SOC 17-1021BLS OEWS May 2025H-1B LCAs, last 12 months
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.
National median · BLS
$81,390
▲ +3.84%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$75,854
▲ +1.82%YoY · 36 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$86,690
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
14,260
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 36 certified Labor Condition Applications filed by sponsoring employers in the last 12 months.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
H-1B sponsored
10th — entry pay
$53,740
$60,351
25th
$65,670
$66,811
Median (50th)
$81,390
$75,854
75th
$101,960
$86,275
90th — top pay
$126,950
$116,000
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $75,854 for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists —
6.8% below
the BLS national median of $81,390.
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
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Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
BLS projects employment of cartographers and photogrammetrists to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 900 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
14,700 → 15,700
+1,100 jobs
Projected change
+7.4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
900
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
Self-employed
1.2% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 4)
Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Employers assign every H-1B filing a Department of Labor prevailing-wage level, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). Pay rises steeply with level.
H-1B median$75,854
Change vs prior year+1.82%
After inflation (CPI-U)-1.27%
Wage level
LCAs
Share
P25
Median
P75
Level I
11
30.6%
$60,460
$65,650
$78,707
Level II
16
44.4%
$69,300
$72,500
$83,804
Top H-1B sponsors for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
Employers with the most certified LCAs for this occupation nationwide. Browse all sponsors →
Employer
Certified LCAs
Median
Profile
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Reading Comprehension4.0
Critical Thinking3.5
Writing3.5
Active Listening3.4
Active Learning3.3
Complex Problem Solving3.1
Judgment and Decision Making3.1
Monitoring3.1
Speaking3.1
Coordination3.0
Top knowledge areas
Geography4.5
Computers and Electronics4.2
English Language3.5
Design3.4
Mathematics3.3
Customer and Personal Service2.9
Engineering and Technology2.8
Education and Training2.8
Software and technology used
ESRI ArcGIS softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsAdobe AcrobatAdobe Creative Cloud softwareAdobe IllustratorAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopAutodesk AutoCADBentley MicroStationCExtensible markup language XMLJavaScript Object Notation JSONMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft SharePoint
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 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.
About the job
What cartographers and photogrammetrists do
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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Cartographers and Photogrammetrists, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $81,390.
