Geographer

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Work Tasks

• Physical geographers look at changes in climate, plants, soil and land and how changes will affect people
• Economic geographers study the money activities of different regions of the world
• Political geographers study the politics of different regions of the world
• Medical geographers study the effect of the environment on health
• Work for the government, research firms, museums, hospitals, hotel chains, oil companies, airlines, banks, real estate developers, and power companies
• Work with maps, graphs, surveying and weather instruments, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), computers, aerial photographs, and satellite data

Salary, Size & Growth

• $76,000 average per year ($36.50 per hour)
• A small occupation (1,300 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow rapidly (2.6% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A 4-year degree in geography for entry-level assistant or trainee jobs
• Employers Prefer: A master's or Ph.D. for college teaching, research, and administrative positions
• Skills/Courses: College courses include math, statistics, computer and GIS technology
• Certification/Licensing: Certification required for school teachers.