What education do geographers need?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists bachelor's degree as the typical education to start. The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links one program here to geographers: Geography (Bachelor's).

Geographers: Pay by State and the Programs That Lead There

Q: Which state pays geographers the most?

Maryland, at a median of $114,920. After adjusting for prices, Missouri is highest, at $112,358 in US-average prices.

1,400 jobs in the US
Typical education to start: bachelor's degree
Occupation code 19-3092

BLS wages May 2025 · BLS projections 2025 to 2035 · BEA price parities 2024

The short answer

Geographers earn a median of $102,040 a year in the US, across all experience levels. Pay is highest in Maryland ($114,920) and lowest in Texas ($79,170). After adjusting for prices, Missouri is highest ($112,358) and Texas lowest ($81,571). Jobs are projected to shrink 2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 100 openings a year across the US.

Median pay$102,040US, all experience levels

Bottom 10% earn under$66,770US

Top 10% earn over$136,660US

Projected job decline2%2025 to 2035, about 100 openings a year

Pay for geographers by state

Median pay across all experience levels. "After prices" divides it by the state's price level (US average = 100), so states can be compared by what the pay buys.

#	State	Median pay	After prices	Jobs	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
1	Maryland	$114,920	$109,490	210	$71,840	$140,670
2	California	$114,460	$103,378	80	$85,800	$144,910
3	Washington	$112,260	$104,903	40	$76,490	$147,990
4	Virginia	$108,020	$106,840	130	$71,650	$156,750
5	Missouri	$102,040	$112,358	40	$75,800	$126,440
6	Illinois	$92,640	$92,679	40	$63,330	$125,650
7	Texas	$79,170	$81,571	180	$62,890	$114,550

State names link to the state's college page. BLS publishes no median pay for geographers in 45 other states and territories.

Programs that lead to this job

The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links these programs to geographers. Figures are medians across each program type's US programs. Program names link to the national ranking.

Program	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
Geography (Bachelor's)	90	$38,944	$22,250

Program figures are first-year pay for new graduates. The job's median pay covers every experience level.

Common questions

Geographers earn a median of $102,040 a year in the US, across all experience levels (May 2025). The bottom 10% earn less than $66,770, and the top 10% more than $136,660.

About this data

Pay is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025. It covers all experience levels and all industries, and leaves out self-employed workers.
Projections are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections for 2025 to 2035, for the whole US.
Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.
Program figures are College Scorecard medians across programs, and only include students who received federal financial aid.

Sources

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study files, June 2026 release