Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
What Cartographers and Photogrammetrists Do
Research, study, and prepare maps and other spatial data in digital or graphic form for one or more purposes, such as legal, social, political, educational, and design purposes. May work with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). May design and evaluate algorithms, data structures, and user interfaces for GIS and mapping systems. May collect, analyze, and interpret geographic information provided by geodetic surveys, aerial photographs, and satellite data.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 2.3%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 4 of 5Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Job training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Geographyimportance 4.5/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 4.2/5
- English Languageimportance 3.5/5
- Designimportance 3.4/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.3/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.9/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.8/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.8/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled5.0/5
- E-Mail4.9/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.9/5
- Spend Time Sitting4.8/5
- Telephone Conversations4.7/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Medical Dosimetrists97% skill match
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants95% skill match
- Electrical and Electronics Drafters95% skill match
- Neurologists95% skill match
- Acupuncturists94% skill match
- Childcare Workers94% skill match
- Billing and Posting Clerks94% skill match
- Musicians and Singers94% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
- Systems Analysisimportance 2.9/5
- Instructingimportance 2.8/5
- Service Orientationimportance 2.8/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
In-Demand Technologies
Other Software Used
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Aerotriangulation adjustment software
- Aldus FreeHand
- Arbor Image Draftsman
- Autodesk World
- Bentley Systems InRoads Suite
- Boeing Kork Digital Mapping
- Boeing SoftPlotter
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Achievement Orientation
- Innovation
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- ConventionalHigh
- InvestigativeHigh
- RealisticMedium
- ArtisticMedium
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where cartographers and photogrammetrists make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Missoula, MT9.45× national avg
- 2Fort Collins-Loveland, CO6.32× national avg
- 3Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO5.32× national avg
- 4Boulder, CO4.71× national avg
- 5Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA4.37× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Architectural and Civil DraftersLateral Move
- Medical DosimetristsCareer Change
- Electrical and Electronics DraftersLateral Move
- Film and Video EditorsCareer Change
See the full career path from Cartographers and Photogrammetrists →
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
Geospatial Intelligence
- Farmingdale State College (Farmingdale, NY)grads earn ~$60,464
- The University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)
- Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, GA)
- University of Central Oklahoma (Edmond, OK)grads earn ~$54,876
- CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (New York, NY)grads earn ~$60,416
Geographic Information Science and Cartography
- Pennsylvania State University-World Campus (University Park, PA)
- Arizona State University Digital Immersion (Scottsdale, AZ)grads earn ~$65,759
- Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR)
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus (Seattle, WA)grads earn ~$64,950
- University of California-Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA)grads earn ~$67,521