Photo: Rémih (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Job description
Geographers research both the physical side of a place, like its landforms, climate, soils, and wildlife, and the human side, including economic activity, social patterns, and political organization, then examine how nearby or distant regions influence one another. Day to day, that means gathering data from censuses, satellite imagery, aerial photos, and field observation, then building maps and diagrams using geographic information software and cartographic principles like coordinate systems and topography. Many geographers also teach, write up research findings, or provide GIS support to private companies and government agencies.
Pros
- Only a bachelor's degree required to enter the field
- Work blends technical GIS and mapping skills with research and writing, useful across many industries
- Pay can reach over $136k for those who apply geographic analysis skills in specialized private-sector roles
Cons
- Employment in this field is projected to shrink over the next decade (-3.1%)
- An extremely small number of positions nationwide, among the smallest of any occupation, so opportunities are tightly limited
- Above-average hours, expect more than a standard 40-hour work week
A typical day
The morning project is a county food-access study: the geographer layers grocery locations, transit routes, and census income data in GIS, and the map that emerges shows two neighborhoods where a bus ride to fresh food takes ninety minutes. Midday is fieldwork — ground-truthing the map by actually riding the route and interviewing shoppers, because spatial data lies without local knowledge. The afternoon goes to writing up findings for the planning commission and building an interactive map the public can explore. A geographer's week might touch climate exposure, migration, or retail siting; the constant is the question underneath every project: why is this happening here and not there?
Tasks at the job
- 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.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens indoors in a climate-controlled setting, and most of the day is spent sitting at a desk.
There's a regular, moderate amount of time pressure, and you're expected to exercise significant independent judgment day to day. The work is highly structured, following set procedures.
Education necessary or common
Bachelor's degree
Common college majors
Licenses & certifications
- GIS Professional (GISP) later in career
- Esri technical certifications
- Drone (FAA Part 107) license adds field capability
Career path
Related fields
Courses to take
- AP Human Geography — the discipline's own survey course, available now
- AP Environmental Science — physical geography's modern frame
- AP Statistics — spatial analysis is statistics with coordinates
- Computer Science — GIS careers reward code
- AP World History — regions have histories
Clubs, activities & competitions
- Geography Bee and quiz bowl
- Model UN — regional knowledge applied
- Science Olympiad earth science events
- A mapping project for a local cause (trail maps, accessibility maps)
First steps you can take now
- Learn free GIS software (QGIS) and make one real map of your town this month
- Take AP Human Geography as early as your school allows
- Explore census data on data.census.gov and map one pattern that surprises you
- Interview a planner or GIS analyst at your city
