Cartographers and Photogrammetrists Salary
Architecture and Engineering Occupations · 14K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$81,390
Median hourly
$39
Average annual
$86,690
Typical range
$53,740–$126,950
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists is $81,390 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $39 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Research, study, and prepare maps and other spatial data in digital or graphic form for one or more purposes, such as legal, social, political, educational, and design purposes. May work with Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Most earn between $53,740 and $126,950 a year. There are roughly 14K people employed as cartographers and photogrammetrists in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists.
- Hourly
- $39.13
- Daily
- $313
- Weekly
- $1,565
- Bi-weekly
- $3,130
- Monthly
- $6,783
- Annual
- $81,390
$81,390 a year is around the 50th percentile for Cartographers and Photogrammetristss. The median is $81,390.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1California$102,780
- 2Minnesota$99,850
- 3Washington$96,100
- 4Nevada$93,560
- 5Massachusetts$92,230
- 6New York$89,290
- 7Alaska$89,170
- 8New Jersey$88,480
- 9Oregon$88,240
- 10Colorado$86,960
- 11Virginia$86,660
- 12Oklahoma$86,410
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$130,820
- 2Stockton-Lodi, CA$130,710
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$125,330
- 4Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH$106,000
- 5Kansas City, MO-KS$101,810
- 6Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$101,480
- 7Salem, OR$101,350
- 8Greeley, CO$101,050
- 9Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$100,550
- 10Boulder, CO$100,120
- 11Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$100,080
- 12Trenton-Princeton, NJ$98,950
Related job titles
Employers advertise Cartographers and Photogrammetrists roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians$54,240
- Surveyors$75,440
- Computer Occupations, All Other$116,580
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280
- Geographers$102,040
- Physical Scientists, All Other$122,570
- Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians$53,350
- Architectural and Civil Drafters$66,150
What a Cartographers and Photogrammetrists does
- Compile data required for map preparation, including aerial photographs, survey notes, records, reports, and original maps.
- Delineate aerial photographic detail, such as control points, hydrography, topography, and cultural features, using precision stereoplotting apparatus or drafting instruments.
- Prepare and alter trace maps, charts, tables, detailed drawings, and three-dimensional optical models of terrain using stereoscopic plotting and computer graphics equipment.
- Study legal records to establish boundaries of local, national, and international properties.
- Inspect final compositions to ensure completeness and accuracy.
- Identify, scale, and orient geodetic points, elevations, and other planimetric or topographic features, applying standard mathematical formulas.
- Collect information about specific features of the Earth, using aerial photography and other digital remote sensing techniques.
- Examine and analyze data from ground surveys, reports, aerial photographs, and satellite images to prepare topographic maps, aerial-photograph mosaics, and related charts.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Cartographers and Photogrammetrists make?
- The median annual wage for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists is $81,390 ($39 per hour). Pay ranges from about $53,740 at the 10th percentile to $126,950 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Cartographers and Photogrammetrists?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $86,690, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Cartographers and Photogrammetristss the most?
- California has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $102,780.
- Is Cartographers and Photogrammetrists a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 14K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Cartographers and Photogrammetrists do?
- Compile data required for map preparation, including aerial photographs, survey notes, records, reports, and original maps.; Delineate aerial photographic detail, such as control points, hydrography, topography, and cultural features, using precision stereoplotting apparatus or drafting instruments.; Prepare and alter trace maps, charts, tables, detailed drawings, and three-dimensional optical models of terrain using stereoscopic plotting and computer graphics equipment..