The Salary of a GPS Geographer
GPS geographers use digital technology such as global positioning systems and geographic information systems to analyze area’s of the Earth’s surface, in terms of both its physical properties and human phenomenon. They might study land and water formations, wildlife movements, human population growth or traffic patterns. GPS geographers might also use this technology to assess the impact of natural or man-made disasters on an area.
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Average Salary
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For its May 2010 analysis of national employment, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics classified GPS geographers alongside their fellow geographic practitioners. It concluded that the mean annual salary across the profession was $72,890, which translates into an hourly rate of $35.05. Those in the top 10 percent of earners received wages in excess of $102,440, while their equivalents in the bottom 10 percent earned less than $42,450 per year.
Salary by Industry
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The largest numbers of geographers work for the federal executive branch, according to the bureau’s statistics. The mean annual wage within this sector of the industry was $76,770. Those individuals working for architectural, engineering and related services earned a mean of $72,990, while geographers working in academia – colleges, universities and professional schools – received a mean wage of $53,780. The highest pay rates were offered by scientific research and development services, with a reported mean of $84,360.
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Salary by Location
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The bureau listed Virginia as the state in which geographers of all kinds, including GPS specialists, earned the best pay rates, with an annual mean of $90,120. New York and Massachusetts were also comparatively lucrative locations, with respective averages of $87,380 and $87,050. Rates were similar between Illinois and California -- $73,680 and $71,330, respectively – while Arizona was listed among the lowest-paying areas, with an annual mean of just $64,850.
Outlook
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment of geographers to increase by around 26 percent from 2008 to 2018. This is faster growth than predicted for the nation as a whole, between 7 and 13 percent over the same time. The federal government will continue to be the biggest employer, and geographers will increasingly be needed to advise on environmental issues, such as landfill and the protection of habitat. As such, wage levels for the role should remain competitive.
Cartographers
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Some geographers work compiling the data that makes up GPS information. These are classified as cartographers by the bureau. It lists the mean annual salary for cartographers – and their colleagues, photogrammetrists – as $60,970. The vast majority work within either architectural, engineering and related services or local government agencies, which had respective means of $56,940 and $55,520. The most lucrative state for cartographers was Texas, with a reported mean of $95,730 while, in contrast, Alabama had a yearly rate of $43,640. Job growth for the role was put at 19 percent between 2008 and 2018.
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References
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