Collect, analyze, and interpret geographic information provided by geodetic surveys, aerial photographs, and satellite data. Research, study, and prepare maps and other spatial data in digital or graphic form for 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.
U.S. Workers
12,790
Median Salary
$78,380
10-Year Growth
+6.4%
Annual Openings
1,000
Typical entry: Bachelor's degree
14 of 14 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Compile data required for map preparation, including aerial photographs, survey notes, records, reports, and original maps.
AI: Fully automatable - Automated ingestion, OCR, geospatial data fusion, and ETL pipelines in 2025 can compile aerial photos, survey notes, records, and legacy maps with high accuracy given access to sources.
Delineate aerial photographic detail, such as control points, hydrography, topography, and cultural features, using precision stereoplotting apparatus or drafting instruments.
AI: Fully automatable - Modern photogrammetry and computer vision effectively delineate control points, hydrography, topography, and cultural features from stereo imagery with precision comparable to traditional stereoplotting.
Prepare and alter trace maps, charts, tables, detailed drawings, and three-dimensional optical models of terrain using stereoscopic plotting and computer graphics equipment.
AI: Fully automatable - Stereoscopic plotting and computer graphics workflows are largely automated by 2025, enabling automated preparation and modification of trace maps, charts, and 3D terrain models.
Inspect final compositions to ensure completeness and accuracy.
AI: Fully automatable - Automated QA/QC tools, validation algorithms, and consistency checks can inspect final compositions for completeness and many accuracy issues reliably in 2025.
Revise existing maps and charts, making all necessary corrections and adjustments.
AI: Fully automatable - Revision of maps and charts (applying corrections and updates) is routine for automated GIS workflows and change‑detection systems that can implement necessary adjustments.
Identify, scale, and orient geodetic points, elevations, and other planimetric or topographic features, applying standard mathematical formulas.
AI: Fully automatable - Identification, scaling, orientation, and mathematical derivation of geodetic points and elevations are computational tasks that current software and algorithms can perform fully automatically.
Collect information about specific features of the Earth, using aerial photography and other digital remote sensing techniques.
AI: Fully automatable - Collection and extraction of Earth feature information from aerial imagery and digital remote sensing is highly automatable with autonomous sensors, tasking systems, and AI‑driven processing pipelines.
Build and update digital databases.
AI: Fully automatable - Building and updating digital databases is a routine, well-automatable ETL and GIS workflow that AI and scripts can fully perform and maintain.
Study legal records to establish boundaries of local, national, and international properties.
AI: Partial - AI can extract and synthesize boundary information from legal records and historical documents, but final legal boundary determinations often require human legal/geodetic judgment and verification.
Examine and analyze data from ground surveys, reports, aerial photographs, and satellite images to prepare topographic maps, aerial-photograph mosaics, and related charts.
AI: Partial - AI and photogrammetric software in 2025 can automatically analyze survey, aerial, and satellite data to produce topographic maps and mosaics, but complex interpretation, context-specific decisions, and quality assurance still require human oversight.
Determine guidelines that specify which source material is acceptable for use.
AI: Partial - AI can assist by proposing objective acceptance criteria and filtering source material, but establishing policy, legal acceptability, and nuanced quality thresholds requires human decision-makers.
Determine map content and layout, as well as production specifications such as scale, size, projection, and colors, and direct production to ensure that specifications are followed.
AI: Partial - AI can recommend and apply map layouts, scales, projections, and color schemes and enforce production specs, but final content/layout decisions and trade-offs typically need human judgment and domain-specific priorities.
Select aerial photographic and remote sensing techniques and plotting equipment needed to meet required standards of accuracy.
AI: Partial - AI can recommend sensor types, flight parameters, and plotting equipment to meet accuracy requirements, but selecting final techniques often depends on practical constraints and expert judgment.
Travel over photographed areas to observe, identify, record, and verify all relevant features.
AI: Partial - Autonomous drones and remote sensing platforms driven by AI can observe, identify, and record many features, but complete verification (especially legal/ground-truthing) and some terrain access still require humans.