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Geospatial Information Science (GIS) encompasses the creation, collection, management, and visualization of location data. Careers in this field are vast and diverse, as spatial data applications proliferate across industries, such as urban planning, environmental science, and business analytics. A wide range of professions utilize GIS technology, each offering unique work environments, learning opportunities, and salary ranges. Chances are good there’s a GIS career path that aligns with your chosen discipline, suiting your goals and allowing your strengths to shine!
Here you’ll find an overview of the GIS career landscape and links to detailed career guides on the various roles in the field.
Evolution of the GIS Career Landscape
Although traditional geography is one of the world’s oldest academic disciplines, GIS is a relatively new field. Geospatial technology has rapidly evolved over the last three decades, with high-resolution imagery, large online data repositories, and powerful home computers that bring this technology into the hands of countless users. No longer is GIS reserved for highly specialized micro-industries; it has made its way into huge sectors, such as transportation, climate science, and government.
With 95% of U.S. universities offering GIS courses, trends show that more students than ever are choosing to pursue GIS degrees. In addition to the hundreds of universities that offer these programs, related courses are available in many adjacent departments too. GIS pairs well with environmental science, anthropology, math, and software development. Esri’s software, the preeminent mapping platform ArcGIS, is currently being used in more than 6,500 universities worldwide, encouraging spatial problem-solving, data visualization, and trend analysis in countless use cases.
Those who choose to pursue GIS careers after graduation will earn between $47,000 and $165,000 a year, in an assortment of different professional environments.
As with the continued expansion of the digital landscape at large, GIS has room to grow. Artificial intelligence and machine learning will only enhance the power of geospatial tools to gather influential insights using location-based data. With growing populations, changing climate, and defense and intelligence concerns, the need for monitoring spatial patterns is only expanding.
Find a Career in GIS
The beauty of GIS is the diversity of options available. Whether you’d like to work outdoors, as part of a team, or trying something new every day, there is a GIS career for you. Upward mobility is possible with most of these roles, as long as you keep an open mind and committed to learning on the job. Analysts, for example, can evolve into managers, and technicians into developers. GIS can lead to a customized and fulfilling career for many.
The following career pages break down what each role entails, how to land the job, and insights into future career prospects.
GIS Technician
The title of technician refers to an entry-level professional with enough technical knowledge to accomplish basic tasks and a willingness to solve problems on the fly. Particularly when it comes to GIS, this may include field work, digitizing satellite imagery, georeferencing maps, or running geoprocessing tools.
GIS Analyst
GIS analyst is one of the most popular job titles in the industry, and it can be applied to junior or senior staff. This role can incorporate mapmaking, model-building, and spatial statistics. Slightly more advanced than technicians, analysts possess a comprehensive understanding of the data’s structure and how to use it to generate meaningful analysis.
GIS Specialist
Like many other GIS roles, a GIS specialist collects, creates, and visualizes data for maps and analysis. In particular, the term is usually reserved for experts who are embedded in an organization that isn’t otherwise GIS-focused. These roles are becoming increasingly popular as GIS expands into new sectors, enabling companies to recognize and maximize the power of spatial technology for their business.
GIS Manager
As the name suggests, a GIS manager leads a team of GIS professionals. In addition to anticipating and delegating tasks to their staff, they are responsible for developing and maintaining data and applications for the organization, meaning they must have a thorough grasp of the team’s goals, project objectives, and timelines.
GIS Developer
Programming and scripting are rapidly growing components of the GIS industry. GIS developers automate complex spatial processes, build web applications, and maintain software and data storage at scale. This is a higher-paying role in the industry, which could be right for you if coupling spatial analysis with computer science is your sweet spot.
Geospatial Data Scientist
Like GIS developers, geospatial data scientists work with large-scale data, extracting valuable insights using automated statistical techniques. If you have a strong math background, with an interest in coding, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, a role in geospatial data science could be a good fit.
Cartographer
Modern cartography is less about mapping uncharted territory and more about bringing creativity to the constantly growing data repository we have at our fingertips. Although many GIS professionals implement components of cartography into their jobs, cartographers sit at the intersection of art and science.
Photogrammetrist
Photogrammetry blends together cartography, remote sensing, and surveying. These scientists may use aerial photography to measure distances between objects and conduct remote sensing analysis on satellite imagery. Then, alongside engineers, architects, and planners, they explore the results.
Remote Sensing Analyst
Remote sensing is a science dedicated to evaluating and extracting information from satellite imagery. In addition to true-color photos, remotely sensed data can include thermal, Lidar, and atmospheric information—all of which remote sensing analysts use to track patterns and evaluate on-the-ground conditions from afar.
Surveyor (e.g., Land Surveyor)
Surveying is a long-standing career path that involves precision mapping, field work, and technical proficiency with specialized equipment. Whether you’re using radar tools to map underground cables or establishing the boundaries of a construction site or plot, surveying is a highly regulated job, vital to the development, real estate, and utility industries.
Urban Planner
Urban planners develop localized programs based on the needs of a particular region. They use GIS software to identify trends in their cities, plan for emergencies, and create greater efficiency for a healthier and more sustainable community. GIS can be useful to city planners when developing climate resiliency, building new transportation routes, or analyzing patterns in the population.