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The differences between geospatial technicians and geographic information systems geographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a geospatial technician and a geographic information systems geographer. Additionally, a geographic information systems geographer has an average salary of $58,644, which is higher than the $42,643 average annual salary of a geospatial technician.
The top three skills for a geospatial technician include python, visualization and production tasks. The most important skills for a geographic information systems geographer are GPS, esri, and .
| Geospatial Technician | Geographic Information Systems Geographer | |
| Yearly salary | $42,643 | $58,644 |
| Hourly rate | $20.50 | $28.19 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,845 | 112,832 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Geospatial technicians majorly assist other geospatial analysts and project managers to build, manage, and make use of GIS databases to identify spatial relationships. Their job is to create customized maps and GIS applications or software. Furthermore, they are expected to review and interpret all GIS data, maps, and graphs. They are also expected to analyze applications of software, create data reports, and digital 3D models. Their job duties also involve updating satellite navigation systems and providing technical support to users.
A Geographic Information Systems Geographer collects, analyzes, and interprets geospatial data. They produce specialist mapping products.
Geospatial technicians and geographic information systems geographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Geospatial Technician | Geographic Information Systems Geographer | |
| Average salary | $42,643 | $58,644 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $59,000 | Between $33,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a geospatial technician and a geographic information systems geographer in terms of educational background:
| Geospatial Technician | Geographic Information Systems Geographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Geography | Geography |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between geospatial technicians' and geographic information systems geographers' demographics:
| Geospatial Technician | Geographic Information Systems Geographer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% | Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |