Occupation salary profile

Geographers

SOC 19-3092 BLS OEWS May 2025 H-1B LCAs, last 12 months

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.

National median · BLS
$102,040
▲ +4.98% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$75,462
▲ +4.76% YoY · 59 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$102,350
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
1,400
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 Geographers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 59 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$66,770$60,536
25th$80,290$65,249
Median (50th)$102,040$75,462
75th$121,870$98,354
90th — top pay$136,660$114,864
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $75,462 for Geographers — 26% below the BLS national median of $102,040.

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Geographers

BLS projects employment of geographers to decline 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
1,500 → 1,500
+0 jobs
Projected change
-2.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
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.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

H-1B sponsored pay

Pay by H-1B wage level

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 $75,462
Change vs prior year +4.76%
After inflation (CPI-U) +1.58%
Wage level LCAs Share P25 Median P75
Level I 25 42.4% $60,570 $65,000 $73,008
Level II 12 20.3% $71,397 $76,500 $90,892
Level III 12 20.3% $88,223 $101,258 $112,736
Skills & tools

Skills needed for Geographers

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 Comprehension4.1
  • 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
Top knowledge areas
  • Geography4.8
  • English Language3.8
  • Computers and Electronics3.8
  • Education and Training3.5
  • Sociology and Anthropology3.5
  • Mathematics3.0
  • History and Archeology2.9
  • Law and Government2.9
Software and technology used
Autodesk AutoCADESRI ArcGIS softwarePythonStructured query language SQLGeographic information system GIS softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsAdobe PhotoshopIBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordRSASThe MathWorks MATLABACD Systems CanvasAdobe Dreamweaver

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 geographers do

  • 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.
Also called
Earth Observations ScientistGeographerGIS Coordinator (Geographic Information Systems Coordinator)GIS Geographer (Geographic Information Systems Geographer)GIS Physical Scientist (Geographic Information Systems Physical Scientist)Scientist
More job titles for this occupation (9)
BiogeographerCultural Resources SpecialistEconomic GeographerGeomorphologistGlaciologistImagery AnalystNatural Resources SpecialistPhysical GeographerPolitical Geographer

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.