Careers / Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians

Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians — Career Decision Dashboard

United States

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Median annual wage

$116,580

United States, 2025

Employment

435,370

United States, 2025

Typical education

Not recorded

Job Zone 4

Skills identified

35

10 related careers

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.

O*NET code
15-1299.02
Job zone
4
Experience required
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

Typical tasks

  • Review existing or incoming data for currency, accuracy, usefulness, quality, or completeness of documentation.
  • Produce data layers, maps, tables, or reports, using spatial analysis procedures or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, equipment, or systems.
  • Maintain or modify existing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases.
  • Select cartographic elements needed for effective presentation of information.
  • 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.
  • Interpret aerial or ortho photographs.
  • Create, analyze, report, convert, or transfer data, using specialized applications program software.
  • Design, program, or model Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications or procedures.

Choose a location

Salary analysis — United States

$55,940
10th
$79,370
25th
$116,580
Median
$157,500
75th
$188,470
90th

10th percentile

$55,940

25th percentile

$79,370

75th percentile

$157,500

90th percentile

$188,470

Most important skills

  • Reading Comprehension3.9
  • Complex Problem Solving3.6
  • Critical Thinking3.6
  • Active Listening3.5
  • Monitoring3.4
  • Writing3.4
  • Speaking3.4
  • Active Learning3.1
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.1
  • Coordination3.0
  • Programming2.9
  • Quality Control Analysis2.9

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 10 identified skills

Matched

0

Missing

10

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

SkillImportanceRequired levelYour levelGap
Reading Comprehension3.94.0Not selected4.0
Critical Thinking3.64.0Not selected4.0
Complex Problem Solving3.63.6Not selected3.6
Active Listening3.53.5Not selected3.5
Monitoring3.43.6Not selected3.6
Writing3.43.4Not selected3.4
Speaking3.43.3Not selected3.3
Active Learning3.13.5Not selected3.5
Judgment and Decision Making3.13.4Not selected3.4
Coordination3.03.0Not selected3.0

Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.

Related careers

How salary varies by location

LocationMedianEmploymentYear
San Jose, CA$184,43016,6802025
San Francisco, CA$161,70016,9302025
Denver, CO$160,5207,8502025
Washington, DC$156,6402025
DC$156,59017,2002025
Hagerstown, MD$148,7003502025
Boulder, CO$147,5901,1202025
Lexington Park, MD$144,6801,0002025
MD$144,68019,0602025
Charlottesville, VA$144,5802202025
Bridgeport, CT$140,7508002025
CO$139,58011,8002025
VA$139,03017,0002025
DE$137,4708602025
Seattle, WA$136,12010,7102025
Baltimore, MD$135,6009,0102025
CA$134,44080,1502025
Salinas, CA$131,7305002025
Charleston, SC$131,6001,5902025
Columbus, OH$129,9402,4102025
All locations with published data

Career transition paths

Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.

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Career 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.