GIS Technologist or Technician

Research subject: Tasks and work context are occupational descriptions showing substantial computer use, information processing, and accuracy requirements
Main findings: Support tools may be trialed for tasks. Check requirements, quality, versions, and publication permissions individually, without predicting irreplaceability.
Limitations on use: An occupational description, not an automation rate or quality risk rating

BLS OEWS (2025, Parent Group 15-1299 Coverage)

Research subject: Point-in-time sample estimates of U.S. wages
Main findings: The median annual wage of USD 116,580 shown here covers the parent occupational group, not this occupation separately. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income
Limitations on use: Not applicable to other jurisdictions; not exact occupational coverage; the median is not starting pay

BLS Employment Projections (2025—2035, Parent Group 15-1299 Coverage)

Research subject: Projections include growth and replacement demand
Main findings: Parent group employment +5.1% (about 471,200 people in 2025 to about 495,300 in 2035), with 27,000 annual openings including replacements; not exact coverage of this occupation
Limitations on use: Projections are not actual recruitment counts and differ from OEWS point-in-time employment estimates

O*NET 15-1299.02 Hot Technologies

Research subject: Lists 65 software skills, including ESRI ArcGIS 75%, Python 34%, SQL 22%, and AutoCAD 10%
Main findings: Geographic information, database, and programming software support data and cartography; people remain responsible for definitions, validation, and judgments about outputs
Limitations on use: Technology mentions do not mean adoption or establish the degree of automation

NIST AI RMF 1.0

National Bureau of Statistics: Statistical Coverage of Average Wages of Employed Persons in Urban Units · Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security: Enterprise Compensation Survey Information (Broad Job Category Coverage) · U.S. BLS and O*NET Statistical Coverage

Research subject: General AI risk governance framework
Main findings: Digital tool adoption requires clear responsibility, data and fallback plans, and audit trails
Limitations on use: Not a data protection, cybersecurity, or engineering acceptance standard

Why does the impact differ across work directions?

Comparison introduction | The following compares adjacent roles by what AI mainly changes / what people remain responsible for. The conclusion is consistent: tools may support data organization, scripts, cartography, literature, documentation, and queries. Appropriately authorized people and data and security staff remain responsible for data definitions and quality judgments; coordinate system, topology, and field checks; judgments about requirements and outputs; production system changes; external publication; controlled data; and safety. Assess technical feasibility, institutional and regulatory adoption (depending on data disclosure, confidentiality, personal information, and cybersecurity requirements), and job outcomes separately.

Geospatial data and databases

What AI mainly changesTools may be trialed for data cleaning, field mapping, and map drafts; quality and cost require actual testing.

What people remain responsible forData definitions, boundaries, quality judgments, and coordinate system and topology checks

Spatial analysis, cartography, and visualization

What AI mainly changesTools may assist database queries, script drafts, documentation, and knowledge bases

What people remain responsible forUnderstanding requirements, judging outputs, and deciding system changes

Applications, scripts, and user support

What AI mainly changesTools may generate data and quality statistics, metadata, workflow documents, and training materials

What people remain responsible forResponsibility for external publication, controlled data, personal information, and safety

Responsibility must remain clear when AI enters professional workflows

Responsibility introduction | Tool trials still require checks of requirements, data, quality, versions, and authorization; do not assume efficiency has already improved.

Requirements and boundary confirmation
Requirements and definitions: Appropriately authorized people must determine business requirements, data sources, years, boundaries, coordinates, and field definitions. Tools do not replace judgment.
Scope of tool processing
Data and quality: You must check sources, metadata, coordinates, projections, topology, geometry, fields, and outlier handling according to standards. Tools do not replace quality validation.
Human review
Analysis and verification: You must check and review spatial analysis, statistics, script results, and sensitivity or reproducibility checks. Tool outputs must not directly serve as the basis for deliverables.
Traceable documentation
Data and security: Manage controlled data, classified data, personal information, metadata, and account permissions according to minimum necessity, permissions, retention periods, and change requirements. Do not use tools to transmit these externally or generate unverified content.
Authorization and responsibility
Outputs and changes: Publication, delivery, deployment, production system changes, and controlled data provision must remain within authorization, data disclosure, security, and approval scope. Escalate anomalies, misleading-result risks, suspected leaks, and incidents according to procedures.

Professional risks of using AI

Using tool-generated analyses, maps, or script results directly for delivery, deployment, or decision-making

May cause incorrect outputs and engineering or business consequences

Control measures:Before delivery, you must verify data, definitions, and validation conditions and leave a traceable record

Replacing coordinate system, topology, field, and quality checks with tools

May miss projection, topology, or field errors and cause systematic bias

Control measures:Appropriately authorized people must acquire data and validate definitions and quality according to standards

Controlled data, classified data, or personal information entering unauthorized channels or environments without isolation

May violate data protection, confidentiality, and cybersecurity requirements

Control measures:Limit purpose, retention periods, and permissions; do not upload controlled data to external services or outside the production environment

Replacing actual processing and test records with automatically generated scripts or content

Distorted records affect reproducibility, quality, and security audits

Control measures:Records must reflect actual data, processing, and testing; generating unverified content is prohibited

Unclear accountability: no clarity on who confirms definitions, processes data, validates, or approves publication or changes

Responsibility cannot be determined when output disputes, data incidents, or deployment failures occur

Control measures:Before adopting tools, identify and record owners and approval routes for definition confirmation, data processing, validation, publication, and changes

How should different groups respond?

Entry and job-shadowing stage

Use tools in reversible support steps: data format conversion, field organization, literature or document drafts, and simple cartography. Data definitions, quality judgments, outputs, and system changes must follow supervision, standards, and authorization.

Independent technical and analysis roles

Use digital tools for data cleaning, batch processing, spatial analysis, statistics, cartography, scripts, and database operations. You remain responsible for data quality, definition judgments, and delivery under standards and authorization.

Experienced, teaching, and project roles

Use tools to organize multiproject data, quality statistics, metadata, knowledge bases, and training materials. You and the relevant data and security staff must confirm complex matters, controlled data, system changes, and disputes.

Data, quality, and platform support roles

Use tools for data and quality statistics, metadata, workflows, documentation, and knowledge management. Publication, production system changes, and controlled data provision require human approval and traceable records.

Frequently Asked Questions About AI and Career Development

Will geographic information systems technologists and technicians be replaced by AI?

Insufficient evidence: No actual job replacement rate or causal effect has been obtained for this occupation, so it cannot be predicted that replacement will not occur. Data definitions, validation, production changes, and lawful authorization require review. Potential support tasks must be tested in permitted environments.

Source:O*NET Tasks and Work ContextOriginal material ↗

Do new entrants need coding skills now?

The 65 hot technologies come from deduplicated linked U.S. job advertisements from 2025-01-01 to 12-31: ArcGIS75%, Python34%, SQL22%, Office14%, Excel14%, JavaScript13%, and AutoCAD10%; 23 items are below 1%, and 9 have no share provided. These are not practitioner adoption rates, AI effects, or uniform Chinese entry requirements. Advertisements from one year cannot establish increasing usefulness; decide learning priorities according to target role requirements.

Source:2025 linked recruitment software mentions, not a universal programming thresholdOriginal material ↗

Which tasks are most susceptible to AI's influence?

Editorial suggestion | In authorized environments, test cleaning suggestions, field mapping, synthetic-data scripts, routine maps, and document drafts, checking units, joins, coordinates, and versions. This page has not established a task exposure ranking, actual adoption rate, or efficiency gain, and does not call these the tasks most susceptible to AI.

Source:O*NET tasks and work context, not verified AI efficiencyOriginal material ↗

Will this occupation shrink by 2035?

Source:Direct BLS 2025—2035 Parent Group ProjectionsOriginal material ↗

Can AI replace technicians in issuing data outputs?

It cannot take responsibility independently. Understanding requirements; judging data definitions, boundaries, and quality; checking coordinate systems, topology, and fields; judging output usability; production system changes; and controlled data provision are responsibilities of appropriately authorized people and institutions. You must make judgments based on standards and data and be accountable for consequences. AI may support processing, scripts, cartography, and drafts, but cannot replace validation, authorization, or accountability.

Source:NIST AI Risk GovernanceOriginal material ↗

Which abilities should be checked before entering the field?

The ability to translate business needs into checkable data and processing plans; judge coordinate systems, projections, topology, fields, and metadata; clearly explain data limitations and uncertainty; understand data disclosure, confidentiality, personal information, and cybersecurity boundaries; and maintain reproducible, traceable records.

Source:O*NET work context and accuracy requirementsOriginal material ↗

How should the long-term outlook be assessed?

Use three evidence layers: technical feasibility; institutional and regulatory adoption, depending on data disclosure, confidentiality, personal information, and cybersecurity requirements; and job outcomes, for which this page's figures cover the parent occupational group. Consider local geographic information and data service demand, projects, and automation levels, rather than tool demonstrations alone.

Source:NIST risk governance, not job statisticsOriginal material ↗

Authoritative sources and boundaries of use

O*NET 15-1299.02 Details (Tasks and Work Activities)Official occupational descriptionFor defining this occupation's task scope and work context: review data currency, accuracy, and quality 82; produce layers, maps, tables, or reports using spatial analysis or GIS 81; maintain or modify existing databases 78; select cartographic elements 71; enter data 68; interpret aerial or orthophoto imagery 67; use specialized software to create, analyze, report, or convert data 66; design, program, or model applications or procedures 64; advanced spatial analysis and modeling 64; working with computers 86; getting information 85; processing information 82; analyzing data or information 81; identifying objects, actions, and events 80. These use U.S. occupational classification coverage and do not cover mainland China's data, surveying and mapping, or cybersecurity requirements.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS 2025)Official employee wage statisticsFor point-in-time U.S. wage and percentile estimates. O*NET displays parent occupational group 15-1299 figures under this occupation, without separate exact figures for the occupation itself.
BLS Employment Projections (2025—2035)Official employment projectionsFor employment, growth, and openings coverage. These also cover parent occupational group 15-1299 and are projections, not actual recruitment.
O*NET 15-1299.02 Hot Technologies (Software Skills)Software mentions in job advertisementsFor explaining the role of geographic information, database, and programming software in data and cartography. The page provides recruitment shares for some skills: ESRI ArcGIS 75%, Python 34%, SQL 22%, Office 14%, Excel 14%, JavaScript 13%, and AutoCAD 10%. Technology mentions do not establish ability or the degree of automation.
ILO Research on the Generative AI and Employment Occupational Exposure IndexInternational organization research on potential task exposureThe ILO study covers 436 detailed ISCO occupations. This page has not obtained an exact mapping for 15-1299.02 and cannot assign this occupation an exposure level or infer job disappearance.
NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0)AI risk frameworkGeneral governance and risk control principles, not a data protection, cybersecurity, or engineering acceptance standard.
O*NET 15-1299.02 Work Context (Accuracy, Sitting, and Hours)Official occupational task informationFor describing accuracy requirements, sitting, indoor settings, and working hours: environmentally controlled indoor work 89% daily; prolonged sitting 78% continually or almost continually; importance of being exact or highly accurate 69% extremely important and 27% very important; repeating the same tasks 27% extremely important.

Summary | Tools may be trialed for data organization, queries, scripts, and cartography in permitted environments. Compare accuracy and cost before deciding adoption. This page has not verified faster work, lower costs, or the absence of job replacement. Check requirements, coordinates, fields, quality, and publication/change permissions individually.

Mainland China Pay Reference

Occupational title crosswalk | The fixed index name translates as Information Systems Technologists and Technicians and corresponds to 15-1299.02, Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians (GIS), not all general IT roles. Check specific duties and permissions against the actual position.

Classification crosswalk | U.S. SOC 15-1299.02, Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians, is a computer and information occupation with a different focus and authorization level from geographers (19-3092.00), cartographers and photogrammetrists (17-1021.00), surveying and mapping technicians, computer systems analysts (15-1211.00), and database administrators (15-1242.00). International classifications such as ISCO-08 indicate only a broad placement for geographic information and technical roles; they cannot replace U.S. SOC or mainland China's qualifications, occupational classification, or statistical coverage. Mainland China role boundaries defined by surveying and mapping law, data rules, and cybersecurity procedures do not correspond exactly one-to-one with this U.S. occupation. Statistical coverage and legal environments differ, so no numerical conversion is made.

Public Recruitment Sample (Historical Announcements, Not Official Statistics)

Occupational definition | This occupation corresponds to U.S. SOC 15-1299.02, Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians (the fixed Chinese index name translates as Information Systems Technologists and Technicians). Its official scope is assisting scientists or related professionals in building, maintaining, modifying, or using GIS databases, with some custom application development or user support also possible. Core tasks include reviewing existing or incoming data for currency, accuracy, usefulness, quality, and documentation completeness; producing data layers, maps, tables, or reports using spatial analysis procedures or GIS technology and equipment; maintaining or modifying existing GIS databases; selecting cartographic elements needed to present information effectively; entering data into databases; interpreting aerial or orthophoto imagery; using specialized software to create, analyze, report, or convert data; designing, programming, or modeling GIS applications or procedures; building, modeling, or analyzing geospatial data using advanced spatial analysis, data manipulation, or cartographic software; meeting clients to discuss technical specifications and custom solutions; designing and preparing graphical representations of data; providing clients or users technical expertise; and designing or coordinating integrated database development. Outputs include datasets, layers, maps, reports, databases, and application support. These descriptions use U.S. coverage. See this page's explanations of mainland China's data, surveying and mapping, cybersecurity management, and statistical coverage.

Mainland China Urban Nonprivate Units (Industry Section Coverage, Reference)

Mainland China Urban Private Units (Industry Section Coverage, Reference)

Exact National Occupational Wages for This Occupation in Mainland China

Which roles do geographic information systems technologists and technicians with different educational backgrounds typically start in?

Educational backgrounds, common role directions, and checking suggestions (editorial compilation, not pay statistics)
Educational background	Common role directions	Explanations and checking suggestions
Relevant education (check the target announcement)	Actual positions in China	U.S. education responses show 27% bachelor's degrees, 25% master's degrees, and 23% associate degrees; Zone4 is a general description, not a requirement for every role. BLS2025 lists a typical bachelor's degree, no related experience, and no typical OJT for the parent group. This cannot establish the education threshold for most Chinese roles.
GIS, database, or scripting skills	According to specific task requirements	The 65 hot technologies come from deduplicated linked U.S. job advertisements from 2025-01-01 to 12-31: ArcGIS75%, Python34%, SQL22%, Office14%, Excel14%, JavaScript13%, and AutoCAD10%; 23 items are below 1%, and 9 have no share provided. These are not practitioner adoption rates, AI effects, or uniform Chinese entry requirements.
Data quality, metadata, and cartographic experience	According to specific recruitment requirements	Insufficient evidence: You may prepare project data dictionaries, versions, quality checks, and limitation statements. No Chinese job announcement sample has been obtained, so it cannot be concluded that most roles require the same experience.
Data protection, security, account, and change training (where applicable)	Roles involving controlled data and production systems	Roles involving controlled data, classified data, or personal information require data protection and confidentiality training. Roles involving production systems, account permissions, and changes require security and change management training. Follow occupational health guidance such as eye care and ergonomics.

Sources reviewed for this page did not provide a Chinese national occupational wage distribution precisely corresponding to 15-1299.02. NBS2025 publishes industry averages and five broad job category averages for enterprises above designated size, which cannot substitute for an independent GIS occupation. The original MOHRSS page did not yield readable body text; this does not establish that no information exists nationally.

Which industries and directions use this occupation?

Information Transmission, Software, and Information Technology Services

Institutions are classified by their actual main activity. NBS2025 industry averages and five broad job category averages for enterprises above designated size are not independent GIS wages.

Scientific Research and Technical Services (Including Surveying, Mapping, and Geographic Information Services)

Industry reference | Check surveying, mapping, geographic information, survey and design, or consulting roles against the employer's actual industry. NBS2025 national urban scientific research and technical services averages are CNY 182,064/year for nonprivate units and CNY 83,560/year for private units. These are employees' pretax average annual wages, excluding individual businesses and freelancers, not GIS medians, starting salaries, or take-home income. The exact occupational gap is retained.

Public Administration and Social Organizations (Including Government, Natural Resources, and Planning Departments)

Government technical roles related to geographic information, natural resources, planning, and statistics may fall within this section. Its industry average is not this occupation's wage and is not used as a substitute here.

Will AI affect geographic information systems technologists' and technicians' pay?

Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained independent GIS AI exposure, adoption, or wage/employment effects. Parent group statistics and recruitment software mentions are not substitutes.

Pay · Median · Median hourly wage USD 56.05 / median annual wage USD 116,580 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage) · Positions in the 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for parent group 15-1299, not independent GIS wages. Percentiles cannot establish education, starting pay, experience, or duties. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income

Pay · 10th Percentile · 10th percentile annual wage USD 55,940 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage) · Positions in the 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for parent group 15-1299, not independent GIS wages. Percentiles cannot establish education, starting pay, experience, or duties. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income

Pay · 25th Percentile · 25th percentile annual wage USD 79,370 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage) · Positions in the 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for parent group 15-1299, not independent GIS wages. Percentiles cannot establish education, starting pay, experience, or duties. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income

Pay · 75th Percentile · 75th percentile annual wage USD 157,500 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage) · Positions in the 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for parent group 15-1299, not independent GIS wages. Percentiles cannot establish education, starting pay, experience, or duties. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income

Pay · 90th Percentile · 90th percentile annual wage USD 188,470 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage) · Positions in the 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for parent group 15-1299, not independent GIS wages. Percentiles cannot establish education, starting pay, experience, or duties. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income

Employment · Size · Employment: about 471,200 jobs (2025, BLS Employment Projections base year, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage) · Direct BLS Table 1.2: Parent group 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other) has projected 2025—2035 employment of 471,200→495,300, growth of 5.1%, and an official net increase of 24,200. Subtracting endpoints gives 24,100, differing by 100 because of rounding; do not invent another precise figure. The 27,000 annual openings include growth and replacements for occupational transfers and labor force exits, not net new jobs or current vacancies. The self-employed share is 4.9%. None are independent GIS statistics for 15-1299.02.

Employment · Growth Rate · Growth: +5.1% (2025—2035, BLS Employment Projections, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage, parent group estimate) · Direct BLS Table 1.2: Parent group 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other) has projected 2025—2035 employment of 471,200→495,300, growth of 5.1%, and an official net increase of 24,200. Subtracting endpoints gives 24,100, differing by 100 because of rounding; do not invent another precise figure. The 27,000 annual openings include growth and replacements for occupational transfers and labor force exits, not net new jobs or current vacancies. The self-employed share is 4.9%. None are independent GIS statistics for 15-1299.02.

Employment · Average Annual Openings · Projected average annual openings: 27,000 (2025—2035, BLS Employment Projections, including growth and replacements, parent occupational group coverage) · Direct BLS Table 1.2: Parent group 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other) has projected 2025—2035 employment of 471,200→495,300, growth of 5.1%, and an official net increase of 24,200. Subtracting endpoints gives 24,100, differing by 100 because of rounding; do not invent another precise figure. The 27,000 annual openings include growth and replacements for occupational transfers and labor force exits, not net new jobs or current vacancies. The self-employed share is 4.9%. None are independent GIS statistics for 15-1299.02.

U.S. Pay Reference

How much do U.S. geographic information systems technologists and technicians earn (parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)?

The 2025 U.S. national median for parent group 15-1299 is USD 56.05/hour and USD 116,580/year; the 10/25/75/90 percentiles are USD 55,940/79,370/157,500/188,470 per year. These are not independent GIS wages for 15-1299.02, and percentiles are not starting salaries or education/experience levels. OEWS excludes self-employment. BLS2025—2035 projects parent group employment of 471,200→495,300, growth of 5.1%, and a published net increase of 24,200, with separately rounded endpoints. The 27,000 annual openings include growth and replacements, and the self-employed share is 4.9%. These are not current recruitment or individual outcomes.

U.S. Wage Distribution

U.S. Wage Distribution
Position in wage statistics	Annual wage reference	Conversion boundaries	How to interpret this position
Lowest 10%	10th percentile annual wage USD 55,940 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)	Official annual wage, not individual monthly income	National percentiles and medians describe wage positions for the parent group, not independent GIS starting pay, education, experience, or responsibility levels. They also cannot establish that skills increase income. Check target compensation, hours, and contracts.
Median (50%)	Median hourly wage USD 56.05 / median annual wage USD 116,580 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)	Official annual wage, not individual take-home pay	National percentiles and medians describe wage positions for the parent group, not independent GIS starting pay, education, experience, or responsibility levels. They also cannot establish that skills increase income. Check target compensation, hours, and contracts.
Highest 10%	90th percentile annual wage USD 188,470 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)	Official annual wage, not individual take-home pay	National percentiles and medians describe wage positions for the parent group, not independent GIS starting pay, education, experience, or responsibility levels. They also cannot establish that skills increase income. Check target compensation, hours, and contracts.

Pay · Median：Median hourly wage USD 56.05 / median annual wage USD 116,580 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)；The parent group's 2025 median hourly wage of 56.05 and annual wage of 116580 are rounded separately. 56.05×2080=116584 is not an individual's take-home pay. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. BLS wage definitions

Pay · 10th Percentile：10th percentile annual wage USD 55,940 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)；Positions in the 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for parent group 15-1299, not independent GIS wages. Percentiles cannot establish education, experience, duties, or causality. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. O*NET National Wages

Pay · 25th Percentile：25th percentile annual wage USD 79,370 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)；Positions in the 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for parent group 15-1299, not independent GIS wages. Percentiles cannot establish education, experience, duties, or causality. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. O*NET National Wages

Pay · 75th Percentile：75th percentile annual wage USD 157,500 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)；Positions in the 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for parent group 15-1299, not independent GIS wages. Percentiles cannot establish education, experience, duties, or causality. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. O*NET National Wages

Pay · 90th Percentile：90th percentile annual wage USD 188,470 (2025, BLS OEWS, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)；Positions in the 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for parent group 15-1299, not independent GIS wages. Percentiles cannot establish education, experience, duties, or causality. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. O*NET National Wages

Source: O*NET / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜2025-05｜Median wage; Editorial conversion: 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for the parent group. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. Percentiles cannot establish experience, education, starting pay, or income causality. · Source: O*NET / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜2025-05｜10th percentile wage; Editorial conversion: 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for the parent group. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. Percentiles cannot establish experience, education, starting pay, or income causality. · Source: O*NET / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜2025-05｜25th percentile wage; Editorial conversion: 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for the parent group. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. Percentiles cannot establish experience, education, starting pay, or income causality. · Source: O*NET / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜2025-05｜75th percentile wage; Editorial conversion: 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for the parent group. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. Percentiles cannot establish experience, education, starting pay, or income causality. · Source: O*NET / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜2025-05｜90th percentile wage; Editorial conversion: 2025 U.S. national wage distribution for the parent group. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. Percentiles cannot establish experience, education, starting pay, or income causality.

How should these U.S. wage figures be interpreted?

Is the median an entry-level wage?

National percentiles and medians describe wage positions for the parent group, not independent GIS starting pay, education, experience, or responsibility levels. They also cannot establish that skills increase income. Check target compensation, hours, and contracts.

Can an individual's annual pay be calculated from an hourly wage?

Interpreting the coverage: OEWS wages are employer-reported and include production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but exclude overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. This page shows parent occupational group coverage because O*NET does not report separate exact figures under this occupation. Individual income for this occupation cannot therefore be inferred from these figures. BLS OEWS and Employment Projections also use different employment estimate coverage; this page labels them separately rather than mixing them.

Which statistical program provides these figures?

Wages come from BLS OEWS2025, presented through O*NET's national wage table for parent group 15-1299. Employment, growth, and average annual openings come from BLS Table 1.2 projections for 2025—2035. Neither provides independent GIS statistics for 15-1299.02; coverage and uses differ, and wages exclude self-employment.

Which conditions affect actual income?

Direct BLS Table 1.2: Parent group 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other) has projected 2025—2035 employment of 471,200→495,300, growth of 5.1%, and an official net increase of 24,200. Subtracting the endpoints gives 24,100, differing by 100 because of rounding; do not invent another precise figure. The 27,000 annual openings include growth and replacements for occupational transfers and labor force exits, not net new jobs or current vacancies. The self-employed share is 4.9%. None of these are independent GIS statistics for 15-1299.02. Wages are 2025 national estimates for the parent group. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. Check wage and projection uses separately.

How much do U.S. wages differ across industries?

How much do U.S. wages differ across industries?
Industry	Median wage for this occupation within the industry	How to interpret it
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	Insufficient evidence: This round did not obtain a readable occupational wage median for this industry. Industry averages and third-party estimates are not used as substitutes.	The original 2024 table for parent group 15-1299 reports professional, scientific, and technical services at 27%, not an independent GIS share.
Government	Insufficient evidence: This round did not obtain a readable occupational wage median for this industry. Industry averages and third-party estimates are not used as substitutes.	The original 2024 table for parent group 15-1299 reports government at 23%, without inferring specific government departments.
Other Industries (Including Information and Finance and Insurance)	Insufficient evidence: This round did not obtain a readable occupational wage median for this industry. Industry averages and third-party estimates are not used as substitutes.	The original 2024 parent group table reports other industries at 50%, including information and finance and insurance. This is not merely an arithmetic remainder or a separate GIS distribution.
Geographic Information, Remote Sensing, and Spatial Data Service Subcategories	Insufficient evidence: This round did not obtain a readable occupational wage median for this industry. Industry averages and third-party estimates are not used as substitutes.	This page has not obtained a readable wage median for this occupation in this subcategory.

Which factors affect U.S. geographic information systems technologists' and technicians' wages (parent occupational group coverage)?

Institution and project types

Institutions in professional, scientific, and technical services, government, information, finance and insurance, and other sectors have different project structures and pay systems. Government, engineering, planning, and natural resources projects also differ in requirements and income.

Region and living costs

Check the target role's location, nominal compensation, hours, and local expenses. This page has not obtained regional GIS wage distributions and cannot determine the size of income or purchasing power differences in high-cost areas.

Technology stack, combined skills, and scope of responsibilities

U.S. Employment Outlook

Employment · Size

Employment: about 471,200 jobs (2025, BLS Employment Projections base year, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage)

Employment · Growth Rate

Growth: +5.1% (2025—2035, BLS Employment Projections, parent occupational group 15-1299 coverage, parent group estimate)

Employment · Average Annual Openings

Projected average annual openings: 27,000 (2025—2035, BLS Employment Projections, including growth and replacements, parent occupational group coverage)

Insufficient evidence: No separate national, regional, or industry wages have been obtained for 15-1299.02. Verified 2025 national parent group percentiles and 2025—2035 parent group projections are presented as background, not substitutes for this occupation's separate values.

The parent group's 2025 median hourly wage of 56.05 and annual wage of 116580 are rounded separately. 56.05×2080=116584 is not an individual's take-home pay. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. BLS wage definitions · O*NET 15-1299.02 National Wages (Parent Occupational Group 15-1299 Coverage) · BLS Employment Projections (2025—2035) · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS, 2025)

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS, 2025) | https://www.bls.gov/oes/; BLS Employment Projections (2025—2035) | https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm; O*NET 15-1299.02 National Wages (Parent Occupational Group 15-1299 Coverage) | https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/15-1299.02

Career Fit Guide

Which interests, abilities, and working styles matter more in geographic information systems technology work?

Direct answer | Assessments cannot replace hiring checks, qualifications, or verification of real tasks. G1 only shows how you handle fields, joins, units, and handovers in this exercise; it is not the most reliable predictor of long-term fit.

You may be better suited if： Signals to explore: Willingness to take responsibility for processing outputs and system changes within data and authorization boundaries; sustained rigorous work with geospatial data, databases, and scripts; and maintaining quality checks and records under requirements and project pressure, with procedural escalation for anomalies or matters beyond authority.

These situations call for caution： Reasons for caution: Difficulty with sustained screen work and data details; difficulty accepting frequent changes in requirements and definitions; or unwillingness to escalate and transfer matters beyond authorization according to procedures.

Try an entry exercise： First complete this page's M1—M6 and recalculate against the answers, recording independent work and prompts received. No real data, external templates, or expert are needed; one exercise does not demonstrate real GIS ability.

Do not let one test choose your career for you

CIR

O*NET occupational interest baseline

Conventional—Investigative—Realistic

Interest experience in this type of work

Interest experience: Enjoy taking full responsibility for geospatial data or a business requirement from definition confirmation and loading through quality checks, analysis, mapping, delivery, and user support, finding satisfaction in accurate data and usable outputs for users.

Understanding occupational interest codes

Understanding this interest code: CIR combines Conventional (organizing information and data and maintaining accurate records according to standards and procedures), Investigative (analyzing and researching data problems), and Realistic (operating equipment and software and handling practical objects). It helps explain preferences related to this career direction, not predict performance. It is consistent with O*NET task descriptions (reviewing data currency, accuracy, and quality; producing layers, maps, and reports using spatial analysis or GIS; maintaining or modifying existing databases; entering data and interpreting aerial or orthophoto imagery) and work activities (working with computers 86, getting information 85, processing information 82, analyzing data or information 81, and identifying objects, actions, and events 80).

Holland Career Interest Model (RIASEC)

Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained occupation-specific validity or hiring/performance prediction validation for Holland assessments in 15-1299.02. Occupational interest or task descriptions do not establish individual prediction.

Which Holland interest types are closer to geographic information systems technology work?

Holland (RIASEC) | Helps explore your relative Conventional, Investigative, and Realistic preferences. The O*NET interest code for this occupation is CIR (Conventional—Investigative—Realistic): willingness to organize information and data and maintain accurate records according to standards and procedures (Conventional); analyze and research data problems (Investigative); and operate equipment and software and handle practical objects (Realistic). This is consistent with its leading activities of working with computers (86), getting information (85), processing information (82), and analyzing data or information (81). The questionnaire only raises questions; it does not determine suitability or eligibility for a job.

Willing to work with geospatial data, databases, maps, and scripts over time and maintain rigor in fields, coordinate systems, and versions.
Willing to repeatedly check data definitions and quality against requirements and tolerate repetitive detail.

Avoid this use:If you struggle with sustained screen work and data details or frequent changes in requirements and data definitions, a high interest questionnaire score cannot remove those practical demands. Data access, use, publication, deployment, and confidentiality requirements also need confirmation.

Test my Holland career interests

Five-Factor Model of Personality (Big Five)

Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained occupation-specific validity or hiring/performance prediction validation for Big Five assessments in 15-1299.02. Occupational interest or task descriptions do not establish individual prediction.

Which Big Five traits are more relevant to this work?

Big Five | Use questionnaires to raise questions about working styles. This page has not verified that trait combinations improve GIS adjustment or performance; observe and record actual tasks.

Follow work through to completion and willingly check, item by item, whether data sources, years, boundaries, coordinate systems, and fields agree.
Maintain quality checks, clear versions, and clear records under changing requirements and project pressure.

Avoid this use:Do not use a personality assessment saying you are unsuitable as a reason to give up or avoid the field. Use internships, job shadowing, simulated data processing tasks, mentor evaluations, and skills assessment results instead.

View my Big Five personality traits

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained occupation-specific validity or hiring/performance prediction validation for MBTI assessments in 15-1299.02. Occupational interest or task descriptions do not establish individual prediction.

Can MBTI determine whether geographic information systems technology work suits me?

MBTI | This typology supports reflection on communication and work preferences. The occupation requires procedural communication and collaboration with data providers, business and planning departments, users, and security staff; preferences do not determine competence.

Willing to explain data sources, definitions, processing steps, limitations, and uncertainty to project teams and users and confirm understanding.
Communicate and review according to procedures under deadline pressure or changing requirements, rather than producing outputs first and adding quality checks later.

Avoid this use:Use type only as a reference for communication styles. Do not use it to infer whether you or others can handle data processing, loading, quality checks, mapping, or systems support well.

Understand my MBTI preferences

Enneagram

Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained occupation-specific validity or hiring/performance prediction validation for Enneagram assessments in 15-1299.02. Occupational interest or task descriptions do not establish individual prediction.

Can the Enneagram indicate whether this occupation suits me?

Enneagram | For self-questioning. Editorial suggestions include observing how you check procedures and keep records when requirements change, failures occur, or coordinates or topology conflict. This page has not established the relative predictive validity of these observations and type labels.

When a matter exceeds your authorization, such as controlled data provision, production system changes, or safety conclusions, first stop and ask the relevant roles or institutions to handle it.
Respond objectively to corrections from supervisors, peers, security staff, and data management staff.

Avoid this use:Do not use type labels to explain output errors or incidents. Return to whether sources, definitions, processing, quality checks, and testing were handled properly.

Explore my Enneagram patterns

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Mathematical Reasoning

Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained occupation-specific validity or hiring/performance prediction validation for intelligence and reasoning assessments in 15-1299.02. Occupational interest or task descriptions do not establish individual prediction.

Can I work in geographic information systems technology if I struggle with math?

Intelligence and reasoning | This page sets no intelligence threshold or ranking against professional abilities. Check actual performance in reading fields, numbers, and versions and identifying conflicts. Scores cannot determine whether someone can learn GIS.

Understand data dictionaries, metadata, technical documents, and requirements and identify contradictions and anomalies.
Maintain orderly priorities, scripts, and versions while handling multiple projects and data sources concurrently.

Avoid this use:A high or low score does not establish whether someone can learn data processing, spatial analysis, databases, and scripting. Check this through internships, job shadowing, simulated tasks, and mentor evaluations.

Understand my intelligence and reasoning performance

Emotional Intelligence (EI, Often Called EQ)

Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained occupation-specific validity or hiring/performance prediction validation for emotional intelligence assessments in 15-1299.02. Occupational interest or task descriptions do not establish individual prediction.

Does geographic information systems technology work require high emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence | Observe whether you can explain problems, accept corrections, and collaborate according to procedures when requirements change. Do not infer output quality from self-reports.

Remain calm, prioritize standards, and keep clear records during changing requirements, incident handling, and deadline pressure.
Accept corrections from supervisors, peers, security staff, and data management staff regarding data, outputs, and changes.

Avoid this use:Use this exercise to record communication and handling processes, without promising that training improves emotional abilities or job performance.

Understand my emotional intelligence abilities

Which geographic information systems technology direction may suit you better?

Geographic information systems technologists and technicians | Produce verifiable datasets, layers, maps, reports, databases, and application support: review and load geospatial data, produce outputs using spatial analysis or GIS, maintain and develop databases and applications, and support users (U.S. SOC 15-1299.02).

A closer match:Able to independently perform geospatial data processing, analysis, cartography, and systems support within authorization

Note:If screen detail or changing requirements are difficult for now, record specific issues and try further experience. Do not permanently rule out a career from a single exercise.

Cartographers and photogrammetrists | Produce maps, imagery, and photogrammetric outputs: process aerial and satellite imagery, perform photogrammetric solutions and three-dimensional reconstruction, design map symbols and layouts, and produce maps and thematic maps.

A closer match:Have skills in image processing, photogrammetry, and map design

Note:If you want data loading, databases, and systems support to be your main work rather than maps and imagery, this direction is not recommended.

Surveying and mapping technicians also perform GIS entry and layer/database work. Check fieldwork and instrument requirements against the actual position; the title does not imply every role is exclusively field-based.

A closer match:Have skills in instrument operation, surveying records, and mapping support

Note:Check office, field, and GIS tasks in the specific surveying technician role. An office-work preference cannot rule out the occupation; try its actual tasks.

Geographers | Produce research or analytical findings, data products, and thematic maps: collect and compile geographic data from multiple sources, analyze physical and human phenomena across scales, and write and present research findings.

A closer match:Have skills in defining research questions, spatial analysis, and explanation

Note:If you want data, databases, and cartographic technology to be your main work rather than research and explanations of mechanisms, this direction is not recommended.

View related occupations:Geographers

Computer systems analysts | Produce system requirements, solutions, and process descriptions: investigate business needs and current processes, analyze feasible solutions and costs and benefits, write system requirements and solutions, and coordinate development, testing, and deployment.

A closer match:Have skills in business communication, requirements analysis, and solution design

Note:If you want geospatial data processing and tool use to be your main work rather than business processes and solution design, this direction is not recommended.

Database administrators | Produce database operation, permissions, backup, and performance records: install and configure databases, manage permissions, backups, recovery, performance tuning, and troubleshooting, and implement security and audit requirements.

A closer match:Have skills in database platform, performance, and security operations

Note:If you want geospatial data content and spatial analysis to be your main work rather than database platform operations, this direction is not recommended.

Career Fit Frequently Asked Questions

What personality is better suited to geographic information systems technology work?

What personality is better suited to geographic information systems technology work? The occupation places greater weight on rigor in data, definitions, and versions; ongoing learning of technologies and tools; the ability to translate requirements into checkable plans; and willingness to take responsibility for data compliance and output quality, rather than a particular personality type. O*NET lists CIR (Conventional—Investigative—Realistic), with work styles emphasizing intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, and dependability. These can be starting points for exploration.

Can introverts be geographic information systems technologists and technicians?

Can introverts do this work? Yes. It includes substantial independent data processing, scripting, and documentation, alongside communication with data providers, business teams, and users: email 35% daily; telephone communication 47% weekly or more but not daily; face-to-face or individual and team discussions 33% daily and 40% weekly or more but not daily.

Can extroverts do well as geographic information systems technologists and technicians?

Extroversion is not an entry requirement. This page has not verified that extroversion improves GIS communication or performance. Observe actual explanations of requirements and reviews.

Which MBTI type is best for geographic information systems technology work?

Which MBTI type is best for this occupation? No type has been shown to be best. MBTI is not a professional qualification or ability assessment tool. Career adjustment mainly depends on awareness of data and methods, standards compliance, and software, database, and security abilities.

Which Holland interest types are more relevant to this occupation?

Which Holland interest types are more relevant to this occupation? O*NET lists CIR: Conventional (organizing information and data and maintaining accurate records according to standards and procedures), Investigative (analyzing and researching data problems), and Realistic (operating equipment and software and handling practical objects). Use this to explore task preferences, not predict performance.

Can personality trait scores predict performance in this occupation?

This page has not obtained occupation-specific validation of personality prediction. Unverified group trends cannot be treated as individual evidence.

Can someone who struggles with math work in geographic information systems technology?

Can someone who struggles with math do this work? Quantitative skills involving coordinates, geometry, statistics, and data processing are needed, and daily work involves data, fields, and scripts. Quantitative foundations can be developed through training, but complete difficulty with data and quantitative work creates substantial limitations.

Does geographic information systems technology work require high emotional intelligence?

Collaboration follows the actual role, without a specific emotional intelligence score requirement. This page has not verified that high emotional intelligence improves outcomes.

Can the Enneagram determine whether I am suited to this work?

Can the Enneagram determine whether I am suited to this work? No. It is a self-exploration tool, not a conclusion about occupational ability or fit. Evaluate whether you can complete loading, quality checks, analysis, and delivery under data and standards requirements.

How can I use deliverables to judge which direction suits me?

Complete G1 below to observe only your key joins, coordinate units, and quality judgments in this exercise. Do not infer long-term career fit from a single task.

Work Pressures, Risks, and Professional Boundaries

What pressures, risks, and professional boundaries come with geographic information systems technology work?

Risk examples include conflicting data definitions, coordinates, or fields; uncontrolled factual records and versions; unauthorized information provision or production system operations; and collaboration or outsourcing interruptions. These are not frequency or severity rankings. First check data, testing, review, and permissions. Pause the affected step when anomalies arise and obtain evidence and transfer matters according to actual procedures.

Evidence scope | This page summarizes O*NET 15-1299.02 tasks and work context: review data currency, accuracy, usefulness, and quality 82; produce layers, maps, tables, or reports using spatial analysis or GIS 81; maintain or modify existing databases 78; select cartographic elements 71; enter data 68; interpret aerial or orthophoto imagery 67; use specialized software to create, analyze, report, or convert data 66; design, program, or model applications or procedures 64; advanced spatial analysis and modeling 64; meet clients to discuss technical specifications 63; work with computers 86; get information 85; process information 82; analyze data or information 81; identify objects, actions, and events 80; environmentally controlled indoor work 89% daily; prolonged sitting 78% continually or almost continually; importance of being exact or highly accurate 69% extremely important and 27% very important; repeating the same tasks 27% extremely important; time pressure 47% monthly or more but not weekly. Data, output, and security requirements reference data protection, surveying and mapping results, cybersecurity, and personal information management rules. Wage and employment figures cover parent occupational group 15-1299 and provide background only, not risk assessment inputs.

Unrecorded data definitions, coordinates, and fields

Typical scenario：Scenario | The regional boundaries and statistical data supplied for a project use inconsistent definitions. Under a tight deadline, the requester wants maps and conclusions produced from existing data first and verified later.

Main roles：The practitioner, data staff, and project staff; clients, users, and decision-makers

Possible consequences：Wrong judgments about data years, administrative boundaries, coordinate systems, projections, or field dictionaries; combining or overlaying data with incomparable definitions; undetected topology or geometry errors; or missing, untraceable metadata may cause systematic output errors and affect engineering, planning, and business decisions.

Reducing risk：Before work, check data sources, years, boundaries, coordinates, and fields and record the basis. Validate processing and mapping according to standards and reproducibility requirements, retaining scripts and intermediate results. Immediately pause for review and rework when definitions conflict, coordinate systems, topology, or fields are wrong, or results are abnormal.

Basis：O*NET 15-1299.02 Details (Tasks and Work Context) · NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0)

Uncontrolled data, script, and metadata versions

Typical scenario：Scenario | During handover, you find the previous shift's analysis script lacks parameter and data version records and that result layers do not match the database version. Someone suggests filling the gaps from a template.

Main roles：The practitioner, data staff, and quality staff; the institution, users, and auditors

Possible consequences：Missing original data, script parameters, or versions; fabrication, backdating, or untraceable rewrites; and outputs inconsistent with databases may affect reproduction and audits. Lawful corrections are not fabrication.

Reducing risk：Retain original values and versions, stating reasons, responsible people, and actual correction times. Mark unverified fields UNKNOWN and request review; do not backdate or fabricate supplements from templates.

Basis：O*NET 15-1299.02 Details (Tasks and Work Context) · China's Personal Information Protection Law (Identifiable Natural Persons)

Controlled data or personal information sent to the wrong recipient

Typical scenario：Scenario | A party requests data containing personal information or controlled geographic information in an uncontrolled group chat for quick coordination.

Main roles：The practitioner, data staff, and security staff; the institution, clients, and data subjects

Possible consequences：Failure to manage controlled data, classified data, or personal information according to minimum necessity, approval, and confidentiality requirements, or unauthorized external publication, provision, or cross-border transfer, may violate data protection, surveying and mapping results, and cybersecurity requirements and cause legal and security consequences.

Reducing risk：Handle identifiable personal information according to lawful basis, minimum necessity, permissions, and retention periods. Do not provide it in uncontrolled group chats without authorization; use permitted channels to ask security/data staff to check. Competent authority approval applies only where actual legal provisions require it.

Basis：China's Personal Information Protection Law (Identifiable Natural Persons) · NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0)

Production system changes or conclusions beyond authorization

Typical scenario：Scenario | During a staffing shortage, you are asked to change the production database or delete data directly, skipping testing and approval to deploy that day.

Main roles：The practitioner, operations staff, and security staff; the institution, users, and orderly production operations

Possible consequences：Unauthorized production changes, data deletion, or permission adjustments, or issuing engineering, safety, or compliance conclusions in place of authorized roles, may cause system failures, data loss, and legal and reputational risks.

Reducing risk：Follow change, approval, testing, and rollback procedures for production changes and permission adjustments. Transfer engineering, safety, and compliance conclusions to the relevant roles or institutions. When asked to exceed authority, first explain the boundary and transfer through the required process.

Basis：China's Surveying and Mapping Law (Actual Activities and Entity/Personnel Scope) · O*NET 15-1299.02 Details (Tasks and Work Context)

Interruptions because key data and systems depend on one person

Typical scenario：Scenario | The only colleague familiar with a data workflow and system configuration is on leave. The project is asked to have that colleague guide by telephone while untrained staff temporarily process and publish results.

Main roles：The practitioner, team, and platform staff; project progress and system availability

Possible consequences：Key data, scripts, or system permissions depend on one person, so resignation, sick leave, account expiration, or device failure interrupts processing and delivery. This may delay projects and affect system availability and output continuity.

Reducing risk：Establish backup and handover rules for scripts, configurations, permissions, documentation, and personnel. Keep key processes and parameters reproducible and traceable. Escalate staffing, permission, or resource shortages according to procedures and adjust priorities; do not deploy with unresolved hazards.

Basis：O*NET 15-1299.02 Occupational Profile and Official Scope · NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0)

Unclear delivery and acceptance of outsourced data or development

Typical scenario：Scenario | After development or data processing, a contractor requests payment without submitting source code, test records, or acceptance records. You are asked to sign off first and obtain the missing items later.

Main roles：The practitioner, contractors, and technical service providers; the project, outputs, and data security

Possible consequences：Unclear delivery and acceptance for outsourced data collection, development, or platform services, or unclear ownership of data, outputs, and code and fee changes, may cause rework, fee disputes, and unclear quality and data security accountability.

Reducing risk：For outsourcing and technical collaboration, define and record scope, standards, acceptance, data and output ownership, and fee change rules. Review and accept deliverables. Pause for review and escalation when delivery, acceptance, or ownership disputes arise.

Basis：O*NET 15-1299.02 Details (Tasks and Work Context) · China's Surveying and Mapping Law (Actual Activities and Entity/Personnel Scope)

See how AI changes specific tasks →

Entry, Qualifications, and Career Development

How to Become a Geographic Information Systems Technologist or Technician: Education, Qualifications, and Career Development

Direct answer | Check education and skills against target announcements, learn GIS data, analysis, or application support, and verify through real projects. U.S. education responses for new hires show 27 bachelor's / 25 master's / 23 associate degrees. Zone4 is a general description, and BLS lists a typical bachelor's degree for the parent group. There is no universal degree—certification—promotion chain. Paper exercise G1 is only a starting point, not a substitute for actual training or authorization.

Articles 27—29 of China's Surveying and Mapping Law set qualifications and scope for surveying and mapping entities; Articles 30—31 address personnel practice conditions and work credentials. Do not equate all GIS processing with credentialed surveying and mapping. Article 34 requires prescribed approval for external provision of surveying and mapping results constituting state secrets; Article 37 concerns review and publication of important geographic information; Article 39 requires quality accountability. These do not imply administrative approval for all ordinary data sharing. Apply Articles PIPL4/6/13/19 according to identifiable natural persons, lawful basis, minimum necessity, and retention periods; anonymized information is not personal information. Separately check system security, cross-border, and other rules against actual systems and data; they are not a uniform occupational license. U.S. occupational descriptions confer no publication/production permissions; check institutional authorization separately.

Learning suggestion | Check education, skills, training, and project experience against target announcements and actual tasks; check certification and data/publication/production permissions separately. First complete G1 to observe unit and join handling in this exercise, then address gaps through real permitted projects. There is no uniform certification and promotion chain for everyone.

How new graduates or career changers can explore and enter the field

How do entry roles and initial tasks compare for geographic information systems technologists and technicians?

Career direction	Starting tasks	Evidence to prepare	Work samples you can show without experience	Difference from this occupation
Geographers	Data compilation and research support	Geography or related education, project records, and papers	A fictional outline table for regional data and analysis	Produces research findings and explanations; this occupation produces data, databases, cartography, and systems support
Cartographers and photogrammetrists	Image processing and cartographic support	Photogrammetry or cartography training and project records	A fictional outline table for image processing and map design	Produces maps, imagery, and photogrammetric outputs; this occupation produces data loading, analysis, and systems support
Surveying and mapping technicians	Field surveying and documentation support	Surveying and mapping or civil engineering training and internship records	A fictional outline table for surveying, setting out, and documentation	Produces surveying operations and records; this occupation produces office-based data processing and systems support
Computer systems analysts	Requirements research and process documentation support	Information systems or related education and project records	A fictional outline table for requirements and process analysis	Produces system requirements and solutions; this occupation produces geospatial data and technical tool applications
Database administrators	Database operation, backup, and query support	Computing or database training and project records	A fictional outline table for database permissions, backups, and performance	Produces database platform operation and security; this occupation produces geospatial data content and analysis

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

What do employers usually look for when hiring?

U.S. education responses for new hires show 27% bachelor's degrees, 25% master's degrees, and 23% associate degrees; Zone4 is a general description, not a requirement for every role. Direct BLS 2025 Table 1.2 lists a typical bachelor's degree, no related experience, and no typical OJT for parent group 15-1299. Check specific announcements and jurisdictions separately.

Independent responsibility for data processing or system changes does not depend on education alone, but on performing the relevant duties within institutional and project authorization and standards.

Education and training affect the entry starting point only. Independent work mainly depends on internship, supervision, software, database, quality checking, and security training and assessment results.

Role checking suggestion: Confirm sources/fields/versions, data access and publication permissions, applicable training, test and production environments, changes, and backups. Surveying, mapping, and personal information requirements follow actual activities and legal scope. No uniform employer sample has been obtained, so do not conclude that every role has the same requirements.

Engineering, safety, and compliance conclusions and major production system changes must be handled by the relevant roles or institutions.

Retention and provision of controlled data, personal information, and metadata must follow confidentiality and minimum-necessity requirements. Do not send controlled data to unauthorized environments.

O*NET lists the interest code CIR (Conventional—Investigative—Realistic), emphasizing organizing information and data and maintaining accurate records according to standards and procedures; analyzing and researching data problems; and operating equipment and software and handling practical objects. Work styles emphasize intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, and dependability.

Work context highlights environmentally controlled indoor work: 89% daily; prolonged sitting: 78% continually or almost continually; importance of being exact or highly accurate: 69% extremely important and 27% very important; repeating the same tasks: 27% extremely important; freedom to make decisions: 32% some freedom and 13% limited freedom; and time pressure: 47% monthly or more but not weekly.

Interest and work style data are only for self-questioning and do not establish hiring or performance conclusions.

The 65 hot technologies come from deduplicated linked U.S. job advertisements from 2025-01-01 to 12-31: ArcGIS75%, Python34%, SQL22%, Office14%, Excel14%, JavaScript13%, and AutoCAD10%; 23 items are below 1%, and 9 have no share provided. These are not practitioner adoption rates, AI effects, or uniform Chinese entry requirements. Check GIS, database, scripting, and documentation tool requirements against target tasks.

Judgments about data definitions, quality, outputs, and changes depend on professional knowledge and experience. Digital tools support data processing, loading, mapping, scripting, and documentation.

Permissions for data access, publication, and deployment depend on institutional authorization and data disclosure, confidentiality, and security requirements. Tools and software do not confer authorization.

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

Entry exercise: a complete data loading, quality checking, analysis, and mapping task using fictional materials

M1 | Entirely fictional G1, v1, year 2025. A 60-minute paper/pen/calculator exercise with no real region, residents, or system. Layer L contains A(0,0), B(300,400), and C(600,0), in m, using the same stipulated local plane with X east and Y north, unrelated to any national CRS. Statistical layer T gives A a population of 100 and B a population of 200; C has no row. Area keys are case-sensitive and must be unique. Calculate paper distances at 1:10000 and distances from O to the points, where O(0,0). The closed buffer threshold is 500m (≤ included), not travel distance or service coverage.

M2 | Received table J-v1 has three rows: A/100, B/200, and B/200. Statistics also cover 2025, and population is measured in people. C has no statistics and B is duplicated; duplicates cannot be deleted automatically. A one-to-one join requires unique keys. A separate U row has coordinates 120.2/30.1 in deg, with CRS/datum/axis order blank; it cannot be overlaid on L's m coordinates.

M3 | Stipulated processing rules: J-v1 unique-key validation is FAIL; C's missing row and U's reference system are UNKNOWN. UNKNOWN is neither zero nor PASS. Do not deduplicate or merge real tables, change CRS, or execute GIS/SQL. Conditional arithmetic uses only the explicitly given unique table T: A100+B200=300. Do not call 300 the total population of all L, because C is unknown.

M4 | The fictional v2 output draft says O-B distance is 50m, paper distance at 1:10000 is 0.5cm, only A is within ≤500m, joined J population is 500, C population is 0, U can be overlaid directly, and the result is PASS. The editor and modification time are not provided; do not guess the cause. Compare each claim with v1 instructions and record before/after values, evidence, and FAIL/UNKNOWN.

M5 | Fictional October 2: Quality checker Q sends a review request at 09:00, still unconfirmed at 09:04. Owner T's feedback deadline is 09:20; authorization and deployment status are blank. Business party U asks for real residential address coordinates in a group chat without a lawful basis/permission. Only draft pending-review and non-disclosure responses, recording the recipient, actual time, issue, and next check. Do not claim Q approved or the system was deployed.

M6 | Draw 3 tables yourself without external templates: calculation table (input version / units / formula / answer / limitations); discrepancy and quality check table (v2 claim / v1 evidence / correct or unknown / FAIL or UNKNOWN / reason); and handover table (recipient / issue / request and confirmation times / deadline / authorization status / next step). Label all three drafts as fictional G1. Answers follow in the next group. Experienced review is optional; independently checking against answers is sufficient.

Suggested 60-minute allocation: 15 minutes reading M1—M3, 15 for the calculation table, 20 for discrepancies, and 10 for handover. Calculate O-A/B/C distances and the 500m boundary, B's paper distance in cm, and check unique keys and missing rows without filling unknowns.

Calculate the explicitly known A+B subtotal and the duplicate-counting difference from directly joining J-v1. List six types of v2 deviations; do not invent C's unknowns or U's coordinates.

Write the unconfirmed duration from 09:00→09:04 and time remaining until 09:20, plus drafts for Q/T pending confirmations and handling the real-address request. Do not approve, deploy, actually transmit externally, or treat the stipulated threshold as an industry standard.

Reference calculation | O-A=0m, O-B=√(300²+400²)=500m, O-C=600m. ≤500 includes A/B, not C. B's paper distance is 500m/10000=.05m=5cm. The 50m and .5cm in v2 are each 1/10 of the correct values; the A/B boundary must not omit B.

Reference calculation | Unique A+B in T subtotal 300 people. Directly joining J gives A100+B200+B200=500 people, an excess of 200, or 66.67% over the known subtotal. Because duplicate keys are FAIL and C's missing row is UNKNOWN, neither 500 nor 300 can be called L's total population. Do not automatically deduplicate or fill C with 0.

Discrepancy reference | Correct v2's two distance/unit errors, omitted B, duplicated population of 500, C treated as 0, direct overlay of U, and PASS. U's coordinates are in deg and its CRS/datum/axis order are unknown; numbers alone cannot justify projection into m. Keep UNKNOWN and request metadata from the data provider. The editor and time are absent; do not guess who made the change.

Handover reference | 09:00 to 09:04 is 4 minutes without confirmation; 09:04 to 09:20 leaves 16 minutes, not approval completion time. Q checks duplicates/missing rows/CRS, T checks delivery authorization; status remains pending confirmation. The real-address request lacks a basis and the group chat is uncontrolled; do not provide the data. Record actual response time, original values, evidence, and next check in the three tables. Expert involvement is optional; do not fabricate feedback.

Fictional paper materials only: Do not collect real addresses/coordinates, execute SQL/GIS conversions or production changes, or share real data. Local coordinates and the 500m stipulation are not national coordinates, actual accessibility, or industry standards. Do not fabricate unknowns; FAIL only means the exercise's stipulated rule is unmet.

The work sample shows only calculations, key/metadata quality checks, and handover records in this exercise. It does not demonstrate comprehensive GIS skills, long-term fit, certification, approval, or deployment. All inputs and answers are on this page; no external data, templates, or mandatory expert are needed.

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

What verifiable work samples can beginners prepare?

Use M1—M3 and the three drafts to explain each row of the requirements—method—evidence table. If no database/GIS was actually run, state that this was a paper check.

State independent work, prompts, or calculator assistance. Do not claim actual surveying or deployment of a quality checking system.

Retain the stipulated local coordinates, 500m, and scale boundaries; do not infer roads or real coverage.

Without looking at the original answers, recalculate √(300²+400²), 5cm, and 300/500/200, then check against the reference answers.

Record actual recalculation times, discrepancies, and correction reasons. Experts are optional; record feedback only if received, without fabrication.

C/CRS/authorization remain UNKNOWN until verified; completing the tables does not turn them into PASS.

The handover summary should include v1/v2, units, unique keys, unmatched C, U metadata, the three tables, and unverified matters.

Use only fictional G1 data, without real addresses, controlled materials, or production access.

Draft requests to Q/T for review and authorization; do not claim confirmation.

If assisted by a calculator or script, state the purpose, version, and personal review. GIS software is not required.

Recalculate tool-generated results against this page's answers and record yourself as the actual reviewer and the actual time.

Example outputs do not represent real user approval/deployment, certification, or job competence.

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

What might interviews and probation assess, and what conclusions cannot be inferred?

Stage	Points that may be checked	Observable evidence	Boundary statement
Resume and initial screening	Geographic information or computing education and project experience, software, database, and scripting skills, and outputs or a portfolio	Education, project, work sample, and certification records	Self-assessment cannot replace education, authorization, or institutional verification
Interview	Understanding of data definitions, coordinates, fields, quality checks, versions, and publication and change boundaries	Judgment about projection conflicts, topology errors, and matters beyond authorization during live questions and answers	Scenario answers cannot replace security and change training
Written or practical test	Data processing, spatial analysis, cartography, scripting, and presentation of results	Processing scripts, layers, outputs, and explanatory design results	Practical testing does not establish independent deployment or publication ability
Onboarding and probation	Compliance with data, quality, version, confidentiality, change, and security management procedures	Source, script, quality check, publication, change, and escalation form records	Duties and authority follow institutional and project arrangements and assessments

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

Seven-day experience: use fictional materials to complete a definition-confirmation, data-processing, and delivery cycle

01
Read the same G1 materials M1—M3 and copy the field dictionary and stipulated rules.
List m/deg, case-sensitive keys, unique joins, and the closed 500m boundary.
02
Draw the three tables yourself and record v1/v2.
List C/CRS/authorization as UNKNOWN, without filling zero or PASS.
03
Recalculate O-A/B/C=0/500/600m and B's paper distance of 5cm.
Use M4 to check that 50m/.5cm are 1/10 of the correct values and that B was omitted at the boundary.
04
Recalculate T's subtotal of 300, J's duplicate-inclusive 500, and the excess of 200, or 66.67%.
The join is FAIL and C is unknown; do not call the result an overall total or deduplicate automatically.
05
Complete the M4 discrepancy table and M5 handover draft.
Unconfirmed for 4 minutes, with 16 minutes remaining; Q/T have not approved. Do not provide the requested real addresses.
06
Hide the answers, recalculate independently, then compare with this page's references.
Experts are optional. Record actual discrepancies and correction times without inventing external feedback.
07
Organize the same exercise's 3 tables and limitations, and state whether to continue learning, pause this exercise, or explore adjacent directions.
Record only this exercise's performance and the next learning item, without conclusions about professional qualifications, real GIS ability, or long-term fit.

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

How to decide whether to continue after seven days

Continue learning: You can recalculate distances and scale and clearly state the exercise's limitations. This is evidence only for this exercise.
Continue learning: You can identify duplicate-key FAIL and C/CRS/authorization UNKNOWN without fabricating results.
Continue learning: You are willing to develop GIS, database, and project skills for actual roles, without substituting a paper exercise for practical work.
Pause this exercise: Repeated unit or join errors call for learning the relevant knowledge before retrying, not permanently ruling out the career.
Pause this exercise: If you confuse unknown with zero/pass or record unconfirmed matters as approved, first correct your understanding of records and authorization.
Explore: For research and explanation, consider geography; maps and imagery, cartography and photogrammetry; fieldwork, surveying technician roles. Check requirements anew.
Explore: For system solutions, consider systems analysis; database operations, DBA roles. Tasks may overlap, but neither automatic transfer nor authority follows.

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

Education, training, and qualifications: what are the actual entry requirements?

Qualification or preparation item	Who it applies to	Role in this occupation	Whether generally required	Conditions for obtaining it	Approximate commitment	Limitations
Bachelor's degree in geographic information, surveying and mapping, computing, geography, or planning	U.S. education responses include bachelor's/master's/associate degrees; check Chinese announcements separately	Provides the starting knowledge and skills needed for entry	Check the actual role/jurisdiction; this page sets no uniform threshold	Complete the relevant bachelor's degree education	This page estimates no uniform duration; check actual course/program conditions	Education does not equal authorization or independent publication permission
Master's degree (research, platform, and specialist roles)	Roles that actually require a master's degree	Check education requirements against announcements; do not conclude platform roles generally require a master's degree	Check the actual role/jurisdiction; this page sets no uniform threshold	Complete relevant postgraduate education and research or project training	This page estimates no uniform duration; check actual course/program conditions	Institutional and role requirements govern; education does not automatically confer publication permission
Geographic information, database, and programming skills training	People whose actual tasks involve the relevant skills	Check specific GIS, database, or scripting tasks; no uniform skill package for everyone	Check the actual role/jurisdiction; this page sets no uniform threshold	Train through courses, projects, and internships and pass assessments	This page estimates no uniform duration; check actual course/program conditions	Skills do not automatically confer controlled data or deployment permissions
Vendor and industry certifications, such as ArcGIS and GISP	Some roles	Certification verification scope follows issuer statements and does not demonstrate ability for every role	Check the actual role/jurisdiction; this page sets no uniform threshold	GISCI's current GISP typically requires at least 4 years of experience, or at least 3 years for GISP-E holders, plus portfolio review and a core examination. Other certifications follow issuer conditions; not all require only an examination	This page estimates no uniform duration; check actual course/program conditions	Certification is not equivalent to institutional authorization or government permission
Data protection, confidentiality, security, and change training	Roles involving controlled data and production systems	Learn applicable data protection, confidentiality, security, and change procedures; verify actual processing and production permissions separately	Check the actual role/jurisdiction; this page sets no uniform threshold	Complete data protection, confidentiality, change, and security training and obtain authorization	This page estimates no uniform duration; check actual course/program conditions	Competent authority and institutional requirements govern; do not exceed permission scope
Eye-care, ergonomic, and occupational health guidance	All roles	For prolonged sitting/screen work, check workstation and break arrangements; this page does not promise reduced health risks	Check the actual role/jurisdiction; this page sets no uniform threshold	Check actual institutional and health guidance; no uniform medical examination threshold	This page estimates no uniform duration; check actual course/program conditions	Institutional and occupational health requirements govern

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

Qualification and authorization boundaries

Qualification boundaries (one) | Application eligibility, education, skills evidence, vendor or industry certification, institutional and project authorization, and data access, publication, deployment, and security permissions are distinct statuses. Meeting hiring requirements does not confer authority for publication, controlled data provision, or production changes. Education or certification does not confer independent permission to publish outputs, provide data externally, or operate production systems.

Qualification boundaries (three) | Check education, skills, certification, employment, authorization, publication, data provision, system changes, and security responsibilities separately. Preparation items on this page provide search and checking directions, not an institution's formal qualification checklist. Competent authority or institutional requirements take precedence if they differ.

Qualification boundaries (four) | This page makes no individual ability or pay promises and provides no systems, data, legal, or safety advice.

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

Recruitment sample statement

Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained a separate GIS job announcement sample, channel shares, or Chinese income data and cannot claim most hiring occurs through any channel. The 2025 linked U.S. advertisements provide only software mentions; wages and projections cover the parent group. Check each announcement's date, institution, location, tasks, contract, and authorization.

Checking suggestion | When reviewing job postings, record publication date, location, institution and industry, education, discipline and skills requirements, software, database and programming requirements, duty, deployment and travel requirements, contract duration and funding or project sources, data access, publication, deployment, confidentiality and security requirements, and hours, performance, and assessment definitions. These details often reveal actual conditions better than a job title.

Source: O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics｜United States｜O*NET updated 2026; accessed 2026-09-21｜official occupation profile

Geospatial data and databases

Data organization and loading support role

Typical responsibilities：Handle data searches, format conversion, field organization, entry, and quality check support under guidance. Do not independently publish outputs or provide controlled data.

Advancement evidence：Loading, conversion, and quality check support records and review comments; ability to explain key definitions and fields.

Qualification boundaries：Geographic information or surveying and mapping training records; institutional data and security training.

Next step：Become familiar with data sources, metadata, field dictionaries, coordinate systems, projections, and accuracy.

Independent data and database role

Typical responsibilities：Independently complete data loading; coordinate, projection, topology, and field quality checks; database maintenance and modification; and metadata preparation, reviewing according to standards.

Advancement evidence：Loading, quality check, and metadata records with review comments.

Qualification boundaries：Institutional role authorization and system permissions; data and database practice experience.

Next step：Build experience across data sources and project types, practicing coordinate transformation and topology and geometry validation.

Data standards and teaching role

Typical responsibilities：Handle data standards, field dictionaries, workflows, quality, tool selection, teaching, security implementation, and cross-project collaboration.

Advancement evidence：Standards, technical review, teaching, and quality records.

Qualification boundaries：Relevant role authorization; technical review and teaching records.

Next step：Learn data governance, metadata standards, automated quality checks, and repeatable workflows.

Data and quality coordination role

Typical responsibilities：Coordinate data, metadata, quality, permissions, security, and outsourcing, handle complex and disputed matters, and guide newcomers.

Advancement evidence：Coordination conclusions; policy, data, quality, and training documents.

Qualification boundaries：Relevant management appointment or institutional authorization.

Next step：Improve the framework and mechanisms for data, security, emergencies, and training.

Spatial analysis, cartography, and visualization

Analysis and cartography support role

Typical responsibilities：Handle basic spatial operations, layout and symbol drafts, map organization, and statistical support under guidance. Do not independently publish outputs or provide controlled data.

Advancement evidence：Analysis and cartography support records and review comments.

Qualification boundaries：Geographic information or cartography training records; institutional data and security training.

Next step：Become familiar with spatial analysis and cartographic principles, symbols, scales, and presentation standards.

Independent analysis and cartography role

Typical responsibilities：Independently complete spatial analysis, statistics, cartography, three-dimensional visualizations, and output and limitation explanations, checking presentation and definitions.

Advancement evidence：Analytical outputs, maps, explanations, and review records.

Qualification boundaries：Institutional role authorization; analysis and cartography experience.

Next step：Build experience across analysis tasks and output media, practicing model and result interpretation and uncertainty explanation.

Analytical methods and teaching role

Typical responsibilities：Handle analytical methods, cartographic standards, tools, teaching, quality and compliance implementation, and technical improvements.

Advancement evidence：Method, technical review, teaching, and quality records.

Qualification boundaries：Relevant role authorization; technical review and teaching records.

Next step：Learn advanced spatial analysis, three-dimensional methods, automated cartography, and accessible presentation.

Analysis and output coordination role

Typical responsibilities：Coordinate analytical topics, output presentation, publication, attribution, intellectual property, and confidentiality, handle complex and disputed matters, and guide newcomers.

Advancement evidence：Coordination conclusions; policy, method, publication, and training documents.

Qualification boundaries：Relevant management appointment or institutional authorization.

Next step：Improve the framework and mechanisms for method standards, publication, emergencies, and training.

Applications, scripts, and user support

Application support assistant role

Typical responsibilities：Record user issues, test script fragments, and organize documents and training materials under guidance. Do not independently change production systems or provide controlled data.

Advancement evidence：Issue records, testing and documentation support records, and review comments.

Qualification boundaries：Computing or geographic information training records; institutional security and change training.

Next step：Become familiar with geographic information, databases, applications, interfaces, versions, and change procedures.

Independent application and support role

Typical responsibilities：Independently develop scripts, queries, interfaces, and custom applications, perform testing, user support, and training, and deliver according to change and testing procedures.

Advancement evidence：Script, application, testing, and support records with review comments.

Qualification boundaries：Institutional role authorization and system permissions; application and support experience.

Next step：Build experience across platforms and requirements, practicing automation, testing, rollback, and documentation methods.

Platform methods and teaching role

Typical responsibilities：Handle platforms, technical direction, interface standards, teaching, security and change implementation, and technical improvements.

Advancement evidence：Platform, technical review, teaching, and change records.

Qualification boundaries：Relevant role authorization; technical review and teaching records.

Next step：Learn cloud platform, containerization, continuous integration, security, and observability methods.

Platform and change coordination role

Typical responsibilities：Coordinate platforms, changes, permissions, security, outsourcing, and user training, handle complex and disputed matters, and guide newcomers.

Advancement evidence：Coordination conclusions; policy, change, security, and training documents.

Qualification boundaries：Relevant management appointment or institutional authorization.

Next step：Improve the framework and mechanisms for changes, security, emergencies, and training.

Skill Progression: What Evidence Supports Advancement?

01
Internship and support roles
Learn data searching, organization, entry, basic cartography, and documentation support under guidance. Do not independently publish outputs, provide controlled data, or operate production systems.
02
Independent technical and analysis roles
Able to independently complete data loading, quality checks, spatial analysis, cartography, database operations, and output explanations within authorization and project scope, escalating and reviewing coordinate, topology, or field errors and matters beyond authority according to procedures.
03
Experienced, teaching, and project roles
Able to coordinate project technology, data standards, workflows, teaching, security and quality implementation, and multiparty collaboration.
04
Data, quality, and platform support roles
Able to handle data, metadata, quality and reproducibility management, joint sign-off, publication, changes, and technical standards implementation.

Career Outlook and Related Career Transitions

What is the outlook for geographic information systems technologists and technicians, and which related careers could they move toward?

Direct answer | Direct BLS Table 1.2: Parent group 15-1299 (Computer Occupations, All Other) has projected 2025—2035 employment of 471,200→495,300, growth of 5.1%, and an official net increase of 24,200. Subtracting endpoints gives 24,100, differing by 100 because of rounding; do not invent another precise figure. The 27,000 annual openings include growth and replacements for occupational transfers and labor force exits, not net new jobs or current vacancies. The self-employed share is 4.9%. None are independent GIS statistics for 15-1299.02. The 2025 parent group wage median is USD 56.05/hour and USD 116580/year, not an independent GIS figure. OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. Insufficient evidence: Sources reviewed for this page did not provide a Chinese national occupational wage distribution precisely corresponding to 15-1299.02. NBS2025 publishes industry averages and five broad job category averages for enterprises above designated size, which cannot substitute for an independent GIS occupation. The original MOHRSS page did not yield readable body text; this does not establish that no information exists nationally.

Three data types, three different coverage definitions

Direct BLS 2025—2035 Projections (Parent Group 15-1299)

2025—2035

United States · Parent group SOC15-1299, direct BLS Table 1.2 for 2025—2035, not a retelling of an older O*NET period.

Employment Size, Growth, and Openings (Parent Occupational Group 15-1299 Coverage)

Parent group projections are not independent GIS figures. Group growth cannot establish GIS demand or AI causality. Projections are not current recruitment or individual outcomes.

What it cannot establish：EP's parent group self-employed share is 4.9%; OEWS wages exclude self-employment. Keep coverage separate. Projections are not current vacancies and cannot establish individual outcomes across jurisdictions.

ONet2025 National Wages (Parent Group 15-1299)

2025

United States · SOC 15-1299 (OEWS 2025, Presented Through O*NET)

Median hourly wage USD 56.05, median annual wage USD 116,580; 10th percentile 55,940, 25th 79,370, 75th 157,500, and 90th 188,470 (USD/year)

Wages (Median and Percentiles, Parent Occupational Group 15-1299 Coverage)

Insufficient evidence: The 2025 national percentiles for parent group 15-1299 describe distribution positions, not independent GIS, regional, or industry wages or causal skill effects. Insufficient evidence: Separate national/regional/industry wages have not been obtained for 15-1299.02.

What it cannot establish：OEWS includes production bonuses, commissions, and certain allowances, but excludes overtime premiums, nonproduction bonuses, stock bonuses, employer benefits, and self-employment income. Coverage is not exact for this occupation. Values use 2025 data; subsequent updates should follow the relevant current query.

NBS2025 Industries and Broad Job Categories in Enterprises Above Designated Size

2025

Mainland China · NBS2025 industry averages and five broad job category averages for enterprises above designated size; no independent GIS corresponding value.

Occupational Wages and Employment (Statistical Coverage and Gaps)

What it cannot establish：Legal environments, data management procedures, and statistical coverage differ, so figures are not spliced or converted. The China section records only statistical coverage and visible gaps.

View this page's analysis of AI impact and task changes →View U.S. pay and employment data coverage →

Where can existing abilities transfer?

These are relationships between adjacent skills, not automatic promotions or paths requiring no further learning.

Geographers

Transferable skills：Spatial data, analysis, and cartography

Additional preparation needed：Requires additional skills in defining research questions, spatial analysis, and explanatory methods, plus papers or project experience. Transfer explanation: Moderate, moving from technical processing to research and explanation. Transition distance and success probability are not quantified; check target role authorization and training separately.

Cartographers and photogrammetrists

Transferable skills：Spatial data, cartography, and presentation

Additional preparation needed：Requires additional map design, image processing, and photogrammetric solution skills. Transfer explanation: Relatively close, moving from data processing toward maps, imagery, and visualization outputs. Transition distance and success probability are not quantified; check target role authorization and training separately.

Editorial judgment: check specific tasks

Surveying and mapping technicians

Transferable skills：Surveying understanding and data organization

Additional preparation needed：Check field instruments, surveying records, office-based GIS, and mapping requirements against the target role. Work may overlap; titles are not a uniform fieldwork threshold. Transition distance and success probability are not quantified; check target authorization and training separately.

Database administrators

Transferable skills：Database, scripting, and systems understanding

Additional preparation needed：Requires additional database platform, permissions, backup, performance, and security operations skills. Transfer explanation: Relatively close, moving from data content to database platform operations. Transition distance and success probability are not quantified; check target role authorization and training separately.

Computer systems analysts

Transferable skills：Systems, data, and communication

Additional preparation needed：Requires additional business process, requirements analysis, and solution design skills. Transfer explanation: Moderate, moving toward computer systems analysis. Transition distance and success probability are not quantified; check target role authorization and training separately.

Data scientists

Transferable skills：Data processing, scripting, and statistics

Additional preparation needed：Requires additional machine learning, statistical modeling, and data product skills. Transfer explanation: Moderate, moving toward data science. Transition distance and success probability are not quantified; check target role authorization and training separately.

Database architects

Transferable skills：Databases and data models

Additional preparation needed：Requires additional database architecture, data modeling, and capacity planning skills. Transfer explanation: Moderate, moving toward database architecture. Transition distance and success probability are not quantified; check target role authorization and training separately.

Computer programmers

Transferable skills：Programming, scripting, and engineering practice

Additional preparation needed：Requires additional general software development, software engineering, and testing skills. Transfer explanation: Relatively close, moving toward computer programming. Transition distance and success probability are not quantified; check target role authorization and training separately.