Geographers can determine how countries interact with their environments.
Geographers are social scientists who study the earth and its inhabitants, features and activities. Most employers require at least a master's or Ph.D. degree, though a bachelor's degree is sufficient for some entry-level positions. Many institutions such as museums and historical societies offer internships, which can increase employability. Voluntary certification for the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Certification Institute can also improve opportunities and salaries.
Types
Geographers maintain several specialties. Physical geographers study the physical characteristics of an area such as its land forms, climate, plants, animals and vegetation. Cultural geographers examine how humans impact an area with their activities. Economic geographers concentrate on the distribution of resources and their exploration. Urban and transportation geographers examine cities and how they transport people and goods. Whatever the specialty, geographers earn a median annual salary of $71,470, with a range of $41,930 to $99,540. Median hourly rates are $34.36, with a range of $20.16 to $47.85, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of May 2009.
Industries
The biggest employer of geographers is the federal government, with almost 60 percent of the 1,120 jobs. The government is also the highest-paying employer at $34.96 per hour or $72,710 per year. Second for employment is architectural and engineering service, with almost 11 percent of the available positions. Pay is at $30.07 or $62,550.
Geography
The state offering the best job opportunities for geographers is Maryland, with a job concentration of 0.006 per 1,000 workers. Compensation here is at $33.86 per hour or $70,430 per year. Virginia boasts the highest salaries at $42.52 or $88,470, but only a job concentration of 0.002 geographers per 1,000 workers, which is a third that of Maryland. Given the federal government's interest in the profession, it's no surprise that the city with the most jobs is Washington, DC, with a concentration of 0.009 percent per 1,000. It also contains the highest salaries at $38.29 or $79,650.
Prospects
The BLS sees jobs for geographers growing at 26 percent up to 2018, which is much faster than the national average for all jobs. Compensation should also grow equally faster than average. This demand is because the profession's biggest employer, the federal government, will grow faster than in the past. Those with a background in GIS will find opportunities for applying this technology in non-traditional areas such as the tracking of emergency rescue vehicles.
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