Career Studio

Geographers

Study the nature and use of areas of the Earth's surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants, and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.

Meet the Writer: O*NET Occupational Analysts

Annual Salary
$97,200/ year
Median wage · BLS🇺🇸 USA

What You'll Actually Do

The core tasks and responsibilities that fill a typical day.

  • Create and modify maps, graphs, or diagrams, using geographical information software and related equipment, and principles of cartography, such as coordinate systems, longitude, latitude, elevation, topography, and map scales.
  • Write and present reports of research findings.
  • Develop, operate, and maintain geographical information computer systems, including hardware, software, plotters, digitizers, printers, and video cameras.
  • Locate and obtain existing geographic information databases.
  • Analyze geographic distributions of physical and cultural phenomena on local, regional, continental, or global scales.
  • Teach geography.
  • Gather and compile geographic data from sources such as censuses, field observations, satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and existing maps.
  • Conduct field work at outdoor sites.
  • Study the economic, political, and cultural characteristics of a specific region's population.
  • Provide consulting services in fields such as resource development and management, business location and market area analysis, environmental hazards, regional cultural history, and urban social planning.
  • Collect data on physical characteristics of specified areas, such as geological formations, climates, and vegetation, using surveying or meteorological equipment.
  • Provide geographical information systems support to the private and public sectors.