Careers in geography involve the interaction between land and people.
Whether you're a high school student researching colleges, a current geography major or a recent graduate navigating the job market, knowing the career opportunities available to geography degree-holders can help you make educational choices, seek out internships or find a promising entry-level position. If you're interested in the earth and how people work with it, studying geography offers career opportunities involving economics, people, resource extraction, the environment and more.
Careers in Human and Physical Geography
Geography can be divided into two sub-disciplines: human and physical geography. While human geographers are more concerned with how people plan and use space, physical geographers focus on studying characteristics of the environment, including soil, land formations, weather patterns and water. Human geographers may work in community planning, real estate development or urban planning, designing people-centered spaces with functional and environmental requirements in mind. Some human geographers find work in preservation and the recreation of historic sites. Physical geographers may advise corporations about the environmental effects of their activities, analyze weather patterns as meteorologists or climatologists, give tours at national parks or help governments manage natural resources.
Computational and Environmental Careers
There are two further divisions in the discipline: computational and environmental geography. Computational geographers use technology and software extensively. Some work as geographic Information system (GIS) analysts, reviewing database information about an area's features to help with surveying and urban planning. Others are cartographers, field surveyors and computer-mapping software developers. Environmental geographers are concerned with minimizing human impact on natural habitats. Professionals in this field may work in conservation, waste management, ecotourism or hazardous waste planning.
Potential Employers
According to the Association of American Geographers, geography graduates find work with businesses, governments, research institutes, universities and staffing agencies. Possible government employers in the United States include the National Park Service, the National Climate Data Center and the US Geological Survey. Mining and resource extraction companies hire geographers to help find deposits and assess environmental impact. Builders and municipal governments seek out geographers to help plan major construction and development projects. Environmental agencies, such as the World Wildlife Fund, also hire geography graduates.
Experience
Working before you finish your degree can help you narrow down your career choices and make valuable connections that help you find a full-time job when you graduate. Take advantage of summer internships or look for universities that offer real-life work opportunities as part of their programs. For example, past students at the University of Toronto have found part-time and summer student positions in transit planning, meteorology, traffic analysis and forestry.
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