Also called: Mapmaker
Designs maps—for atlases, apps, national parks, newspapers, and the military.
Designs a trail map for a national park, choosing colors, fonts, and symbols so hikers can read it in a glance.
BLS cartographers & photogrammetrists, May 2024 (approx).
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, cartography, or GIS.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Geography, Cartography, Graphic Design.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). BLS 2024-34 (approx).
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Automated map generation and AI styling handle most routine maps; designers who check accuracy and craft special maps remain.
Classes: AP Human Geography, Art or graphic design, Computer applications.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-1021.
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.