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Geographers Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 19-3092 · National · May 2024 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$97,198
$46.73/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated Apr 3, 2025
Source: BLS OEWS · Published Apr 2, 2025
Next refresh: May 15, 2026
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The national median salary for Geographers is $97,198 per year ($46.73/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $75,587 and $117,187 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $133,682 per year. There are approximately 1,380 geographers employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Study the nature and use of areas of the Earth’s surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants, and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-3.1%
Slower than average
Annual openings
100
per year, on avg
Workforce today
2K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% 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 3 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
950$107,580
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
150$65,150
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
150$71,650
Wage range across top 5 industries: $65,150 to $107,580 (65% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$30.00$62,400
P25$36.34$75,587
P50MEDIAN$46.73$97,198
P75$56.34$117,187
P90$64.27$133,682

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 geographers salary?

The national median salary for Geographers is $97,198 per year ($46.73/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $75,587 and $117,187 annually.

How much do top-earning geographers make?

The 90th percentile salary for Geographers is $133,682 per year ($64.27/hr). The 75th percentile is $117,187 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for geographers?

Entry-level Geographers (10th percentile) earn approximately $62,400 per year ($30.00/hr). The 25th percentile is $75,587 per year.

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Geographers Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
Maryland260 workersTexas170 workersColorado90 workersIllinois50 workersArizona40 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 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.

Next OEWS release: May 15, 2026Verify on BLS.gov →

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