What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Cartographers and Photogrammetrists in the U.S. earn more than $81,390 a year — the middle 80% land between $53,740 and $126,950. About 14,260 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Cartographers and Photogrammetrists”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$81,390typical pay / year
14,260people in this work
$126,950+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing6
Create base maps for GIS layering
+Draft a clean base map of the study area showing elevation contours, hydrography and roads at 1:50,000 scale,…
Create base maps for GIS layering
+Draft a clean base map of the study area showing elevation contours, hydrography and roads at 1:50,000 scale, build layer order and symbology, embed a north arrow and legend, then export a georeferenced TIFF for the GIS team before close of business Friday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISESCOjob descriptions
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Delineate aerial photographic details using stereoplotting
+Delineate the aerial photo features on the stereo pair, trace building footprints, tree lines and contours to…
Delineate aerial photographic details using stereoplotting
+Delineate the aerial photo features on the stereo pair, trace building footprints, tree lines and contours to match the control points, label elevation breaks, then export a clean vector file and a brief notes page for survey review by Friday.
The tools that do the workBentley MicroStationjob descriptionsO*NET
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Update and revise existing maps and charts
+Update the regional topographic map set with the latest field corrections: replace roads and waterways,…
Update and revise existing maps and charts
+Update the regional topographic map set with the latest field corrections: replace roads and waterways, adjust contour intervals where resurveyed, refresh the legend and north arrow, then produce a proof for planning by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISjob descriptionsO*NET
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Compile data from reports, survey notes, and records
+Compile the survey reports, field notebook sketches and cadastral records into one attribute table, reconcile…
Compile data from reports, survey notes, and records
+Compile the survey reports, field notebook sketches and cadastral records into one attribute table, reconcile discrepancies in point IDs, geocode parcel corners, and save a source log with each dataset for QA.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESRI ArcGISjob descriptionsO*NET
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Inspect final map compositions for accuracy
+Inspect the final map compositions for positional and typographic accuracy: check grid coordinates against…
Inspect final map compositions for accuracy
+Inspect the final map compositions for positional and typographic accuracy: check grid coordinates against control, confirm symbology matches the legend, ensure scale bars and marginalia are correct, then sign off the print-ready PDF.
The tools that do the workAdobe Acrobatjob descriptionsO*NET
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Study legal records to establish property boundaries
+Study the chain-of-title and recorded plats to fix ambiguous parcel lines, mark easements and…
Study legal records to establish property boundaries
+Study the chain-of-title and recorded plats to fix ambiguous parcel lines, mark easements and metes-and-bounds evidence on the working sheet, then produce an annotated boundary report for the legal team.
The tools that do the workBentley MicroStationjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work14
Apply digital mapping
+Apply the new elevation contours, landuse polygons, and corrected river centerlines to the regional base map,…
Apply digital mapping
+Apply the new elevation contours, landuse polygons, and corrected river centerlines to the regional base map, reproject features to EPSG:27700, redraw the legend to match symbology, generate a printable PDF map and the linked shapefiles for delivery by Thursday.
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Improve user-friendliness
+Review the site map for readability, simplify complex symbology, increase label contrast and font sizes,…
Improve user-friendliness
+Review the site map for readability, simplify complex symbology, increase label contrast and font sizes, reorganise the legend into logical groups, then export a user guide PDF with examples and send it to the project manager for sign-off by Tuesday.
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Create maps by combining various scientific information
+Produce a set of printable topographic maps for the river restoration team by combining soil surveys, LiDAR…
Create maps by combining various scientific information
+Produce a set of printable topographic maps for the river restoration team by combining soil surveys, LiDAR elevation models, and recent field transect data into a clear legended map series showing contour intervals, hydrology, and landcover by Friday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISESCOjob descriptions
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Build and update digital databases.
+Build and populate the project spatial database with cadastral parcels, recent GPS control points, and…
Build and update digital databases.
+Build and populate the project spatial database with cadastral parcels, recent GPS control points, and hydrology features, validate topology rules, and produce a summary table of new versus existing records for the GIS manager by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft AccessESRI ArcGISO*NET
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Determine guidelines that specify which source material is acceptable for use.
+Draft a written guideline that lists acceptable base sources for mapping—survey control, published…
Determine guidelines that specify which source material is acceptable for use.
+Draft a written guideline that lists acceptable base sources for mapping—survey control, published topography, satellite imagery dates, and scale limits—include required metadata fields and quality thresholds for each source by next Monday for the QA board.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISO*NET
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Travel over photographed areas to observe, identify, record, and verify all relevant features.
+Conduct a field verification sweep over the northeast quadrant to observe roads, bridges, and riparian…
Travel over photographed areas to observe, identify, record, and verify all relevant features.
+Conduct a field verification sweep over the northeast quadrant to observe roads, bridges, and riparian features, record GPS coordinates and photos for any discrepancies with current maps, and submit a verification report with flagged edits within 48 hours.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISO*NET
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Plan aerial and satellite surveys for complete coverage
+Design the aerial and satellite survey plan to achieve wall-to-wall coverage of the coastal study area,…
Plan aerial and satellite surveys for complete coverage
+Design the aerial and satellite survey plan to achieve wall-to-wall coverage of the coastal study area, specifying flight lines, sensor swath overlap, revisit dates, and resolution targets so procurement can issue the tasking by Friday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISjob descriptions
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Set the map's agenda and select traits of the object to be mapped
+Set the map brief for the municipal zoning map: decide to show parcel boundaries, building footprints, and…
Set the map's agenda and select traits of the object to be mapped
+Set the map brief for the municipal zoning map: decide to show parcel boundaries, building footprints, and permitted land use classes, fix scale to 1:5,000, choose color ramps for legibility, and list symbology rules for the cartographer team by Thursday.
The tools that do the workAdobe IllustratorWikipedia
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Represent the terrain of the mapped object on flat media
+Render the mapped object's terrain as a flat map that preserves slope, elevation shading, and contour…
Represent the terrain of the mapped object on flat media
+Render the mapped object's terrain as a flat map that preserves slope, elevation shading, and contour readability at 1:25,000 so the field survey team can use it for route planning on A2 printouts.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISAdobe IllustratorWikipedia
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Eliminate irrelevant characteristics from the map
+Strip the map of minor roads, utility lines, and census block noise while keeping public access routes and…
Eliminate irrelevant characteristics from the map
+Strip the map of minor roads, utility lines, and census block noise while keeping public access routes and hydrology intact so the planning client sees only features relevant to the proposed trail corridor.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISWikipedia
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Orchestrate map elements to convey the message effectively
+Arrange the title, scale, legend, north arrow, main symbology and inset so the conservation message reads…
Orchestrate map elements to convey the message effectively
+Arrange the title, scale, legend, north arrow, main symbology and inset so the conservation message reads first at glance and sightlines to the focal habitat are unobstructed on the site-sheet.
The tools that do the workAdobe IllustratorWikipedia
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Combine interpretation of mathematical notes and measurements
+Translate field notes, bearing-distance measurements and benchmark elevations into a single plotted layer…
Combine interpretation of mathematical notes and measurements
+Translate field notes, bearing-distance measurements and benchmark elevations into a single plotted layer with accurate coordinate transforms and annotated uncertainty for the engineering review.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADESRI ArcGISESCO
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Create GIS reports
+Produce a GIS report that summarises landcover, slope classes, watershed boundaries and feature counts,…
Create GIS reports
+Produce a GIS report that summarises landcover, slope classes, watershed boundaries and feature counts, include maps, a methods section and a CSV of attributes for the environmental contractor.
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Draft legends
+Draft a legend that groups symbology by hierarchy, lists colour ramps for elevation, shows scale-dependent…
Draft legends
+Draft a legend that groups symbology by hierarchy, lists colour ramps for elevation, shows scale-dependent symbols and includes a short note on data dates for the planning approval package.
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Says who?
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses