Geographers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
Opens your browser print dialog — choose “Save as PDF”.
Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$102,040
United States, 2025
Employment
1,400
United States, 2025
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Job Zone 4
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Study the nature and use of areas of the Earth's surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants, and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.
- O*NET code
- 19-3092.00
- Job zone
- 4
- Experience required
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$66,770
25th percentile
$80,290
75th percentile
$121,870
90th percentile
$136,660
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Writing4.1
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Active Listening3.8
- Active Learning3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6
- Complex Problem Solving3.5
- Science3.4
- Systems Analysis3.4
- Systems Evaluation3.1
- Learning Strategies3.1
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 19 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
19
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writing | 4.1 | 4.9 | Not selected | 4.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 | 4.8 | Not selected | 4.8 |
| Speaking | 4.0 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.6 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.5 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Science | 3.4 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Instructing | 3.1 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $53,350
Compare with GeographersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $118,290 | 280 | 2025 |
| MD | $114,920 | 210 | 2025 |
| CA | $114,460 | 80 | 2025 |
| WA | $112,260 | 40 | 2025 |
| VA | $108,020 | 130 | 2025 |
| Baltimore, MD | $104,770 | 30 | 2025 |
| MO | $102,040 | 40 | 2025 |
| IL | $92,640 | 40 | 2025 |
| TX | $79,170 | 180 | 2025 |
| Austin, TX | $76,000 | 120 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Geographers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.