How To Become A GIS Consultant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a gis consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.

GIS consultants guide individuals and businesses on how to use GIS, geospatial systems, and technologies for various projects. They collect, analyze and store geographical data. They help in implementing software systems. Also, they update and maintain data. Additionally, they organize GIS data into a relatable format. Likewise, they serve as the primary contact for GIS-related problems. GIS consultants perform their duties using digital maps and models. They manage GIS projects and ensures solutions meet the needs of the client.

A career in this position requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree in geography or environmental science and at least three years of relevant work experience. Having relevant certifications is a plus. GIS consultants make an average salary of $63,574 annually. It ranges from $40,000 to $100,000. You'd need communication, attention to detail, project management, and sales skills to succeed in this role. You can find employment in technology, transportation, law enforcement, and construction industries.

What general advice would you give to a gis consultant?

Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.

Professor, New Mexico State University

Start researching early, really early, as in when are still in college. ID 3 jobs you would really want to have, unpack the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed, then make sure you acquires these KSAs in your work at University. Secure and internship or co-op in college, as these often lead to permanent jobs. Doing this let's prospective employers get to know you and your work ethic, and this makes you a preferred candidate. Learn all you can about the people who are interviewing you, make reference to key things you learn, and get to know them as much as you can in an interview. After the interview, send a thank you email, noting how much you enjoyed meeting them and how excited you are about the potential job.

ScoreGIS ConsultantUS Average

Salary

7.3

Avg. Salary $94,013

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.1

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 11.99%

Black or African American 6.24%

Hispanic or Latino 8.82%

Unknown 4.70%

White 67.73%

Gender

female 22.93%

male 77.07%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

4.1

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

9.4

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a gis consultant

Explore gis consultant education requirements

Most common gis consultant degrees

Bachelor's

63.5 %

Master's

27.4 %

Associate

6.3 %

Start to develop specific gis consultant skills

Skills	Percentages
Data Analysis	16.47%
Desktop	12.82%
Esri Arcgis	12.13%
Database Design	7.13%
Python	4.92%

Complete relevant gis consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New gis consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a gis consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real gis consultant resumes.

Research gis consultant duties and responsibilities

Construct, implement and manage state-wide seismic hazard and infrastructure mapping projects.
Install and configure of ArcServer and ArcSDE.
Load data layers into ArcSDE and grant access to end users.
Locate, photograph, and record GPS coordinates at each storm drain inlet and outfall.

Prepare your gis consultant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your gis consultant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a gis consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable gis consultant resume templates

Build a professional gis consultant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your gis consultant resume.

Apply for gis consultant jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a gis consultant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do gis consultants rate their job?

3/5

Based on 1 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Gis consultant reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2023

Pros

Creativity becomes more reachable, work becomes more appreciated. Both a pro and con: A wide variety of topics are covered under GIS Developer, and so knowledge of several tools, and many years experience is needed to be successful in this role.

Cons

A wide variety of topics are covered under GIS Developer, and so knowledge of several tools, and many years experience is needed to be successful in this role.

3.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019