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Gis mapping technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a gis mapping technician. Gis mapping technicians usually study geography, environmental science, or drafting and design. 64% of gis mapping technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 167 real gis mapping technician resumes to see exactly what gis mapping technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for gis mapping technicians are the University of Southern Maine and the University of Southern Maine.

There are also many online gis mapping technician courses to help get the education required to be a gis mapping technician.

What education do you need to become a gis mapping technician?

What degree do you need to be a gis mapping technician?

The most common degree for gis mapping technicians is bachelor's degree, with 64% of gis mapping technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 64%
  • Associate, 21%
  • Master's, 7%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a gis mapping technician?

You should major in geography to become a gis mapping technician. 33% of gis mapping technicians major in geography. Other common majors for a gis mapping technician include environmental science and drafting and design.

Most common colleges for gis mapping technicians

Gis mapping technicians often get their degrees at University of Southern Maine, University of California - Davis, and Murray State University. Here are the most common colleges for gis mapping technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Gis mapping technician common collegePercentages
University of Southern Maine9.68%
University of California - Davis9.68%
Murray State University9.68%
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs9.68%
Louisiana State University and A&M College6.45%

Best majors for gis mapping technicians

RankMajorPercentages
1Geography32.5%
2Environmental Science8.4%
3Drafting And Design7.2%
4Engineering6.0%
5Fine Arts4.8%

Best colleges for gis mapping technicians

The best colleges for gis mapping technicians are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Boston University.

A gis mapping technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for gis mapping technicians. 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 gis mapping technicians.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

In-state tuition

$55,453

Enrollment

4,312

3. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$58,230

Enrollment

6,600

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

7. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

8. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

20 best online courses for gis mapping technicians

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1. Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

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5. GIS, Mapping, and Spatial Analysis

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This Specialization is for those new to mapping and GIS, as well as anyone looking to gain a better understanding of how it all works and why. You will learn practical skills that can be applied to your own work using cutting-edge software created by Esri Inc., the world's leading GIS company and our industry partner.\n\nPLEASE NOTE: THE SOFTWARE IS NO LONGER PROVIDED WITH THIS COURSE. YOU WILL HAVE TO OBTAIN IT ON YOUR OWN...

6. GIS Data Formats, Design and Quality

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In this course, the second in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialization, you will go in-depth with common data types (such as raster and vector data), structures, quality and storage during four week-long modules: Week 1: Learn about data models and formats, including a full understanding of vector data and raster concepts. You will also learn about the implications of a data’s scale and how to load layers from web services. Week 2: Create a vector data model by using vector...

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Arc GIS Basics...

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11. Species Distribution Models with GIS & Machine Learning in R

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12. Map Academy: get mapping quickly, with QGIS

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Go from map zero to map hero with QGIS: 'heat maps', locator maps, election maps, density maps, analysis, design + more...

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GIS is hot - take your python skills to new levels and greatly increase your career options...

15. Web GIS development course

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Basic Web GIS development for non programmer...

16. Internet Mapping with Geoserver, Postgres, and Openlayers 3

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18. An introduction to GIS and QGIS 3

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19. Land use Land cover classification GIS, ERDAS, ArcGIS, ML

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20. Using Open Source Tools to Create an Enterprise GIS

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Create an enterprise GIS with Postgres SQL, QGIS, and Post GIS to manage users, and support multiple GIS software clients...

Top 10 most affordable universities for gis mapping technicians

The most affordable schools for gis mapping technicians are Brigham Young University, hunter college of the city university of new york, and florida international university.

If the best universities for gis mapping technicians 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 gis mapping technicians.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

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. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

4. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

8. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus

San Juan, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

11,299

9. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for gis mapping technicians

The hardest universities for gis mapping technicians to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Boston University.

Some great schools for gis mapping technicians 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 gis mapping technicians 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. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

6. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

7. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,284

8. Middlebury College

Middlebury, VT • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,439

9. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,304

10. University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,300

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for gis mapping technicians

The easiest schools for gis mapping technicians to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, saint mary's university of minnesota, and bridgewater state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a gis mapping technician 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 gis mapping technicians.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,148

3. Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, MA • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,073

4. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

5. University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,050

6. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

7. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

8. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

9. Auburn University-Montgomery

Montgomery, AL • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,084

10. Salem State University

Salem, MA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,065

Average gis mapping technician salary by education level

According to our data, gis mapping technicians with a Associate degree earn the highest average salary, at $52,162 annually. Gis mapping technicians with a High School Diploma degree earn an average annual salary of $45,995.
Gis mapping technician education levelGis mapping technician salary
High School Diploma or Less$45,995
Some College/ Associate Degree$52,162

Gis mapping technician education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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