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Job outlook for senior gis analysts in the United States
Senior gis analyst job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior gis analyst job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 56,000 new jobs for senior gis analysts are projected over the next decade.
Senior gis analyst salaries have increased 8% for senior gis analysts in the last 5 years.
There are over 13,747 senior gis analysts currently employed in the United States.
There are 43,362 active senior gis analyst job openings in the US.
The average senior gis analyst salary is $78,218.
Are senior gis analyst jobs in demand?
Senior gis analyst job and salary trends over time
Senior gis analyst jobs over time
Senior gis analyst job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,747 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 40,158 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 14,163 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 7,603 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 7,274 | 0.00% |
Average senior gis analyst salary over time
Senior gis analyst salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $78,218 | $37.60 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $75,640 | $36.37 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $73,928 | $35.54 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $73,536 | $35.35 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | $72,662 | $34.93 | +1.7% |
Senior gis analyst jobs by state
Most common states for senior gis analysts
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 318 | 46% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,041 | 12% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 566 | 9% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 480 | 9% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 87 | 9% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 70 | 9% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 566 | 8% |
| 8 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 709 | 7% |
| 9 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 470 | 7% |
| 10 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 238 | 7% |
| 11 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 103 | 7% |
| 12 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 790 | 6% |
| 13 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 568 | 6% |
| 14 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 310 | 6% |
| 15 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 242 | 6% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 181 | 6% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 107 | 6% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 74 | 6% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 68 | 6% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 37 | 6% |
Most common cities for senior gis analysts
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bethesda | 1 | 2% | $90,564 |
| 2 | Alexandria | 1 | 1% | $83,384 |
| 3 | Fort Lauderdale | 1 | 1% | $67,945 |
| 4 | Gaithersburg | 1 | 1% | $90,682 |
| 5 | Lakewood | 1 | 1% | $77,443 |
| 6 | Washington | 2 | 0% | $81,832 |
| 7 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $67,666 |
| 8 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $77,474 |
| 9 | Richmond | 1 | 0% | $82,077 |
Senior GIS Analyst job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior gis analyst experts
Southern Oregon University
The University of West Florida
University of North Alabama
Southern Utah University
Georgia College and State University
Coastal Carolina University
Valparaiso University
University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama
SUNY Buffalo State College
New Mexico State University
Lehigh University
Montana State University - Bozeman
California State University, Northridge
Austin Community College District
Central Connecticut State University
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Dr. Jamie Trammell PhD: Diversify your skills, think about all the experiences you gained in your academic career, and look for ways in the professional world to compliment or enhance those academic experiences. Follow your interests and passions, wherever they may take you (it is Geography after all), and always look for ways to refresh your analytical, technical, and conceptual skills.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jamie Trammell PhD: Geography is a great discipline for those who like many different things, so the best way to maximize your starting salary potential is to focus on the more technical or analytical skills you can employ as a geographer. Whether that is being proficient in demographic modeling using newer approaches, or knowing how to deploy deep learning algorithms in image analysis, keeping your technical skills sharp will increase your salary potential.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jamie Trammell PhD: I expect we will continue to see geospatial sciences and spatial thinking integrated into every element of society, so the ability to move between disciplines and embrace new analytical skills (i.e. AI) will be key.
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Professor Noel Healy: Students should embrace both flexibility and specialization. There will be opportunities to dive into practical experiences such as internships or field research, in areas that might be both within, and outside your perceived expertise.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Noel Healy: Geospatial technologies, like GIS, are rapidly evolving and are highly sought-after skillsets. Also, skills in data analysis, environmental modeling, programming skills in R are already increasingly important as industries and governments prioritize sustainability and data-driven decisions.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Professor Noel Healy: Focus on developing niche skills that are in high demand, such as GIS expertise, Coding in R, or environmental consulting. Additionally, consider roles in high-paying sectors like technology or government, which often value the diverse skill set that geographers bring.
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Dr. Lara Bryant: Take advantage of local internships that are available while you are in college. It not only gives you experience in the field, but also builds an important network.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Lara Bryant: Data collection and management are some of the most important skills involved with Geographic Information Systems used to analyze and visual information using maps. An understanding of Geographic Information Systems it vital.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Lara Bryant: Because Geography is such a broad field, keep your job search broad. As a Geographer understand be able to articulate what unique qualities and skills you can offer employers. For example, not only do you learn the physical process associated with erosion, but the impacts human development has had on increased erosion as well as possible ways to mitigate the impacts of erosion.
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Dr. Jason Ortegren: I think a lot of geographers appreciate having a background education in human cultures and landscapes from around the world. The breadth of the discipline provides the geographer with perspective and insight about other places, insights that may not be available to the typical non-geographer. I don't dislike anything about being a geographer, but if there is a drawback, Geography as a discipline holds a much lower place in the social consciousness than it used to. Probably because Earth is mostly explored and fully observed (via satellites), the public view of the importance of the discipline of Geography may have suffered.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jason Ortegren: Now, as ever, geography matters. Whether we are examining spatial variability in changes in the climate system, regional political preferences in the USA (or anywhere), or the optimal location for a new retail outlet, location matters. The digital revolution in Geographic Information Systems (and Science) has taken hold in both the public and the private sectors, and Geography traditionally provides this education and training.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jason Ortegren: A geographer tends to focus on the spatial aspects of human and other natural phenomena, with an interest in why differences exist across space. One of the great things about being a geographer is that it can mean virtually anything; almost everything has a spatial component, and this is the realm of the geographer. Someone entering the field can be expected (most likely) to be a relative expert in cartography (map-making) as well as in the interpretation of spatial data. For many geographers, this involves some time in the field documenting observations along with time in the lab/office interpreting these observations and drawing conclusions. Thus, skill diversity is a defining feature of the discipline.
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Dr. Jian Chen: Be open-minded when you start to search for your first job. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of Geography, a degree in Geography prepares students for many different career paths...
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jian Chen: GIS skills, especially web GIS skills will become more important in the next 3-5 years...
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jian Chen: A data scientist is still one of the “sexy” jobs in the market. If you have a Geography degree, you can look for any data scientist position which has a geospatial component...
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Jamie Spinney: While individual experiences can vary, geographers typically enjoy the intellectual challenges of working on complex problems facing the Earth and its inhabitants. Geographers also tend to enjoy the inherent variety of day-to-day tasks as they work on projects with real-world impacts. Some of the challenges that geographers face include fewer job opportunities than some other fields and they may experience information overload, which can be potentially overwhelming to constantly analyze and interpret data.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jamie Spinney: On a day-to-day basis, Geographers typically collect data from a variety of sources such as field observations, maps, satellite imagery, and census data. Then they analyze these data to create maps and identify patterns and trends over space and time. However, geographers often work collaboratively with colleagues from various disciplines and provide a unique spatial and integrative perspective.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Jamie Spinney: Geography is a great profession to enter now for several reasons. Firstly, many of the complex challenges we currently face (e.g., climate change, resource management, and urban planning) require an understanding of spatial relationships and the ability to analyze and integrate a wide variety of data. Secondly, Geographers have a valuable set of unique tools and skills, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), and remote sensing, which collectively allow for more efficient data collection, analysis, and visualization.
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Kathy Kozenski: At this time, thinking spatially is vital to solving problems; an employer is looking for someone who can aggregate disparate pieces of data and information in order to develop creative and unique solutions.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kathy Kozenski: In order to maximize salary potential within the GIS/Geospatial Technologies field(s), an employee (future employee) needs to ensure adequate education and experiences.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Kathy Kozenski: Students who are Geographically Literate and capable of utilizing GIS (geographic information sciences/systems) and Geospatial Technologies enhance their opportunities for employment, across all disciplines and employment fields.
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Dr. Doug Oetter GISP: Geographers study spatial patterns and the many cultural and environmental processes that create them. A geographer will often work with private industries and public agencies to help plot spatial data and make projections about future trends and scenarios. Many of our graduates work with local governments, planning consultants, and environmental engineering firms. Making maps is one of our primary roles, but we also conduct site assessments, cultural resource surveys, landform studies, and climate profiles.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Doug Oetter GISP: The profusion of ‘big data’ usually includes geographic location, and both public and private entities are extremely interested in tracking flows and changes over space. While most jobs won’t be called ‘geographer,’ a graduate trained in both human and physical geography who can demonstrate a solid set of geographic information science (GISc) skills will do very well in future job markets. Geographers collect, analyze, and present spatial data to build an advanced understanding of how the world works on a human scale.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Doug Oetter GISP: Recent graduates enjoy using a diverse set of tools and methods to examine how human civilizations adapt to changing conditions on a regular basis. Our students consider landforms, weather, history, culture, politics, and economics in their holistic assessments, and they offer considerable depth and knowledge to a wide variety of applications and tasks. The only annoying part of being a geographer is having to explain to others what it is that we do, because too many people don’t take geography classes in high school or college!
Dr. Carolyn Dillian Ph.D., RPA
Professor of AnthropologyCoastal Carolina University
Geological And Earth Sciences/Geosciences
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Dr. Carolyn Dillian Ph.D., RPA: Two things come to mind: first, try to develop at least a passing competency in multiple skills, including at least some digital proficiencies like 3D modeling or GIS. And second, don’t neglect the soft skills like good research, communication, and writing. These skills will be important in every aspect of your career no matter what your focus may be.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Carolyn Dillian Ph.D., RPA: Be flexible and willing to learn. Your college training will be a great background for the field, but you’ll develop and refine your skills through hands-on experience, so be sure to ask questions, seek advice, and find a mentor to help you get started in the field.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Carolyn Dillian Ph.D., RPA: Digital skills are increasingly important in the field, including 3D scanning and modeling, GIS, and the use of drones for recording and assessing structures, among other things. Students and early career professionals should try to take courses that provide an introduction to these technologies, as they are increasingly becoming requirements for employment.
Jon-Paul McCool
Associate Professor of Geography; Environmental Science Program CoordinatorValparaiso University
Natural Resources Conservation And Research
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Jon-Paul McCool: In terms of technical skills, the ability to utilize GIS for more than basic mapping. The ability to do more in depth analytical processes and to utilize the mobile components to the software. However, employers are stressing the need for new employees to have drive and individual initiative. Soft skills associated with independence, and the ability to learn on your own are going to be essential.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jon-Paul McCool: Utilize your time as an undergraduate student to set yourself apart. Do some kind of research project that can show your ability to do more than only the assigned work in classes. Utilize your summers to gain additional experience by working relevant jobs and internships. To all extents possible, do not limit yourself spatially. Be willing to travel to far flung locations, at least for a few years, to gain relevant experience after graduating rather than being tied to one specific location or region. You are far more employable with a couple years experience rather than straight out of school.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Jon-Paul McCool: It is important to remember that the only person who can push your career forward is you. You have to go to places and events to get exposure to opportunities and you have to be willing to potentially move and learn new things. You really have to want to move forward with your career and you have to take a vested interest in it by pursuing additional learning opportunities such as workshops, joining professional organizations and attending meetings, volunteering, etc. A degree alone only distinguishes you from those who didn’t graduate. How are you going to stand out compared to the thousands of others graduating across the country with the same major?
Michael Pretes
Professor and Chair of Geoscience, University of North AlabamaUniversity of North Alabama
Geography And Cartography
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Michael Pretes: A good knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is essential for many Geography jobs. Also gaining in importance are skills in Remote Sensing, LiDAR, Web GIS, database management, and Python programming. But perhaps most important of all is good communication skills—oral, written, and visual.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Pretes: Do your homework before applying and interviewing for jobs, so that you are familiar with industry salary ranges and expectations. Then negotiate before accepting a position. If you are just starting out and are nervous about salary negotiations, consult your university's career center for advice and practice interviewing and negotiating scenarios. You should also consider your work-life balance and whether salary or work scheduling and conditions are more important.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Michael Pretes: Geography and Geographic Information Science (GIS) are two of the most employable degrees out there and they offer the greatest variety of career opportunities. In addition to working as a GIS Technician or GIS Analyst, in which you would be creating maps and databases for many kinds of employers, some Geography and GIS graduates find work as airline pilots, law enforcement officers, in the diplomatic service or military, as historical preservation experts, as urban and community planners, land developers, in business location analysis and marketing, in the travel and hospitality industry, in agriculture, in natural resource management, and in business and law, among other fields. Many Geography and GIS graduates find jobs that involve working outdoors. My advice is to think about what kind of work you like to do, and where you want to live. Many jobs in Geography and GIS involve remote work, and some involve extensive travel. You can really choose your lifestyle and career with a Geography or GIS degree.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jim Benes: Although this varies widely depending on if the geographer works for the US Forest Service, academia, local governments, US military, or other agencies, there are a few skills that every geographer will use. These are: understanding maps, cartographic principles, critical and spatial thinking, and generally understanding the inter-connectedness of life and its variances.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Jim Benes: I would say that people love most things about geography - but the degree to which a person has an affinity for computer-based work or not can determine what type of geographer they are. And if a person does not have that affinity for computer-based work, they may not like those aspects of geography. But the best thing about studying geography is that the work and research is varied - so it changes frequently and if a person doesn't like computer-based work, they only need to wait until the next set of questions comes along!
Michael Pretes
Professor and Chair of Geoscience, University of North AlabamaUniversity of North Alabama
Geography And Cartography
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Senior GIS Analysts in the next 5 years?
Michael Pretes: I think there will be an increased demand, quite possibly a significantly increased demand. Technology is changing, and new technologies are rapidly being developed, so Geography-related fields need people with these capabilities.
Camille Holmgren
Professor and ChairSUNY Buffalo State College
Department of Geography & Planning
What soft skills should all Senior GIS Analysts possess?
Camille Holmgren: Oral and written communication skills (emphasized and assessed in our programs), teamwork skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Senior GIS Analysts?
Camille Holmgren: Depends on the specialty within a discipline, but geospatial skills (GPS, GIS, remote sensing) and quantitative/data analysis skills and learned in a geography program are in demand. Combined with the theoretical knowledge of human-environmental relations, regional and global development issues, and planning needs, students end up with both the background and tools to be successful.
What skills will help Senior GIS Analysts earn the most?
Camille Holmgren: GIS and remote sensing have been, and continue to be, huge growth areas.
Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.
ProfessorNew Mexico State University
Department of Geography
What general advice would you give to a Senior GIS Analyst?
Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.: 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.
What Senior GIS Analyst skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.: In the geography and environmental studies field, solid GIS&T skills give you a big advantage in the game. Programming and DB skills take things to a new level. You also need solid soft skills, and solid references that can speak to your wortk ethis are a must.
What will help Senior GIS Analysts increase their earning potential?
Dr. Christopher Brown Ph.D.: Do your homework ahead of interviewing so you know what the market for the job is like. Sell the heck out of yourself in the interview, noting what a solid investment you will be to the company or agency. If an offer is happening and they offer you a salry, don't reply right away. Your hesitation may let them know you are looking for more. Ss you accept the offer, ask about upward mobility in the firm or agency.
Kelly Austin Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Interdisciplinary Programs and International InitiativesLehigh University
College of Arts and Sciences
What skills stand out on Senior GIS Analyst resumes?
Kelly Austin Ph.D.: On Global Studies students' resumes, the skills that employers often comment are most important to them involve skills in collaboration, working with people from diverse backgrounds, communication skills, critical thinking skills, and writing skills.
What soft skills should all Senior GIS Analysts possess?
Kelly Austin Ph.D.: The soft skills that are important for GS graduates are those I named above, and more broadly, many comments that experiences like studying abroad and engaging in research or international internships have them stand apart from other applicants. GS graduates are excellent at critical thinking and seeing issues from multiple perspectives or viewpoints.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Senior GIS Analysts?
Kelly Austin Ph.D.: Employers often comment it is not so much about hard skills anymore. Hard or technical skills can often be taught on the job. It's the broader critical thinking, written and oral communication skills, and diverse experiences abroad, and working with different people from different backgrounds that matter most.
What skills will help Senior GIS Analysts earn the most?
Kelly Austin Ph.D.: Being flexible, adaptable, resilient, and open will help you make the most difference.
Dr. Philip Williams Ph.D.
Teaching ProfessorMontana State University - Bozeman
Chinese literature, film, language, civilization; Asian civilization
What soft skills should all Senior GIS Analysts possess?
Dr. Philip Williams Ph.D.: Soft skills prioritization would vary according to a given employer's needs.
What skills will help Senior GIS Analysts earn the most?
Dr. Philip Williams Ph.D.: Skills in high demand, such as nursing certification, IT/computer science certification, foreign language proficiency, and the like, would probably help the graduate earn the most.
Steven Graves Ph.D.
ProfessorCalifornia State University, Northridge
Department of Geography and Environmental Science
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Senior GIS Analysts in the next 5 years?
Steven Graves Ph.D.: I think the job market for well-trained geographers will continue to be healthy. In particular, two sub-fields are easy to envision, having a decisive decade in the 2020s: GIS and Environmental Geography. GIS has been and will continue to be an exceptionally robust career option because it is a logical means by which companies and governments manage and analyze data, become more efficient, and conduct advanced analysis on whatever data they may use. It's at the heart of several significant data efforts and is becoming increasingly mainstream as data "people" realize how uniquely powerful GIS software can be. Data analytics are what GIS people do. They are getting hired by a wide range of concerns (real estate, utilities, Fortune-500 companies, small towns, law enforcement, health departments, city/county/federal government agencies). Interestingly - though these students are geographers, they often get hired as 'data analysts' or 'real estate acquisition team members' or 'forest managers.' The terminology is different, but the degree is still Geography or Geographic Information.
The other area that makes sense, especially in light of the recent political events, is environmental geography. There's an enormous need for both planning for a sustainable future and remediating past mistakes. Our species' survival depends on it - and the scale of the problems ranges from global to hyper-local. Solutions to such issues are not easy - or they would have been found already - and that's why the integrative approach of geographers is so valuable. Geographers bring knowledge of economics, culture, weather, climate, etc. - the human and physical systems together in a single analytic framework that is often bolstered by a rich data analysis toolkit.
Even students with training in more traditional geography areas (Cultural geography or Historical Geography) seem to have little trouble finding rewarding careers in a bewildering array of fields that often seem, on the surface, little related to geographies - like banking or law firms.
Sydney Pruitt
Department ChairAustin Community College District
GIS & GE Departments
What soft skills should all Senior GIS Analysts possess?
Sydney Pruitt: Self-starters and those who bring new ideas to the table have the most success. Being able to listen, process the information, and take appropriate action while remaining calm is crucial.
What skills will help Senior GIS Analysts earn the most?
Sydney Pruitt: Professionals can find more success with familiarity with Computer-Aided Drafting, Geographic Information Systems, and Remote Sensing. Additionally, demonstrating professionalism, independent judgment, and complete and accurate surveys that adhere to project, organizational, and state standards.
Charles Button Ph.D.
Chairperson and ProfessorCentral Connecticut State University
Geography Department
What type of skills will young Senior GIS Analysts need?
Charles Button Ph.D.: Graduating geographers wishing to succeed in today's workforce need to have the following skills:
- Identify and classify physical and human features of the environment
- Observe, collect, and record geographic information from both primary and secondary sources
- Interpret maps, tables, graphs, photographs, and fieldwork data
- Organize and present information in a coherent manner
What experience really stands out on Senior GIS Analyst resumes?
Charles Button Ph.D.: A geographer's resume should be sure to highlight skills and accomplishments that will distinguish them from others. Some of the more important things to include on a resume are:
- Internships
- Certificates (e.g., GIS certificate)
- Volunteer activities related to the job field you are applying to
- Honors (e.g., awards received)