Best states for a cartographer

Q: What is the best state for cartographers?

The best state to be a cartographer is New Jersey based on cartographer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for cartographers?

The highest paying state for cartographers is Oklahoma based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for cartographers?

The worst state for cartographers is Wyoming, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
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Do you want to become a cartographer at Defense Mapping Agency, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for cartographers that you can check out, before you begin your journey. This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for cartographer jobs.

We figured that the best places for cartographer jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.New Jersey is the best state, and South Portland is the city with the highest pay for cartographers.

10 best states for cartographers in 2026

1. New Jersey
Total cartographer jobs: 7
Average annual salary: $80,044
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000
Location Quotient:
1.4
Cartographer jobs in New Jersey
2. Pennsylvania
Total cartographer jobs: 7
Average annual salary: $74,272
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Cartographer jobs in Pennsylvania
3. Missouri
Total cartographer jobs: 11
Average annual salary: $72,651
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000
Location Quotient:
2.98
Cartographer jobs in Missouri
4. Maine
Total cartographer jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $83,751
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000
Location Quotient:
0
Cartographer jobs in Maine
5. New York
Total cartographer jobs: 1
Average annual salary: $80,247
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000
Location Quotient:
0.12
Cartographer jobs in New York
6. Mississippi
Total cartographer jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $73,957
Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000
Location Quotient:
0
Cartographer jobs in Mississippi
7. Connecticut
Total cartographer jobs: 3
Average annual salary: $72,715
Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000
Location Quotient:
1.44
Cartographer jobs in Connecticut
8. California
Total cartographer jobs: 18
Average annual salary: $78,167
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000
Location Quotient:
0.98
Cartographer jobs in California
9. Indiana
Total cartographer jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $72,700
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000
Location Quotient:
0
Cartographer jobs in Indiana
10. Nebraska
Total cartographer jobs: 1
Average annual salary: $71,450
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000
Location Quotient:
0.71
Cartographer jobs in Nebraska

Cartographer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a cartographer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a cartographer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Jersey	$80,044	$52,000	9,005,644	7
2	Pennsylvania	$74,272	$48,000	12,805,537	7
3	Missouri	$72,651	$48,000	6,113,532	11
4	Maine	$83,751	$54,000	1,335,907	0
5	New York	$80,247	$52,000	19,849,399	1
6	Mississippi	$73,957	$49,000	2,984,100	0
7	Connecticut	$72,715	$47,000	3,588,184	3
8	California	$78,167	$52,000	39,536,653	18
9	Indiana	$72,700	$48,000	6,666,818	0
10	Nebraska	$71,450	$48,000	1,920,076	1
11	Virginia	$73,111	$47,000	8,470,020	6
12	West Virginia	$66,771	$43,000	1,815,857	2
13	Wisconsin	$71,949	$47,000	5,795,483	1
14	New Hampshire	$73,019	$47,000	1,342,795	0
15	Rhode Island	$73,117	$47,000	1,059,639	0
16	Idaho	$68,073	$47,000	1,716,943	2
17	North Dakota	$71,647	$50,000	755,393	0
18	Utah	$70,982	$49,000	3,101,833	0
19	Kansas	$66,136	$44,000	2,913,123	3
20	Massachusetts	$73,140	$47,000	6,859,819	0
21	Alaska	$70,071	$55,000	739,795	1
22	Vermont	$71,837	$46,000	623,657	0
23	Illinois	$69,069	$45,000	12,802,023	8
24	Iowa	$66,917	$44,000	3,145,711	1
25	Delaware	$70,729	$45,000	961,939	0
26	Ohio	$66,114	$42,000	11,658,609	2
27	Michigan	$66,679	$43,000	9,962,311	1
28	Arizona	$65,111	$44,000	7,016,270	4
29	Alabama	$64,483	$42,000	4,874,747	2
30	Colorado	$64,736	$44,000	5,607,154	10
31	District of Columbia	$69,638	$45,000	693,972	1
32	Texas	$63,990	$42,000	28,304,596	18
33	Washington	$63,645	$44,000	7,405,743	10
34	Maryland	$69,913	$45,000	6,052,177	1
35	Tennessee	$61,889	$40,000	6,715,984	2
36	New Mexico	$60,727	$41,000	2,088,070	2
37	South Carolina	$63,353	$41,000	5,024,369	1
38	Kentucky	$62,417	$41,000	4,454,189	0
39	Minnesota	$63,290	$42,000	5,576,606	3
40	Nevada	$61,050	$41,000	2,998,039	1
41	North Carolina	$60,394	$39,000	10,273,419	6
42	Louisiana	$61,326	$40,000	4,684,333	1
43	Georgia	$49,629	$32,000	10,429,379	24
44	Arkansas	$60,519	$40,000	3,004,279	0
45	Oklahoma	$47,774	$32,000	3,930,864	3
46	South Dakota	$59,084	$40,000	869,666	0
47	Montana	$57,966	$42,000	1,050,493	0
48	Florida	$48,624	$33,000	20,984,400	14
49	Oregon	$51,614	$35,000	4,142,776	2
50	Hawaii	$54,853	$43,000	1,427,538	0
51	Wyoming	$53,939	$38,000	579,315	0

Highest paying states for cartographers

Rank	State	Avg. Cartographer Salary
1	New Jersey	$80,044
2	Pennsylvania	$74,272
3	Missouri	$72,651
4	Maine	$83,751
5	New York	$80,247
6	Mississippi	$73,957
7	Connecticut	$72,715
8	California	$78,167
9	Indiana	$72,700
10	Nebraska	$71,450
11	Virginia	$73,111
12	West Virginia	$66,771
13	Wisconsin	$71,949
14	New Hampshire	$73,019
15	Rhode Island	$73,117
16	Idaho	$68,073
17	North Dakota	$71,647
18	Utah	$70,982
19	Kansas	$66,136
20	Massachusetts	$73,140
21	Alaska	$70,071
22	Vermont	$71,837
23	Illinois	$69,069
24	Iowa	$66,917
25	Delaware	$70,729
26	Ohio	$66,114
27	Michigan	$66,679
28	Arizona	$65,111
29	Alabama	$64,483
30	Colorado	$64,736
31	District of Columbia	$69,638
32	Texas	$63,990
33	Washington	$63,645
34	Maryland	$69,913
35	Tennessee	$61,889
36	New Mexico	$60,727
37	South Carolina	$63,353
38	Kentucky	$62,417
39	Minnesota	$63,290
40	Nevada	$61,050
41	North Carolina	$60,394
42	Louisiana	$61,326
43	Georgia	$49,629
44	Arkansas	$60,519
45	Oklahoma	$47,774
46	South Dakota	$59,084
47	Montana	$57,966
48	Florida	$48,624
49	Oregon	$51,614
50	Hawaii	$54,853
51	Wyoming	$53,939

Cartographer best states FAQs

What is the best state for cartographers?

What is the highest paying state for cartographers?

What is the worst state for cartographers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

Search for cartographer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs

Total cartographer jobs:	7
Average annual salary:	$80,044
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$52,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$123,000
Location Quotient:	1.4

Best states for a cartographer

10 best states for cartographers in 2026

1. New Jersey

2. Pennsylvania

3. Missouri

4. Maine

5. New York

6. Mississippi

7. Connecticut

8. California

9. Indiana

10. Nebraska