Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians: Career Overview
Assist scientists or related professionals in building, maintaining, modifying, or using geographic information systems (GIS) databases. May also perform some custom application development or provide user support.
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What Tasks Do Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of geographic information systems technologists and technicians cover:
- Produce data layers, maps, tables, or reports, using spatial analysis procedures or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, equipment, or systems.
- Design or prepare graphic representations of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, using GIS hardware or software applications.
- Maintain or modify existing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases.
- Provide technical expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to clients or users.
- Perform computer programming, data analysis, or software development for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications, including the maintenance of existing systems or research and development for future enhancements.
- Enter data into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases, using techniques such as coordinate geometry, keyboard entry of tabular data, manual digitizing of maps, scanning or automatic conversion to vectors, or conversion of other sources of digital data.
- Review existing or incoming data for currency, accuracy, usefulness, quality, or completeness of documentation.
- Perform geospatial data building, modeling, or analysis, using advanced spatial analysis, data manipulation, or cartography software.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective geographic information systems technologists and technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.### Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- CADD GIS Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Geographic Information Systems Technician)
- Cartographic Technician
- Conversion Specialist
- Field GIS Technician (Field Geographic Information Systems Technician)
- GIS Consultant (Geographic Information Systems Consultant)
- GIS Specialist (Geographic Information Systems Specialist)
- GIS Technician (Geographic Information Systems Technician)
- Geographic Information System Analyst (GIS Analyst)
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 540,311 geographic information systems technologists and technicians working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -1.9% over the projection horizon.
Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $82,846 |
| Hourly median | $39.83 |
| 10th percentile | $46,560 |
| 25th percentile | $64,703 |
| 75th percentile | $100,988 |
| 90th percentile | $119,131 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | $179,830 |
| Maryland | $141,540 |
| District of Columbia | $137,610 |
| Virginia | $132,810 |
| Delaware | $132,670 |
| Washington | $131,800 |
| California | $128,750 |
| Colorado | $119,560 |
| West Virginia | $113,030 |
| Hawaii | $112,050 |
| Arizona | $112,010 |
| Vermont | $109,220 |
| Texas | $108,170 |
| North Carolina | $106,240 |
| Massachusetts | $105,890 |
| New York | $105,210 |
| Ohio | $104,330 |
| Alabama | $104,330 |
| South Carolina | $104,330 |
| New Jersey | $103,910 |
| Iowa | $103,690 |
| Oregon | $102,940 |
| Florida | $102,750 |
| New Mexico | $102,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $102,330 |
| Michigan | $102,300 |
| Maine | $101,760 |
| Georgia | $100,950 |
| Nevada | $100,570 |
| Illinois | $100,310 |
| Kansas | $100,090 |
| Alaska | $100,040 |
| Minnesota | $99,740 |
| South Dakota | $98,550 |
| Connecticut | $97,870 |
| Rhode Island | $96,990 |
| Indiana | $96,530 |
| Idaho | $95,640 |
| Utah | $95,640 |
| Oklahoma | $95,640 |
| Kentucky | $90,380 |
| Wyoming | $90,010 |
| Nebraska | $87,920 |
| New Hampshire | $87,420 |
| Mississippi | $86,380 |
| Wisconsin | $85,290 |
| Missouri | $84,250 |
| Montana | $78,690 |
| Arkansas | $77,830 |
| Louisiana | $75,560 |
| North Dakota | $69,640 |
| Tennessee | $65,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $42,250 |
Where Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Earn the Most
Earnings for geographic information systems technologists and technicians shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $126,964 | 25.0% | 1.54 |
| Middle Atlantic | $121,117 | 18.1% | 2.97 |
| Rocky Mountains | $108,235 | 3.6% | 0.97 |
| Southwest | $107,900 | 16.0% | 1.38 |
| New England | $102,646 | 2.6% | 0.65 |
| Southeast | $101,290 | 22.4% | 1.02 |
| Great Lakes | $97,392 | 6.3% | 0.61 |
| Plains States | $89,865 | 5.8% | 1.14 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $168,070 | 15,550 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $157,380 | 18,680 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $144,040 | 35,080 |
| Charlottesville, VA | VA | $142,150 | 140 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | MD | $139,940 | 420 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $138,090 | 1,020 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $134,230 | 10,400 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $133,680 | 9,110 |
Top Industries Employing Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians
The bulk of geographic information systems technologists and technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 130,160 | $106,200 |
| Information | 43,000 | $126,550 |
| Finance and Insurance | 28,690 | $126,080 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 25,660 | $127,600 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 24,880 | $96,000 |
| Manufacturing | 21,020 | $102,950 |
| Educational Services | 18,100 | $79,900 |
| Wholesale Trade | 13,130 | $100,550 |
Software Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple iOS (hot technology)
- Content workflow software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Bootstrap (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for geographic information systems technologists and technicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Spend Time Sitting
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Telephone Conversations
Getting Started in This Career
This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Computer Systems Analysts (Primary-Long)
- Database Administrators (Supplemental)
- Database Architects (Primary-Long)
- Data Warehousing Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer Programmers (Supplemental)
- Software Developers (Supplemental)
- Computer Systems Engineers/Architects (Supplemental)
- Statisticians (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Aspiring geographic information systems technologists and technicians often complete programs in:
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
5 programs across 5 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 15-1299.02 (Computer Occupations, All Other).
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