If you're good at mapping things out, you might want to consider becoming a geographic information systems (GIS) analyst. GIS analysts evaluate spatial data using mapping software and design digital data. They integrate skills in data analysis, programming and cartography to identify and analyze geographic trends. The data that they provide is used for urban planning, environmental impact analysis, navigation, and much more.
Some key tasks you can expect to perform as a GIS analyst include identifying spatial relationships, performing geospatial data building, modeling, or analysis, reviewing existing or incoming data for currency and accuracy, and entering data into GIS databases.
If you want to become a GIS analyst, you'll need to have a knowledge of cartography, database management, spatial analysis, and remote sensing. In addition, you'll need a Bachelor's degree in either computer science, geography, geoscience, surveying, engineering, or a related field. Many entry-level positions do not require prior experience to apply, but some might require related work experience or a GIS analyst internship.
GIS Analyst Overview
GIS Analyst Careers
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a gis analyst. For example, did you know that they make an average of $30.2 an hour? That's $62,812 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 56,000 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a GIS Analyst Do
There are certain skills that many gis analysts have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, creativity and analytical skills.
When it comes to the most important skills required to be a gis analyst, we found that a lot of resumes listed 9.7% of gis analysts included spatial data, while 8.2% of resumes included gps, and 7.3% of resumes included arcgis. Hard skills like these are helpful to have when it comes to performing essential job responsibilities.
When it comes to searching for a job, many search for a key term or phrase. Instead, it might be more helpful to search by industry, as you might be missing jobs that you never thought about in industries that you didn't even think offered positions related to the gis analyst job title. But what industry to start with? Most gis analysts actually find jobs in the technology and professional industries.
How To Become a GIS Analyst
If you're interested in becoming a gis analyst, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 68.1% of gis analysts have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 14.1% of gis analysts have master's degrees. Even though most gis analysts have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a gis analyst. When we researched the most common majors for a gis analyst, we found that they most commonly earn bachelor's degree degrees or master's degree degrees. Other degrees that we often see on gis analyst resumes include associate degree degrees or diploma degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a gis analyst. In fact, many gis analyst jobs require experience in a role such as gis technician. Meanwhile, many gis analysts also have previous career experience in roles such as gis internship or gis specialist.
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GIS Analyst Career Paths
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of project manager you might progress to a role such as program manager eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title senior project manager.
GIS Analyst Jobs You Might Like
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Average Salary for a GIS Analyst
Best Paying Cities
Recently Added Salaries
Job TitleCompany  | Company | Start Date | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
County of Chesterfield IST GIS Analyst IST GIS Analyst | County of Chesterfield County of Chesterfield | 06/29/2021 06/29/2021 | $65,10106/29/2021 $65,101 |
Eugene Water and Electric Board GIS Analyst GIS Analyst | Eugene Water and Electric Board Eugene Water and Electric Board | 06/27/2021 06/27/2021 | $71,32806/27/2021 $71,328 |
City of Tacoma Wa GIS Analyst-Tacoma Water GIS Analyst-Tacoma Water | City of Tacoma Wa City of Tacoma Wa | 06/25/2021 06/25/2021 | $65,59406/25/2021 $65,594 |
City of Chattanooga Tn GIS Analyst 2 PWD GIS Civilian GIS Analyst 2 PWD GIS Civilian | City of Chattanooga Tn City of Chattanooga Tn | 06/22/2021 06/22/2021 | $44,39206/22/2021 $44,392 |
Randstad GIS Analyst GIS Analyst | Randstad Randstad | 06/22/2021 06/22/2021 | $45,91406/22/2021 $45,914 |
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GIS Analyst Resumes
Designing and figuring out what to include on your resume can be tough, not to mention time-consuming. That's why we put together a guide that is designed to help you craft the perfect resume for becoming a GIS Analyst. If you're needing extra inspiration, take a look through our selection of templates that are specific to your job.
Learn How To Write a GIS Analyst Resume
At Zippia, we went through countless GIS Analyst resumes and compiled some information about how best to optimize them. Here are some suggestions based on what we found, divided by the individual sections of the resume itself.
View Detailed InformationTop Colleges for GIS Analysts
1. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
3. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
4. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
5. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
7. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
10. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
Online Courses For GIS Analyst That You May Like
Learn GIS, spatial analysis, web mapping and complete hands on GIS projects with QGIS...
Become Proficient In Spatial Data Analysis Using R & QGIS By Working On A Real Project - Get A Job In Spatial Data!...
Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an increasingly sought after skill in industries from agriculture to public health. This Specialization, offered in partnership with ArcGIS developer Esri, will teach the skills you need to successfully use GIS software in a professional setting. You will learn how to analyze your spatial data, use cartography techniques to communicate your results in maps, and collaborate with peers in GIS and GIS-dependent fields. In the final Capstone Proje...
Top Skills For a GIS Analyst
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 9.7% of gis analysts listed spatial data on their resume, but soft skills such as communication skills and creativity are important as well.
- Spatial Data, 9.7%
- GPS, 8.2%
- Arcgis, 7.3%
- Data Collection, 6.8%
- Database, 6.5%
- Other Skills, 61.5% See All GIS Analyst Skills
Best States For a GIS Analyst
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a gis analyst. The best states for people in this position are Delaware, California, New Jersey, and New York. Gis analysts make the most in Delaware with an average salary of $76,974. Whereas in California and New Jersey, they would average $76,534 and $72,963, respectively. While gis analysts would only make an average of $69,882 in New York, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Delaware
$76,974
Avg. Salary
2. California
$76,534
Avg. Salary
3. District of Columbia
$71,380
Avg. Salary
How Do GIS Analyst Rate Their Jobs?
Top GIS Analyst Employers
We've made finding a great employer to work for easy by doing the hard work for you. We looked into employers that employ gis analysts and discovered their number of gis analyst opportunities and average salary. Through our research, we concluded that Science Applications International .. was the best, especially with an average salary of $67,543. Whirlpool follows up with an average salary of $80,916, and then comes Leidos with an average of $71,395. In addition, we know most people would rather work from home. So instead of having to change careers, we identified the best employers for remote work as a gis analyst. The employers include None, None, and None
GIS Analyst Videos
