Best degree programs for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists, ranked by enrollment
5 college programs and 337 schools train Cartographers and Photogrammetrists. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $81,390 median wage, 14,260 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
5 college programs at 337 schools train cartographers and photogrammetrists, graduating 5,326 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Geographic Information Science and Cartography. The job pays a median of $81,390 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About cartographers and photogrammetrists
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.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
5 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 45.0702 | 4,067 | 76.4% | 269 | $38,944 | $22,762 |
| 2 | CIP 15.1102 | 1,117 | 21.0% | 79 | $59,013 | — |
| 3 | CIP 14.3801 | 88 | 1.7% | 16 | $72,931 | — |
| 4 | CIP 29.0203 | 35 | 0.7% | 7 | $56,755 | $24,878 |
| 5 | CIP 43.0407 | 19 | 0.4% | 6 | $40,889 | $25,000 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What cartographers and photogrammetrists earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $102,780 | 1,450 | 0.87× | 44 | 546 |
| Texas | $73,970 | 1,780 | 1.38× | 19 | 449 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,180 | 140 | 0.26× | 14 | 362 |
| Arizona | $82,260 | 400 | 1.35× | 6 | 293 |
| Oregon | $88,240 | 640 | 3.53× | 10 | 270 |
| Washington | $96,100 | 870 | 2.68× | 10 | 257 |
| Ohio | $70,990 | 490 | 0.95× | 15 | 240 |
| Utah | $75,220 | 150 | 0.97× | 9 | 196 |
| Michigan | $75,090 | 250 | 0.61× | 15 | 177 |
| New York | $89,290 | 230 | 0.26× | 14 | 164 |
| Colorado | $86,960 | 1,220 | 4.61× | 7 | 163 |
| Florida | $79,650 | 610 | 0.67× | 7 | 142 |
| Georgia | $62,630 | 490 | 1.10× | 8 | 141 |
| Missouri | $76,950 | 170 | 0.65× | 7 | 116 |
| North Carolina | $81,080 | 900 | 1.98× | 8 | 116 |
| Maryland | $84,360 | 450 | 1.77× | 5 | 114 |
| Idaho | $72,930 | 100 | 1.25× | 6 | 106 |
| Minnesota | $99,850 | 100 | 0.39× | 12 | 106 |
| Kentucky | $71,470 | 90 | 0.51× | 6 | 94 |
| Illinois | $54,680 | 180 | 0.33× | 8 | 85 |
| Mainemoderate | $78,670 | 40 | 0.72× | 3 | 85 |
| Wyomingmoderate | $70,590 | 100 | 4.05× | 4 | 79 |
| Virginia | $86,660 | 860 | 2.28× | 10 | 76 |
| Wisconsin | $76,760 | 260 | 0.96× | 5 | 76 |
| Indiana | $74,800 | 40 | 0.12× | 5 | 70 |
| Oklahomamoderate | $86,410 | 70 | 0.44× | 3 | 70 |
| New Mexico | $79,200 | 70 | 0.86× | 6 | 65 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $84,100 | 150 | 0.94× | 4 | 54 |
| Massachusetts | $92,230 | 160 | 0.49× | 5 | 53 |
| Tennessee | $72,990 | 150 | 0.50× | 6 | 51 |
| Louisiana | $59,990 | — | — | 8 | 50 |
| New Jerseymoderate | $88,480 | 170 | 0.42× | 4 | 44 |
| Iowamoderate | $84,570 | 90 | 0.62× | 3 | 31 |
| South Dakotamoderate | $72,910 | 140 | 3.34× | 3 | 31 |
| Montanalimited | $72,220 | 160 | 3.43× | 2 | 20 |
| Kansaslimited | — | 230 | 1.75× | 2 | 19 |
| Nebraskamoderate | $81,500 | 50 | 0.58× | 3 | 16 |
| New Hampshirelimited | $72,130 | 70 | 1.14× | 2 | 14 |
| Alaskalimited | $89,170 | 60 | 2.04× | 2 | 13 |
| South Carolinalimited | $72,260 | 150 | 0.70× | 2 | 13 |
| Nevadalimited | $93,560 | 180 | 1.27× | 2 | 12 |
| North Dakotalimited | $71,070 | 80 | 1.94× | 1 | 11 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Compile data required for map preparation, including aerial photographs, survey notes, records, reports, and original maps.
- Delineate aerial photographic detail, such as control points, hydrography, topography, and cultural features, using precision stereoplotting apparatus or drafting instruments.
- Prepare and alter trace maps, charts, tables, detailed drawings, and three-dimensional optical models of terrain using stereoscopic plotting and computer graphics equipment.
- Study legal records to establish boundaries of local, national, and international properties.
- Inspect final compositions to ensure completeness and accuracy.
- Revise existing maps and charts, making all necessary corrections and adjustments.
- Identify, scale, and orient geodetic points, elevations, and other planimetric or topographic features, applying standard mathematical formulas.
- Collect information about specific features of the Earth, using aerial photography and other digital remote sensing techniques.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Writing3.5
- Active Listening3.4
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Mathematics2.9
Knowledge areas
- Geography4.5
- Computers and Electronics4.2
- English Language3.5
- Design3.4
- Mathematics3.3
- Customer and Personal Service2.9
Abilities
- Written Comprehension4.0
- Oral Comprehension3.9
- Near Vision3.9
- Inductive Reasoning3.6
- Deductive Reasoning3.5
- Oral Expression3.5
Core activities
- Getting Information4.9
- Working with Computers4.7
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.2
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.2
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.2
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.2
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Cartographer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 5 majors mapped to Cartographers and Photogrammetrists5 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 14.3801Surveying Engineering
- 15.1102Surveying Technology/Surveying
- 29.0203Signal/Geospatial Intelligence
- 43.0407Geospatial Intelligence
- 45.0702Geographic Information Science and Cartography
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Cartographer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Geographic Information Science and Cartography, which awarded 4,067 degrees in 2024-25, 76.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Cartographer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 5 programs to this occupation. The largest are Geography and Cartography, Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Surveying Engineering, Intelligence, plus 1 more. Together they graduate about 5,326 people a year.
How much do cartographers and photogrammetrists earn?+
The median is $81,390 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $53,740 at the 10th percentile to $126,950 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for cartographers and photogrammetrists growing?+
BLS projects a +6.4% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 1,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
337 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 5 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do cartographers and photogrammetrists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Cartographer, Stereo Compiler, Photogrammetrist, Photogrammetric Technician among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 17-1021.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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