Geographers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $66,770 | $32.10 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $102,040 | $49.06 |
| Mean (average) | $102,350 | $49.21 |
| 90th percentile | $136,660 | $65.70 |
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
Geographers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 8 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $114,460 | $85,800 | $144,910 | 80 | 0.48 |
| Colorado | Data unavailable | 90 | 3.61 | ||
| Illinois | $92,640 | $63,330 | $125,650 | 40 | 0.8 |
| Maryland | $114,920 | $71,840 | $140,670 | 210 | 8.35 |
| Missouri | $102,040 | $75,800 | $126,440 | 40 | 1.4 |
| Texas | $79,170 | $62,890 | $114,550 | 180 | 1.39 |
| Virginia | $108,020 | $71,650 | $156,750 | 130 | 3.63 |
| Washington | $112,260 | $76,490 | $147,990 | 40 | 1.17 |
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 geographers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- 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 geographers
- 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
- Climate Science CIP 30.3501
- Earth Systems Science CIP 30.3801
- Environmental Geosciences CIP 30.4101
- Geography and Environmental Studies CIP 30.4401
- Geospatial Intelligence CIP 43.0407
- Geography CIP 45.0701
- Geographic Information Science and Cartography CIP 45.0702
- Geography, Other CIP 45.0799
- Geography and Anthropology CIP 45.1501
- Medical/Health Humanities CIP 51.3204
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Create and modify maps, graphs, or diagrams, using geographical information software and related equipment, and principles of cartography, such as coordinate systems, longitude, latitude, elevation, topography, and map scales.
- Gather and compile geographic data from sources such as censuses, field observations, satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and existing maps.
- Teach geography.
- Write and present reports of research findings.
- Provide geographical information systems support to the private and public sectors.
- Study the economic, political, and cultural characteristics of a specific region's population.
- Analyze geographic distributions of physical and cultural phenomena on local, regional, continental, or global scales.
- Develop, operate, and maintain geographical information computer systems, including hardware, software, plotters, digitizers, printers, and video cameras.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (in demand)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (in demand)
- Python (in demand)
- Structured query language SQL (in demand)
- Geographic information system GIS software (in demand)
- Geographic information system GIS systems (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- R (hot technology)
- SAS (hot technology)
- The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis, Instructing, Systems Evaluation, Social Perceptiveness.
Common job titles: Earth Observations Scientist, Geographer, GIS Coordinator (Geographic Information Systems Coordinator), GIS Geographer (Geographic Information Systems Geographer), GIS Physical Scientist (Geographic Information Systems Physical Scientist), Scientist.
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 geographers make?
The national median annual wage for geographers was $102,040 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $66,770 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $136,660. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do geographers 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 geographers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of geographers to change -2.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay geographers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Maryland ($114,920), California ($114,460), Washington ($112,260). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.