Gis technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a gis technician. Gis technicians usually study geography, environmental science, or geology. 71% of gis technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 5,121 real gis technician resumes to see exactly what gis technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for gis technicians are the Texas State University and the Texas State University.

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

There are certain gis technician certifications that you should consider. These gis technician certifications include Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) and Geographic Information Services (GIS) Professional .

What education do you need to become a gis technician?

What degree do you need to be a gis technician?

The most common degree for gis technicians is bachelor's degree, with 71% of gis technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 13% and associate degree degree at 9%.

Bachelor's, 71%

Associate, 13%

Master's, 9%

High School Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a gis technician?

You should major in geography to become a gis technician. 47% of gis technicians major in geography. Other common majors for a gis technician include environmental science and geology.

Geography, 47%

Environmental Science, 12%

Geology, 8%

Drafting And Design, 5%

Other Majors, 28%

Most common colleges for gis technicians

Gis technicians often get their degrees at Texas State University, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, and University of Maryland - College Park. Here are the most common colleges for gis technicians in the US based on their resumes.

Gis technician common college	Percentages
Texas State University	11.61%
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point	5.70%
University of Maryland - College Park	5.70%
Texas A&M University	5.70%
Florida State University	5.70%

Show more common gis technician colleges

Best majors for gis technicians

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Geography	47.0%
2	Environmental Science	11.5%
3	Geology	8.0%
4	Drafting And Design	4.5%
5	Business	3.3%

Show more common gis technician majors

Best colleges for gis technicians

The best colleges for gis technicians are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of California, Berkeley.

A gis 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 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 technicians.

1. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

2. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

3. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

4. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Enrollment

23,708

5. University of California - Davis

Davis, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,402

Enrollment

30,698

6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

7. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

10. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

In-state tuition

$55,453

Enrollment

4,312

20 best online courses for gis technicians

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Learn how to process and visualize geospatial data and perform spatial analysis using Python...

10. Spatial Analysis & Geospatial Data Science in Python

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Learn how to process and visualize geospatial data and perform spatial analysis using Python...

11. Introduction to Spatial Databases with PostGIS and QGIS 3

4.6

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Learn Spatial SQL and database management for GIS Professionals...

12. Introduction to web programming for GIS applications

4.5

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Understanding web programming fundamentals focused on geospatial applications using Leaflet, Turf.js, and Post GIS...

13. Python for Geospatial

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learn to write Python scripts for Arc GIS, QGIS, Postgres, and other geospatial software...

14. Exploring Spatial Information using ArcGIS Pro

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15. [Intermediate] Spatial Data Analysis with R, QGIS & More

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17. Practical QGIS For Spatial Data Analysis: Beginner to Expert

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Master Geographic Information Systems (GIS) For Spatial Data Analysis With QGIS: Go from Basic To Expert Level...

18. An introduction to GIS and QGIS 3

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Learn the fundamentals of GIS and get comfortable with QGIS interface...

19. Groundwater Potential Zones GIS - Complete Project ArcGIS

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Also covers, Flood Risk Map, Drought Analysis, Fluctuation from Observed data, Watershed Delineation, Tutorial in depth...

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

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Mapping Habitat Suitability for Conservation Using Machine Learning and GIS in R...

Top 10 most affordable universities for gis technicians

The most affordable schools for gis technicians are Hunter College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for gis 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 technicians.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

8. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

9. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

10. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for gis technicians

The hardest universities for gis technicians to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of California, Berkeley.

Some great schools for gis 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 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

SAT average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,448

4. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

7. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,488

8. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Colgate University

Hamilton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

25%

SAT average

1,443

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

The easiest schools for gis technicians to get into are William Paterson University of New Jersey, mount saint mary's university, and sonoma state university.

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

1. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,072

4. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

5. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

8. Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,062

9. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

10. California University of Pennsylvania

California, PA • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,007

Average gis technician salary by education level

Gis technicians with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $70,659 annually. With a Master's degree, gis technicians earn a median annual income of $70,202 compared to $61,973 for gis technicians with an Bachelor's degree.

Gis technician education level	Gis technician salary
Master's Degree	$70,202
Bachelor's Degree	$61,973
Doctorate Degree	$70,659
Some College/ Associate Degree	$50,560

Gis technician education FAQs

What is the best college for GIS Technicians?

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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