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Geospatial scientist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a geospatial scientist. Geospatial scientists usually study geography, intelligence operations, or computer science. 60% of geospatial scientists hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 26 real geospatial scientist resumes to see exactly what geospatial scientist education sections show.
The most common colleges for geospatial scientists are the American University and the American University.
There are also many online geospatial scientist courses to help get the education required to be a geospatial scientist.
What education do you need to become a geospatial scientist?
What degree do you need to be a geospatial scientist?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Master's, 30%
- Doctorate, 10%
What should I major in to become a geospatial scientist?
- Geography, 21%
- Computer Science, 11%
- Biology, 5%
- Other Majors, 47%
Most common colleges for geospatial scientists
| Geospatial scientist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| American University | 12.50% |
| New Mexico State University | 6.25% |
| Florida State University | 6.25% |
| Adams State University | 6.25% |
| University of North Georgia | 6.25% |
Best majors for geospatial scientists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geography | 21.1% |
| 2 | Intelligence Operations | 15.8% |
| 3 | Computer Science | 10.5% |
| 4 | Biology | 5.3% |
| 5 | Housing And Human Environments | 5.3% |
Best colleges for geospatial scientists
The best colleges for geospatial scientists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A geospatial scientist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for geospatial scientists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become geospatial scientists.
1. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
6. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
20 best online courses for geospatial scientists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for geospatial scientists
The most affordable schools for geospatial scientists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for geospatial scientists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for geospatial scientists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
9. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
10. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for geospatial scientists
The hardest universities for geospatial scientists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for geospatial scientists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for geospatial scientists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,488
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for geospatial scientists
The easiest schools for geospatial scientists to get into are Barry University, cardinal stritch university, and william paterson university of new jersey.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a geospatial scientist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for geospatial scientists.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
3. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
4. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
5. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
6. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
7. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
8. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
9. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
10. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
Average geospatial scientist salary by education level
| Geospatial scientist education level | Geospatial scientist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $116,128 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $105,801 |
Geospatial scientist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025