | $102,780 | $63,080 | $135,490 | 1,450 | 0.87 |
| Colorado | $86,960 | $61,060 | $130,310 | 1,220 | 4.61 |
| Connecticut | $84,100 | $52,470 | $122,430 | 150 | 0.94 |
| Florida | $79,650 | $59,410 | $109,110 | 610 | 0.67 |
| Georgia | $62,630 | $39,090 | $94,330 | 490 | 1.1 |
| Idaho | $72,930 | $51,790 | $96,100 | 100 | 1.25 |
| Illinois | $54,680 | $47,480 | $104,720 | 180 | 0.33 |
| Indiana | $74,800 | $40,860 | $98,380 | 40 | 0.12 |
| Iowa | $84,570 | $57,600 | $105,300 | 90 | 0.62 |
| Kansas | Data unavailable | 230 | 1.75 | ||
| Kentucky | $71,470 | $46,970 | $105,950 | 90 | 0.51 |
| Louisiana | $59,990 | $55,870 | $101,400 | ||
| Maine | $78,670 | $52,580 | $102,430 | 40 | 0.72 |
| Maryland | $84,360 | $58,870 | $131,810 | 450 | 1.77 |
| Massachusetts | $92,230 | $72,770 | $158,370 | 160 | 0.49 |
| Michigan | $75,090 | $57,720 | $98,350 | 250 | 0.61 |
| Minnesota | $99,850 | $71,620 | $125,660 | 100 | 0.39 |
| Missouri | $76,950 | $50,290 | $116,430 | 170 | 0.65 |
| Montana | $72,220 | $44,590 | $91,560 | 160 | 3.43 |
| Nebraska | $81,500 | $45,410 | $119,620 | 50 | 0.58 |
| Nevada | $93,560 | $67,040 | $121,000 | 180 | 1.27 |
| New Hampshire | $72,130 | $43,850 | $104,990 | 70 | 1.14 |
| New Jersey | $88,480 | $63,790 | $122,660 | 170 | 0.42 |
| New Mexico | $79,200 | $48,040 | $113,970 | 70 | 0.86 |
| New York | $89,290 | $37,530 | $126,170 | 230 | 0.26 |
| North Carolina | $81,080 | $59,110 | $99,270 | 900 | 1.98 |
| North Dakota | $71,070 | $37,390 | $97,910 | 80 | 1.94 |
| Ohio | $70,990 | $47,400 | $103,000 | 490 | 0.95 |
| Oklahoma | $86,410 | $61,570 | $132,220 | 70 | 0.44 |
| Oregon | $88,240 | $61,460 | $121,560 | 640 | 3.53 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,180 | $53,490 | $102,820 | 140 | 0.26 |
| South Carolina | $72,260 | $49,280 | $103,220 | 150 | 0.7 |
| South Dakota | $72,910 | $42,300 | $96,600 | 140 | 3.34 |
| Tennessee | $72,990 | $59,070 | $100,630 | 150 | 0.5 |
| Texas | $73,970 | $43,040 | $138,390 | 1,780 | 1.38 |
| Utah | $75,220 | $50,100 | $109,990 | 150 | 0.97 |
| Virginia | $86,660 | $59,480 | $122,480 | 860 | 2.28 |
| Washington | $96,100 | $66,250 | $128,100 | 870 | 2.68 |
| Wisconsin | $76,760 | $54,400 | $112,510 | 260 | 0.96 |
| Wyoming | $70,590 | $52,490 | $85,730 | 100 | 4.05 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for cartographers and photogrammetrists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for cartographers and photogrammetrists
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Surveying Engineering CIP 14.3801
- Surveying Technology/Surveying CIP 15.1102
- Signal/Geospatial Intelligence CIP 29.0203
- Geospatial Intelligence CIP 43.0407
- Geographic Information Science and Cartography CIP 45.0702
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Compile data required for map preparation, including aerial photographs, survey notes, records, reports, and original maps.
- Delineate aerial photographic detail, such as control points, hydrography, topography, and cultural features, using precision stereoplotting apparatus or drafting instruments.
- Prepare and alter trace maps, charts, tables, detailed drawings, and three-dimensional optical models of terrain using stereoscopic plotting and computer graphics equipment.
- Study legal records to establish boundaries of local, national, and international properties.
- Inspect final compositions to ensure completeness and accuracy.
- Revise existing maps and charts, making all necessary corrections and adjustments.
- Identify, scale, and orient geodetic points, elevations, and other planimetric or topographic features, applying standard mathematical formulas.
- Collect information about specific features of the Earth, using aerial photography and other digital remote sensing techniques.
Technology skills
- ESRI ArcGIS software (in demand)
- Geographic information system GIS systems (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- C (hot technology)
- Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- JavaScript Object Notation JSON (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Time Management, Systems Analysis.
Common job titles: Aerial Photogrammetrist, Cartographer, Cartographic Designer, Digital Cartographer, Mapper, Photogrammetric Technician, Photogrammetrist, Stereo Compiler, Stereoplotter Operator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do cartographers and photogrammetrists make?
The national median annual wage for cartographers and photogrammetrists was $81,390 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $53,740 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $126,950. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do cartographers and photogrammetrists need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is cartographers and photogrammetrists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of cartographers and photogrammetrists to change +7.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay cartographers and photogrammetrists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($102,780), Minnesota ($99,850), Washington ($96,100). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.