Also called: Imagery Analyst, GEOINT Analyst
Studies satellite and drone images to spot military movements, weapons sites, and disasters.
Imagery analysts at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency compare satellite photos day by day, noticing a new missile launcher or a truck convoy. They also map disaster zones for rescue teams after hurricanes.
Federal GS or agency pay scale; DC-area locality pay is higher.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in geography, GIS, or a related field; Top Secret clearance.
Ways in: 4-year college, Military, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Geography, GIS, Remote Sensing, Geology, Computer Science.
Growing about average. Approximate.
High risk for 10 years. Computer vision now spots vehicles and changes in satellite images automatically; far fewer analysts needed per image.
Classes: AP Human Geography, AP Computer Science, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 15-1299.
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