Architecture and Engineering Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 17-1021

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

Median pay sits 33% below the mid peer in Architecture and Engineering Occupations (neighbors include Computer Hardware Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Engineers, All Other, Nuclear Engineers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Cartographers and Photogrammetrists: Computer Hardware Engineers ($162K) , Mechanical Engineers ($104K) , Engineers, All Other ($123K) , Nuclear Engineers ($134K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Cartographers and Photogrammetrists publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 17-1021 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Compile data required for map preparation, including aerial photographs, survey notes, records, reports, and original maps
  2. 2. Delineate aerial photographic detail, such as control points, hydrography, topography, and cultural features, using precision stereoplott…
  3. 3. Prepare and alter trace maps, charts, tables, detailed drawings, and three-dimensional optical models of terrain using stereoscopic plott…
  4. 4. Study legal records to establish boundaries of local, national, and international properties
  5. 5. Inspect final compositions to ensure completeness and accuracy
  6. 6. Revise existing maps and charts, making all necessary corrections and adjustments
  7. 7. Identify, scale, and orient geodetic points, elevations, and other planimetric or topographic features, applying standard mathematical fo…
  8. 8. Collect information about specific features of the Earth, using aerial photography and other digital remote sensing techniques
  9. 9. Examine and analyze data from ground surveys, reports, aerial photographs, and satellite images to prepare topographic maps, aerial-photo…
  10. 10. Determine guidelines that specify which source material is acceptable for use
  11. 11. Build and update digital databases
  12. 12. Determine map content and layout, as well as production specifications such as scale, size, projection, and colors, and direct production…

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 17-1021 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 4.0 ; lead knowledge Geography. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 4.0
  2. 2. Writing 3.5
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.5
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.4
  5. 5. Active Learning 3.3
  6. 6. Speaking 3.1
  7. 7. Monitoring 3.1
  8. 8. Complex Problem Solving 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Geography 4.5
  2. 2. Computers and Electronics 4.2
  3. 3. English Language 3.5
  4. 4. Design 3.4
  5. 5. Mathematics 3.3
  6. 6. Customer and Personal Service 2.9
Pay vs Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers
-33%
vs mid peer median $120,630
This role $81,390/yr
$81K
National median
↑ +6%
Growth 2024-2034
1,000
Annual openings
14,260
Estimated US jobs
Computer Hardware Engineers
Highest-pay peer · $162K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Bachelor's degree

Top Paying States for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

1. New York $89,290
2. New Jersey $88,480
3. Massachusetts $92,230
4. Washington $96,100
5. Colorado $86,960
6. Minnesota $99,850
7. California $102,780
8. Oregon $88,240
9. Alaska $89,170
10. Nevada $93,560

Other Architecture and Engineering Occupations titles

  1. 1. Engineers, All Other $122,930
  2. 2. Computer Hardware Engineers $161,740
  3. 3. Nuclear Engineers $133,970
  4. 4. Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers $109,370
  5. 5. Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $130,220
  6. 6. Mechanical Engineers $104,110

Among Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers on this card, Cartographers and Photogrammetrists sits 33% below the mid peer median ($120,630). Its own median is $81,390.

Employment Projections expect +6% change between 2024 and 2034 (faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,000 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: New York at $89,290. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Computer Hardware Engineers at $161,740. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists pay-rank #21 in Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists sits at pay-rank #21 of 36 detailed Architecture and Engineering Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists pays 33% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 17-1021

New York · top state for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

$89K published median

New Jersey · #2 state pay

$88K · behind New York

Computer Hardware Engineers

Highest-pay peer vs Cartographers and Photogrammetrists · $162K

Mechanical Engineers

Lower-pay peer beside Cartographers and Photogrammetrists · $104K

Compare Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Cartographers and Photogrammetrists with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

Against another occupation

Computer Hardware Engineers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cartographers and Photogrammetrists mid-table among Architecture and Engineering Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #21 of 36 detailed Architecture and Engineering Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians ($83K), Landscape Architects ($80K), Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other ($78K), Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians ($78K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do cartographers and photogrammetrists do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists. Leading ones include: Compile data required for map preparation, including aerial photographs, survey notes, records, reports, and original maps; Delineate aerial photographic detail, such as control points, hydrography, topography, and cultural features, using precision stereoplott…; Prepare and alter trace maps, charts, tables, detailed drawings, and three-dimensional optical models of terrain using stereoscopic plott…; Study legal records to establish boundaries of local, national, and international properties. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for cartographers and photogrammetrists? ▼
For SOC 17-1021, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (4.0), Writing (3.5), Critical Thinking (3.5), Active Listening (3.4). Knowledge areas emphasize Geography, Computers and Electronics, English Language. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $81,390 as the national median for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists. The published 10th-90th range is $53,740 to $126,950. Beside Computer Hardware Engineers ($161,740), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists is +6%. Projected annual openings: about 1,000. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Cartographers and Photogrammetrists? ▼
BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists? ▼
New York ($89,290), New Jersey ($88,480), Massachusetts ($92,230) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Cartographers and Photogrammetrists card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 17-1021. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics