How to become a Cartographer or Photogrammetrist
Official title: Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
Also called: Aerial Photogrammetrist, Cartographer, Cartographic Designer, Digital Cartographer, Mapper, Photogrammetric Technician, Photogrammetrist, Stereo Compiler, Stereoplotter Operator
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.
Main tasks
- 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.
How to become one
Cartographers and photogrammetrists typically need a bachelor's degree in cartography, geography, geomatics, surveying, or a related field.
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Drafter, Cartographic.
- Apprenticeship: Geospatial Specialist.
- College: Architecture & Built Environment degrees, Offered by 15 universities in the US
- College: Agriculture & Environment degrees, Offered by 26 universities in the US
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $81,390 a year The middle half earn $65,670 to $101,960.
- About 14,700 people work in this job now, and about 15,700 are projected by 2035. (+7.4%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Cartographer or Photogrammetrist?
Cartographers and photogrammetrists typically need a bachelor's degree in cartography, geography, geomatics, surveying, or a related field.
How much does a Cartographer or Photogrammetrist earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $81,390 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $65,670 to $101,960.
Is a Cartographer or Photogrammetrist a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 7% by 2035, from about 14,700 to about 15,700 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Cartographer or Photogrammetrist?
Usually. 84% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Cartographer or Photogrammetrist?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the 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.