Cartographers and Photogrammetrists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 17-1021 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$81,390
$39.13/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists is $81,390 per year ($39.13/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $65,666 and $101,962 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $126,942 per year. There are approximately 14,260 cartographers and photogrammetrists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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). May design and evaluate algorithms, data structures, and user interfaces for GIS and mapping systems. May collect, analyze, and interpret geographic information provided by geodetic surveys, aerial photographs, and satellite data.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+6.4%
Faster than average
Annual openings
1K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
13K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
9% from new growth91% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
6K
$82,200
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
3K
$81,080
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
NAICS 541600
800
$79,030
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
510
$109,300
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
490
$77,610
Wage range across top 5 industries: $77,610 to $109,300 (41% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$25.84
$53,747
P25
$31.57
$65,666
P50MEDIAN
$39.13
$81,390
P75
$49.02
$101,962
P90
$61.03
$126,942
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average cartographers and photogrammetrists salary?
The national median salary for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists is $81,390 per year ($39.13/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $65,666 and $101,962 annually.
How much do top-earning cartographers and photogrammetrists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists is $126,942 per year ($61.03/hr). The 75th percentile is $101,962 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for cartographers and photogrammetrists?
Entry-level Cartographers and Photogrammetrists (10th percentile) earn approximately $53,747 per year ($25.84/hr). The 25th percentile is $65,666 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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