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

What is a gis specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.

A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) specialist is a highly trained professional who uses computer software and specialized equipment to create, analyze and maintain geographic maps, graphs, and related data. He/she uses a Geographic Information System - a computer-based software - to create maps that clearly show political borders, rivers, environmental resources, and transportation networks.

A GIS specialist can work under job titles such as GIS Analyst, GIS Technician, GIS Coordinator, and Cartographer. The role of a GIS specialist is especially crucial in projects like construction projects and civil engineering. Their input can also help conduct demographic research, route emergency and fleet vehicles, and determine businesses' best locations. A successful GIS specialist should have data-centric technical skills, creativity, analytical skills, and attention to detail.

Most GIS specialists work 40 hours a week Monday to Friday. They may work longer hours when performing fieldwork.

What general advice would you give to a gis specialist?

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 SpecialistUS Average

Salary

5.1

Avg. Salary $65,463

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 30.59%

male 69.41%

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

7.3

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 specialist

Explore gis specialist education requirements

Most common gis specialist degrees

Bachelor's

71.7 %

Master's

15.3 %

Associate

8.6 %

Start to develop specific gis specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
GPS	10.03%
Python	8.25%
Data Collection	7.53%
Database Management	6.32%
Geospatial Data	4.16%

Complete relevant gis specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New gis specialists 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 specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real gis specialist resumes.

Research gis specialist duties and responsibilities

Implement and manage ESRI ArcSDE, ArcIMS servers and web services in the GIS development lab.
Work extensively with SQL to achieve tight integration with the associated maps which include building tables, maintenance and accuracy checks.
Manage client data and perform database extraction regularly to make timely data updates.
Create python scripts, models and script tools for automation of spatial analysis and data management tasks.

Prepare your gis specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your gis specialist 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 specialist 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 specialist resume templates

Build a professional gis specialist 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 specialist resume.

Apply for gis specialist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a gis specialist 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 did you land your first gis specialist job

Michelle Mannisto

GIS Specialist

I started out getting an Associate's degree from Cooper Mountain College with the plan to become a paleontologist. Then I met some rather hard members of the community who thought that people of my religion shouldn't be paleontologists. So, I transferred to a digital design and animation program (my other passion) and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in that field from Grand Canyon University. I couldn't get a job in the field because I didn't have connections, so I worked as an intern at the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum where I had previously been invited after a dig I went on. After that, I went to get a Bachelor's in geology, since I felt strong enough to face the people who'd say I shouldn't be there. I stayed in the program for two years, which is where I was introduced to GIS. I loved the work and decided to get a minor in it. During this time, I looked for a job to help pay for college and randomly applied to the Congressional Communities GIS Specialist position on Indeed (technically an internship position but labeled as GIS Specialist within their company).

Dan Carracino, my current boss, immediately called me up for an interview. He saw my background and thought that I was a very capable woman and explained the job to me during the interview. We agreed I'd be a good fit, and he hired me. I've worked there every since, and he's the best boss I could ever ask for, even if he does give me only ten minutes of warning before creating meetings with him. 😂

That's how I became a GIS Specialist. Do you want to know how I switched to getting a double major in Geography and GIS or is that enough for your article? I hope this helps!

How do gis specialists rate their job?

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Gis specialist 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.

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019