Architecture & Engineering
Cartographers
SOC 17-1021
Build maps and spatial data from surveys, satellites, and databases.
The job
Median pay
$81k
$66k to $102k typical range
Outlook, 2025 to 2035
Growing fast
+7.4% projected
Openings a year
900
BLS projection
Typical education
Bachelor's
Our model
AI displacement risk
High
How much of this job AI may do instead of the person
Works with AI
3/100
AI alongside the person rather than instead of them
AI exposure
71st pct
More exposed than 71% of occupations · modeled estimate · 62nd pct in Microsoft's data
Future-proof
53/100
Key skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
- Speaking
Pay and jobs by state
BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,780 | 0.1 | 1.4× | $74k |
| California | 1,450 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $103k |
| Colorado | 1,220 | 0.4 | 4.6× | $87k |
| North Carolina | 900 | 0.2 | 2.0× | $81k |
| Washington | 870 | 0.2 | 2.7× | $96k |
| Virginia | 860 | 0.2 | 2.3× | $87k |
| Oregon | 640 | 0.3 | 3.5× | $88k |
| Florida | 610 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $80k |
| Georgia | 490 | 0.1 | 1.1× | $63k |
| Ohio | 490 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $71k |
All 51 states
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 450 | 0.2 | 1.8× | $84k |
| Arizona | 400 | 0.1 | 1.4× | $82k |
| Alabama | 270 | 0.1 | 1.4× | $82k~ |
| Wisconsin | 260 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $77k |
| Michigan | 250 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $75k |
| Kansas | 230 | 0.2 | 1.7× | $70k~ |
| New York | 230 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $89k |
| Illinois | 180 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $55k |
| Nevada | 180 | 0.1 | 1.3× | $94k |
| Missouri | 170 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $77k |
| New Jersey | 170 | 0.0 | 0.4× | $88k |
| Louisiana | 165 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $60k~ |
| Massachusetts | 160 | 0.0 | 0.5× | $92k |
| Montana | 160 | 0.3 | 3.4× | $72k |
| Connecticut | 150 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $84k |
| South Carolina | 150 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $72k |
| Tennessee | 150 | 0.0 | 0.5× | $73k |
| Utah | 150 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $75k |
| Pennsylvania | 140 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $73k |
| South Dakota | 140 | 0.3 | 3.3× | $73k |
| Idaho | 100 | 0.1 | 1.3× | $73k |
| Minnesota | 100 | 0.0 | 0.4× | $100k |
| Wyoming | 100 | 0.4 | 3.9× | $71k |
| Iowa | 90 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $85k |
| Kentucky | 90 | 0.0 | 0.5× | $71k |
| North Dakota | 80 | 0.2 | 2.0× | $71k |
| Mississippi | 78 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $67k~ |
| Arkansas | 72 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $64k~ |
| New Hampshire | 70 | 0.1 | 1.1× | $72k |
| New Mexico | 70 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $79k |
| Oklahoma | 70 | 0.0 | 0.5× | $86k |
| Washington DC | 64 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $103k~ |
| Alaska | 60 | 0.2 | 2.0× | $89k |
| West Virginia | 52 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $69k~ |
| Hawaii | 51 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $80k~ |
| Nebraska | 50 | 0.0 | 0.5× | $82k |
| Rhode Island | 50 | 0.1 | 1.1× | $86k~ |
| Indiana | 40 | 0.0 | 0.1× | $75k |
| Maine | 40 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $79k |
| Vermont | 31 | 0.1 | 1.1× | $73k~ |
| Delaware | 30 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $82k~ |
Top metro areas
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO790 jobs · $86k median
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV740 jobs · $87k median
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX520 jobs · $96k median
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX430 jobs · $72k median
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA430 jobs · $100k median
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA380 jobs · $93k median
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA330 jobs · $125k median
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA300 jobs · $101k median
Explore the rankings
Explore Cartographers interactively →Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.