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Job outlook for geographers in the United States
Are geographer jobs in demand?
Geographer job and salary trends over time
Geographer jobs over time
Geographer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,246 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,255 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,212 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,203 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,212 | 0.00% |
Average geographer salary over time
Geographer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $65,339 | $31.41 | +4.8% |
| 2025 | $62,364 | $29.98 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $61,416 | $29.53 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $58,785 | $28.26 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $56,796 | $27.31 | - |
Geographer jobs by state
Most common states for geographers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 38 | 3% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 23 | 3% |
| 3 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 76 | 2% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 23 | 2% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 16 | 2% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 14 | 2% |
| 7 | Vermont | 623,657 | 13 | 2% |
| 8 | California | 39,536,653 | 298 | 1% |
| 9 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 80 | 1% |
| 10 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 49 | 1% |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 49 | 1% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 41 | 1% |
| 13 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 30 | 1% |
| 14 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 27 | 1% |
| 15 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 25 | 1% |
| 16 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 21 | 1% |
| 17 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 17 | 1% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 13 | 1% |
| 19 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 10 | 1% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 8 | 1% |
Most common cities for geographers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gaithersburg | 1 | 1% | $80,934 |
Geographer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of geographer experts
Southern Oregon University
The University of West Florida
Southern Utah University
Georgia College and State University
University of North Alabama
SUNY Buffalo State College
Lehigh University
Montana State University - Bozeman
California State University, Northridge
Sonoma State University
Kansas State University
University of Northern Iowa
SUNY at Binghamton
University of North Florida
Arizona State University
American Association of Geographers
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Cal Poly Pomona
What general advice would you give to a Geographer?
Dr. Jamie Trammell PhD: Diversify your skills, think about all the experiences you gained in your academic career, and look for ways in the professional world to compliment or enhance those academic experiences. Follow your interests and passions, wherever they may take you (it is Geography after all), and always look for ways to refresh your analytical, technical, and conceptual skills.
What Geographer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jamie Trammell PhD: Geography is a great discipline for those who like many different things, so the best way to maximize your starting salary potential is to focus on the more technical or analytical skills you can employ as a geographer. Whether that is being proficient in demographic modeling using newer approaches, or knowing how to deploy deep learning algorithms in image analysis, keeping your technical skills sharp will increase your salary potential.
What will help Geographers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jamie Trammell PhD: I expect we will continue to see geospatial sciences and spatial thinking integrated into every element of society, so the ability to move between disciplines and embrace new analytical skills (i.e. AI) will be key.
What general advice would you give to a Geographer?
Dr. Lara Bryant: Take advantage of local internships that are available while you are in college. It not only gives you experience in the field, but also builds an important network.
What Geographer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Lara Bryant: Data collection and management are some of the most important skills involved with Geographic Information Systems used to analyze and visual information using maps. An understanding of Geographic Information Systems it vital.
What will help Geographers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Lara Bryant: Because Geography is such a broad field, keep your job search broad. As a Geographer understand be able to articulate what unique qualities and skills you can offer employers. For example, not only do you learn the physical process associated with erosion, but the impacts human development has had on increased erosion as well as possible ways to mitigate the impacts of erosion.
What general advice would you give to a Geographer?
Dr. Jason Ortegren: I think a lot of geographers appreciate having a background education in human cultures and landscapes from around the world. The breadth of the discipline provides the geographer with perspective and insight about other places, insights that may not be available to the typical non-geographer. I don't dislike anything about being a geographer, but if there is a drawback, Geography as a discipline holds a much lower place in the social consciousness than it used to. Probably because Earth is mostly explored and fully observed (via satellites), the public view of the importance of the discipline of Geography may have suffered.
What Geographer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jason Ortegren: Now, as ever, geography matters. Whether we are examining spatial variability in changes in the climate system, regional political preferences in the USA (or anywhere), or the optimal location for a new retail outlet, location matters. The digital revolution in Geographic Information Systems (and Science) has taken hold in both the public and the private sectors, and Geography traditionally provides this education and training.
What will help Geographers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jason Ortegren: A geographer tends to focus on the spatial aspects of human and other natural phenomena, with an interest in why differences exist across space. One of the great things about being a geographer is that it can mean virtually anything; almost everything has a spatial component, and this is the realm of the geographer. Someone entering the field can be expected (most likely) to be a relative expert in cartography (map-making) as well as in the interpretation of spatial data. For many geographers, this involves some time in the field documenting observations along with time in the lab/office interpreting these observations and drawing conclusions. Thus, skill diversity is a defining feature of the discipline.
What general advice would you give to a Geographer?
Jamie Spinney: While individual experiences can vary, geographers typically enjoy the intellectual challenges of working on complex problems facing the Earth and its inhabitants. Geographers also tend to enjoy the inherent variety of day-to-day tasks as they work on projects with real-world impacts. Some of the challenges that geographers face include fewer job opportunities than some other fields and they may experience information overload, which can be potentially overwhelming to constantly analyze and interpret data.
What Geographer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jamie Spinney: On a day-to-day basis, Geographers typically collect data from a variety of sources such as field observations, maps, satellite imagery, and census data. Then they analyze these data to create maps and identify patterns and trends over space and time. However, geographers often work collaboratively with colleagues from various disciplines and provide a unique spatial and integrative perspective.
What will help Geographers increase their earning potential?
Jamie Spinney: Geography is a great profession to enter now for several reasons. Firstly, many of the complex challenges we currently face (e.g., climate change, resource management, and urban planning) require an understanding of spatial relationships and the ability to analyze and integrate a wide variety of data. Secondly, Geographers have a valuable set of unique tools and skills, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), and remote sensing, which collectively allow for more efficient data collection, analysis, and visualization.
What general advice would you give to a Geographer?
Dr. Doug Oetter GISP: Geographers study spatial patterns and the many cultural and environmental processes that create them. A geographer will often work with private industries and public agencies to help plot spatial data and make projections about future trends and scenarios. Many of our graduates work with local governments, planning consultants, and environmental engineering firms. Making maps is one of our primary roles, but we also conduct site assessments, cultural resource surveys, landform studies, and climate profiles.
What Geographer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Doug Oetter GISP: The profusion of ‘big data’ usually includes geographic location, and both public and private entities are extremely interested in tracking flows and changes over space. While most jobs won’t be called ‘geographer,’ a graduate trained in both human and physical geography who can demonstrate a solid set of geographic information science (GISc) skills will do very well in future job markets. Geographers collect, analyze, and present spatial data to build an advanced understanding of how the world works on a human scale.
What will help Geographers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Doug Oetter GISP: Recent graduates enjoy using a diverse set of tools and methods to examine how human civilizations adapt to changing conditions on a regular basis. Our students consider landforms, weather, history, culture, politics, and economics in their holistic assessments, and they offer considerable depth and knowledge to a wide variety of applications and tasks. The only annoying part of being a geographer is having to explain to others what it is that we do, because too many people don’t take geography classes in high school or college!
What general advice would you give to a Geographer?
Jim Benes: People generally love studying geography due to its varied work and research opportunities. However, affinity for computer-based work can affect one's experience in the field, as some geographers may not enjoy aspects requiring computer skills. Overall, the changing nature of geography work allows individuals to find areas of interest that suit their preferences.
What Geographer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jim Benes: Although this varies widely depending on if the geographer works for the US Forest Service, academia, local governments, US military, or other agencies, there are a few skills that every geographer will use. These are: understanding maps, cartographic principles, critical and spatial thinking, and generally understanding the inter-connectedness of life and its variances.
What will help Geographers increase their earning potential?
Jim Benes: In most circumstances, the first thing humans do to understand something is to view it on a map, or within its spatial context. This is especially true for times of crises. To draw on a recent example, the first way to comprehend the Israeli/Palestine conflict in Gaza and southern Israel was to seek out the damages and actions/situation on a map. The same can be said of the Russia/Ukraine conflict. Examples from wildland fires and other natural disasters are plenty. Lastly, during the COVID pandemic in 2020, the spatial patterns of the spread of the disease were often constantly being refreshed on laptops and phones across the globe. Understanding our spatial context has never been more important.
And the world needs geographers. At the same time of critical need for increased spatial thinking, we are also seeing a decrease in our day-to-day lives. Unlike all the generations that have proceeded them, the amazing and capable members of Gen Z have mostly utilized their phones for navigation their entire lives – bypassing the need for ingesting their locales and understanding how to move around in a space. Paradoxically, Gen Z is often very aware of global issues and quick to adapt when they have a need to know. In my experience, when Gen Z understands the need for increased spatial thinking – it’s like a light bulb and they pick it up quickly.
The jobs in the federal, state, and private sectors are looking for geographers – people who understand how connections are made, and what questions to ask about these challenges.
Michael Pretes
Professor and Chair of Geoscience, University of North AlabamaUniversity of North Alabama
Geography And Cartography
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Geographer job market given the pandemic?
Michael Pretes: As in many other industries, there is an increasing trend to allow employees to work from home. We already see this in the Geospatial industry, and I expect the trend to continue and become a more established practice. Some employers have currently instituted hiring freezes, but most have not, and we are seeing active recruiting of employees taking place right now.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Geographers in the next 3-5 years?
Michael Pretes: LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), which is a form of remote sensing using lasers, will become increasingly important. UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), also known as drones, are also becoming more influential in smaller-scale projects. Overall, remote sensing, using imagery acquired by satellites, aircraft, and drones, is becoming a more significant part of Geography and one where the technology is rapidly changing.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Geographers in the next 5 years?
Michael Pretes: I think there will be an increased demand, quite possibly a significantly increased demand. Technology is changing, and new technologies are rapidly being developed, so Geography-related fields need people with these capabilities.
Camille Holmgren
Professor and ChairSUNY Buffalo State College
Department of Geography & Planning
What soft skills should all Geographers possess?
Camille Holmgren: Oral and written communication skills (emphasized and assessed in our programs), teamwork skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Geographers?
Camille Holmgren: Depends on the specialty within a discipline, but geospatial skills (GPS, GIS, remote sensing) and quantitative/data analysis skills and learned in a geography program are in demand. Combined with the theoretical knowledge of human-environmental relations, regional and global development issues, and planning needs, students end up with both the background and tools to be successful.
What skills will help Geographers earn the most?
Camille Holmgren: GIS and remote sensing have been, and continue to be, huge growth areas.
Kelly Austin Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Interdisciplinary Programs and International InitiativesLehigh University
College of Arts and Sciences
What skills stand out on Geographer resumes?
Kelly Austin Ph.D.: On Global Studies students' resumes, the skills that employers often comment are most important to them involve skills in collaboration, working with people from diverse backgrounds, communication skills, critical thinking skills, and writing skills.
What soft skills should all Geographers possess?
Kelly Austin Ph.D.: The soft skills that are important for GS graduates are those I named above, and more broadly, many comments that experiences like studying abroad and engaging in research or international internships have them stand apart from other applicants. GS graduates are excellent at critical thinking and seeing issues from multiple perspectives or viewpoints.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Geographers?
Kelly Austin Ph.D.: Employers often comment it is not so much about hard skills anymore. Hard or technical skills can often be taught on the job. It's the broader critical thinking, written and oral communication skills, and diverse experiences abroad, and working with different people from different backgrounds that matter most.
What skills will help Geographers earn the most?
Kelly Austin Ph.D.: Being flexible, adaptable, resilient, and open will help you make the most difference.
Dr. Philip Williams Ph.D.
Teaching ProfessorMontana State University - Bozeman
Chinese literature, film, language, civilization; Asian civilization
What soft skills should all Geographers possess?
Dr. Philip Williams Ph.D.: Soft skills prioritization would vary according to a given employer's needs.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Geographers?
Dr. Philip Williams Ph.D.: Hard skills prioritization would vary according to a given employer's needs.
What skills will help Geographers earn the most?
Dr. Philip Williams Ph.D.: Skills in high demand, such as nursing certification, IT/computer science certification, foreign language proficiency, and the like, would probably help the graduate earn the most.
Steven Graves Ph.D.
ProfessorCalifornia State University, Northridge
Department of Geography and Environmental Science
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Geographers in the next 5 years?
Steven Graves Ph.D.: I think the job market for well-trained geographers will continue to be healthy. In particular, two sub-fields are easy to envision, having a decisive decade in the 2020s: GIS and Environmental Geography. GIS has been and will continue to be an exceptionally robust career option because it is a logical means by which companies and governments manage and analyze data, become more efficient, and conduct advanced analysis on whatever data they may use. It's at the heart of several significant data efforts and is becoming increasingly mainstream as data "people" realize how uniquely powerful GIS software can be. Data analytics are what GIS people do. They are getting hired by a wide range of concerns (real estate, utilities, Fortune-500 companies, small towns, law enforcement, health departments, city/county/federal government agencies). Interestingly - though these students are geographers, they often get hired as 'data analysts' or 'real estate acquisition team members' or 'forest managers.' The terminology is different, but the degree is still Geography or Geographic Information.
The other area that makes sense, especially in light of the recent political events, is environmental geography. There's an enormous need for both planning for a sustainable future and remediating past mistakes. Our species' survival depends on it - and the scale of the problems ranges from global to hyper-local. Solutions to such issues are not easy - or they would have been found already - and that's why the integrative approach of geographers is so valuable. Geographers bring knowledge of economics, culture, weather, climate, etc. - the human and physical systems together in a single analytic framework that is often bolstered by a rich data analysis toolkit.
Even students with training in more traditional geography areas (Cultural geography or Historical Geography) seem to have little trouble finding rewarding careers in a bewildering array of fields that often seem, on the surface, little related to geographies - like banking or law firms.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Geographers?
Jeff Baldwin Ph.D.: This is difficult to predict. It seems that the recession is affecting those able to work remotely very differently than those working in-person, with the latter – and the small businesses that employ many of them – now confronting very serious threats to their economic continuance. Many of our graduates do go on to work in more in-person contexts, but that economy will probably be weakened for several quarters to come. I have several graduates from Spring 2020 who have found professional positions that allow work from home, and that is working out well for them. Students who want to work in more public and in-person contexts – environmental education, for example – are having to delay really beginning those careers until we are somewhat past the pandemic.
What type of skills will young Geographers need?
Jeff Baldwin Ph.D.: Specific skills in geographic information science, urban planning, water resource management, land restoration, renewable energy, and sustainable operations are all part of our program, and all of these are in demand in the marketplace now and in the foreseeable future. But more than these focused skills, our program guides students through a holistic pedagogy which equips them with the critical-thinking skills to ask about and research the root causes of often wicked, thorny problems and then, by working in teams, to formulate effective modes of addressing those problems. This holistic perspective is typical among geography and environmental studies programs. Our program also provides opportunities for students to develop project management skills which are very much in demand.
What experience really stands out on Geographer resumes?
Jeff Baldwin Ph.D.: I'm not an employer, so I do not read resumes in a hiring context. We coach our students to gain practical skills through internships and through our classes and then to critically research positions they are applying to, to identify specific skills that will be useful there, and to look at their own experiences and list the skills that they have developed which will help them succeed in that position.
What type of skills will young Geographers need?
Dr. Arnaud Temme Ph.D.: We see that many of our graduates end up in positions where their spatial analysis and spatial problem solving are needed. Mostly, that means GIS, geostatistics, and remote sensing. Graduates also frequently end up in graduate research and teaching positions across the nation.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Geographers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Arnaud Temme Ph.D.: We see many exciting positions in the Kansas City area (where geo-start ups, federal agencies, and established companies like Garmin are all growing).
How do you envision technology impacting Geographers in the next 5 years?
Dr. Arnaud Temme Ph.D.: For tech, I see three vectors that will change our field:
-mobile tech (distributed sensors, citizen science, allowing for instance, much easier involvement of all stakeholders in community planning),
-drones and mini sats providing frequent, high-quality imagery
-machine-learning with all its pros and cons (which is to say: better yet less understandable predictions).
Bingqing Liang Ph.D.
Associate Professor of GeographyUniversity of Northern Iowa
Department of Geography
What type of skills will young Geographers need?
Bingqing Liang Ph.D.: -The ability to find answers using existing resources (news, textbooks, the Internet, Webinars, etc.),
-Communicate effectively (either orally or in writing, it can't be both),
-Skills in programming and statistical analysis
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Geographers to find work opportunities?
Bingqing Liang Ph.D.: Geography is a vast topic, and its graduates can find jobs in many fields, ranging from physical, human, to technology. So it is hard to locate particular right places for job hunting.
How do you envision technology impacting Geographers in the next 5 years?
Bingqing Liang Ph.D.: With the invention of geospatial technologies like remote sensing, GIS, GPS, and cartography/mapping, Geography already has its unique technical component. The impact of technology in the future on Geography can be reflected in two aspects: 1) it will immediately advance all specialized geospatial technologies, and 2) it will enable more seamless integration with technologies and data in teaching/learning as the promotion of the discipline. In other words, Geography will be more technology- and data-driven in the upcoming future. So students should recognize this fact and get ready for it.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Geographer job market given the pandemic?
John Frazier Ph.D.: I believe that the job market will return very slowly in 2021 but will increase in 2022. In the meantime, students that distinguish themselves by their educations will have an edge during slow hiring. Students with needed strong skills will be more in demand than others. In Geography, graduates that leave the university with a robust skillset, including critical thinking, strong writing skills, technical skills, and practical experiences outside of the university, will have an edge in the job market.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Geographers in the next 3-5 years?
John Frazier Ph.D.: Increasingly important technologies occur in various professional schools and some disciplines in the Arts and Sciences. Most of the technical skills in these types of occupations will benefit graduates. These skills include a range of technologies, including GIS, Remote Sensing, Big Data, Drones, and Global Positioning Systems in Geography. Beyond technology experts, there will be demand for graduates that blend technology and other skills needed in the public and private sectors. For geographers trained in Arts and Sciences, these skills include critical thinking, technical writing, speaking skills, and practical project analysis outside of the university. When working for a client and a faculty member, students can learn skills spanning project development through presenting findings, whether addressing urban, social, health, or other problems.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Geographers in the next 5 years?
John Frazier Ph.D.: Job market demand will be slow in 2021 due to the pandemic and the uncertainty associated with our economic crisis. The job market should increase in 2022 as more certainty returns, and public and private sectors' confidence grows. One way to establish student demand is for universities and disciplines to monitor placements of their students. For this reason, I will illustrate our graduates' monitoring (sent via emails that follow) in recent years.
Dr. Chung-Ping Loh Ph.D.
Chair & Professor of EconomicsUniversity of North Florida
Department of Economics and Geography
What experience really stands out on Geographer resumes?
Dr. Chung-Ping Loh Ph.D.: Econometrics course work, and some research experience using it, will be a significant differentiating factor. It sends a strong signal of the job seeker’s ability to conduct rigorous statistical analyses of the data and draw a statistically sound conclusion that separates him/her from many others who may have only taken basic level analytics.
How do you envision technology impacting Geographers in the next 5 years?
Dr. Chung-Ping Loh Ph.D.: With the rapidly expanding availability of data and integrating them, more decisions will be made with data. Quantitative analysis will be applied to more areas and in greater depth.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Geographers?
Dr. Chung-Ping Loh Ph.D.: The pandemic has accelerated the transition to a more remote work environment, and part of the shift can remain long after the epidemic. Graduates will find more jobs without requiring relocation but also face more competition from around the country.
What experience really stands out on Geographer resumes?
Dr. Elizabeth Wentz Ph.D.: Of class experiences like an internship, study abroad, research, volunteer - they build skills and show how students can translate classroom skills into workplace skills.
What Geographer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Elizabeth Wentz Ph.D.: I would recommend that students should focus on something that they are passionate about. Chances are, a student taking a gap year is single - without a spouse, kids, mortgage, and those kinds of responsibilities. A gap year should drive their passion - whether traveling the world, volunteering at shelters and food pantries, or living in the rainforest. The key is then to state how these experiences opened up their life and their knowledge for new adventures in a cover letter.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Geographers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Elizabeth Wentz Ph.D.: All technologies are increasingly mobile and increasingly personal—such devices like watches and phones provide information and access at any moment in time. The abilities of these devices will continue to expand.
What general advice would you give to a Geographer?
Mark Revell: Geography is an extremely broad, interdisciplinary field with a wide range of career paths. Geography graduates can be found in all sectors of the workforce in diverse areas such as transportation, city planning, business and marketing, environmental conservation, foreign intelligence, academia, and a host of other industries. Because our field is so diverse, the career prospects for some geographers are very different than others. For example, with budgets tightening there may temporarily be some challenging times ahead for those pursuing work in state and local government, or other industries that have been highly impacted by the pandemic. However, the overall job prospects for geographers are excellent. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has only highlighted the essential contributions of geographers working as data analysts at the state level, as well as NIH and other federal agencies and private firms where they have produced maps depicting the virus’ spread. There are so many current social and environmental issues that have spatial components, geographers trained in the use of geospatial technologies are very likely to be in high demand through the foreseeable future and beyond.
Jake Armour
Senior LecturerUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
Department of Geography and Earth Sciences
What experience really stands out on Geographer resumes?
Jake Armour: - Advanced courses in Geochemistry, Geomorphology, and Hydrology/Hydrogeology. Employers are looking for students who have experience thinking about how the land surface and water interact and what kinds of critical chemical reactions are involved.
- At least introductory experience using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software for analyzing the spatial relationships between Earth Science environmental factors.
- Nearly all employers are looking for Earth and Environmental Science graduates with intense field experiences. These could include internships, research assistantships, and capstone field courses within the discipline. Essentially, you can't have too much experience making field observations about the Earth Science phenomenon.
How do you envision technology impacting Geographers in the next 5 years?
Jake Armour: The next five years will continue to see further technology integration into creating and manipulating computational models for complex Earth Science systems (i.e., climate models, forecasting models, groundwater flow models, etc.). There will also continue to be an integration of georeferenced data sets into spatial analysis tools (GIS, GPS, LIDAR) for understanding the impact areas of environmental problems.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Geographers?
Jake Armour: Most Earth and Environment Science majors get hired by environmental/engineering consulting firms. These industries are tied to long-term ecological monitoring problems and water resources - both of which are essential and will remain. There is a part of that market connected to the construction and energy/mineral resource industries, which all ebb and flow with the economy's state. Future potential economic recessions may negatively impact these, but these changes are inherent to these industries. A small subset of graduates is interested in working for government agencies at the local to the federal level. Such jobs have always been very competitive due to the limited number of positions available and the impact of the economic and political climate in any given administration. All in all, the job market for graduates interested in the environmental and resource industries has been strong and historically resilient.
Kristen Conway-Gómez Ph.D.
Chair & Professor of GeographyCal Poly Pomona
Department of Geography & Anthropology
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Geographers?
Kristen Conway-Gómez Ph.D.: Absolutely! I think all of society will experience impacts, some of which we are not yet certain. In terms of employment, there will be growth in some sectors, contraction in others. What we've seen become even more valuable over time are critical thinking and systems thinking skills. Geography graduates learn and build upon such skills in their degree programs, so I see hope for growth among geography graduates who can apply these skills in an ever more connected, smaller global system.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Geographers to find work opportunities?
Kristen Conway-Gómez Ph.D.: As far as job opportunities in geography, the field may open up, and there may be more jobs outside of big cities. Currently, many government offices, from municipal through federal, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector employ geography grads. GIS (geographic information systems/science) experience is one area that is incredibly useful. Possibly geography-based or geography-informed employment will spread out to more areas - geography is everywhere and is so relevant!
How do you envision technology impacting Geographers in the next 5 years?
Kristen Conway-Gómez Ph.D.: I think we will see a rise in remote working, and GIS is a key area for our graduates to secure employment. There may be increased job opportunities for geography graduates well versed in GIS and remote sensing as more organizations move to remote work.