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The differences between cartographers and geographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a geographer has an average salary of $65,339, which is higher than the $62,172 average annual salary of a cartographer.
The top three skills for a cartographer include GIS, data collection and extraction. The most important skills for a geographer are spatial data, arcgis, and remote sensing.
| Cartographer | Geographer | |
| Yearly salary | $62,172 | $65,339 |
| Hourly rate | $29.89 | $31.41 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 390 | 1,646 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A cartographer is someone who makes charts and maps based on geodetic surveys and satellite images. This person usually works with the government or a construction company to create urban planning and infrastructure development plans. The cartographer is an essential part of the construction business as it is necessary to know the lay of the land to build structures and edifices properly. The cartographer works alongside the architect and the overall engineer in a construction project.
A geographer studies nature, land, and the earth's features. They gather geographic data through aerial field observations, maps, and satellite images. They conduct research through surveys, interviews, and other qualitative methods. They present the results of their research findings by writing reports. They may also advise others in using GIS, remote sensing, and GPS.
Cartographers and geographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cartographer | Geographer | |
| Average salary | $62,172 | $65,339 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $90,000 | Between $45,000 And $93,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Arlington, VA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Virginia |
| Best paying company | CoreLogic | |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Government |
There are a few differences between a cartographer and a geographer in terms of educational background:
| Cartographer | Geographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Geography | Geography |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between cartographers' and geographers' demographics:
| Cartographer | Geographer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% | Male, 74.2% Female, 25.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 8.1% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |