Also called: Mapping Technician, Cartographic Technician
Updates digital maps and location databases for cities, utilities, and surveyors.
You trace new streets and utility lines from aerial photos into the county's map system, and fix errors reported by the 911 center.
BLS surveying and mapping technicians median roughly $51k.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate or certificate in GIS.
Ways in: 2-year college, Certification. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: GIS (certificate), Geography.
Growing about average. Slow growth.
High risk for 10 years. AI now auto-draws roads, buildings and parcels from aerial images, replacing much manual map updating.
Classes: AP Human Geography, Computer applications.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-3031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.