Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians
Assist scientists or related professionals in building, maintaining, modifying, or using geographic information systems (GIS) databases. May also perform some custom application development or provide user support.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
Key knowledge
- Geography
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administrative
What the work involves
- Produce data layers, maps, tables, or reports, using spatial analysis procedures or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, equipment, or systems.
- Design or prepare graphic representations of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, using GIS hardware or software applications.
- Maintain or modify existing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases.
- Provide technical expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to clients or users.
- Enter data into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases, using techniques such as coordinate geometry, keyboard entry of tabular data, manual digitizing of maps, scanning or automatic conversion to vectors, or conversion of other sources of digital data.
- Review existing or incoming data for currency, accuracy, usefulness, quality, or completeness of documentation.
- Perform geospatial data building, modeling, or analysis, using advanced spatial analysis, data manipulation, or cartography software.
- Design or coordinate the development of integrated Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatial or non-spatial databases.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Conventional, Investigative, Realistic.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree (27.4% of expert ratings)
- Related experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (39.7%)
- On-the-job training
- Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (38.8%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
- Projection education uses SOC 15-1299 (detailed_parent); it may describe a broader group.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very low | Lower on contact with others than 99% of occupations compared | 33% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others about half the time” |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 83% of occupations compared | — |
| Teamwork | Very low | Lower on teamwork than 95% of occupations compared | 32% of surveyed respondents chose “Important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Moderate | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 52% of occupations compared | — |
| Time pressure | Very low | Lower on time pressure than 81% of occupations compared | 47% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Conflict situations | Very low | Lower on conflict situations than 89% of occupations compared | 38% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 99% of occupations compared | 66% of surveyed respondents chose “Never” |
| Consequence of error | Moderate | Lower on consequence of error than 58% of occupations compared | 25% of surveyed respondents chose “Serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very low
- Conflict situations: very low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
- Consequence of error: moderate
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 13.42%
- Occasional contact with others: 32.34%
- Contact with others about half the time: 32.84%
- Contact with others most of the time: 3.03%
- Constant contact with others: 18.37%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 15.15%
- Fairly important: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Important: 8.88%
- Very important: 17.76%
- Extremely important: 4.88%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
- Important: 32.14%
- Very important: 31.22%
- Extremely important: 9.81%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 8.88%
- Limited freedom: 13.39%
- Some freedom: 31.79%
- A lot of freedom: suppressed by O*NET (low precision)
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 10.73%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 46.6%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 33.79%
- Every day: 8.88%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Conflict situations
- Never: 29.99%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 26.83%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 37.8%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 5.38%
- Every day: 0%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 66.05%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 15.26%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 18.69%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 0%
- Every day: 0%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 22.69%
- Fairly serious: 22.3%
- Serious: 25.49%
- Very serious: 9.81%
- Extremely serious: 19.72%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2026
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O*NET-SOC 15-1299.02 · SOC 15-1299 (detailed_parent, medium confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8