What can I do with a Geography degree?
With its opportunities for hands-on learning, as well as its interdisciplinary and holistic approach that spans the natural and social sciences, a degree in Geography will prepare you for many types of careers in private industry, government, non-profits, research, and higher education. For example, a geography degree will prepare you to become an environmental consultant, work in industry, join or start a non-profit, start a career in international development, or put your education to work in the US Geological Survey or US Forest Service, among many others. Because few geography jobs have the job title “geographer”, these resources describe some of the job titles and career paths for geographers.
- (Times Higher Ed site)
Geospatial/Remote Sensing/GIS jobs
Environment/Earth Science jobs
International Development
- Account Manager
- Army officer
- Banker
- Construction company owner
- Counselor
- Educational Program Director
- Elementary teacher
- Environmental Coordinator
- Environmental Engineer
- Environmental scientist
- Environmental consultant
- Executive director of non-profit
- Financial Advisor
- Geoprocessing specialist
- Geospatial analyst
- GIS Manager, GIS analyst
- Graphic Design and marketing
- Higher Education Administration
- Information Technology senior manager
- International tax specialist
- Investor
- Lecturer
- Librarian
- Management consultant
- Managing editor, series on geography and world cultures
- Municipal government professional
- Operations Manager
- Paralegal
- Professor of geography
- Project Manager, commercial remote sensing
- Project Scientist, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
- Real Estate Appraiser
- Renewable energy/energy storage development
- Senior Manager in Information Technology
- Social Work
- Software account specialist
- Software engineer
- Spatial epidemiologist
- Teacher
- Transportation Engineering Technologist
- Water resources specialist/technician
- Wildland Fire Mitigation Specialist
- Writer
- Air/Water Quality Control Manager
- Cartographer
- Climatologist
- Community Developer, Community Organizer
- Computer Programmer
- Demographer
- Earth scientist
- Emergency Management Specialist
- Entrepreneur
- Environmental Scientist
- Environmental Impact Analyst
- Facilities Planner
- Forestry Technician
- Foreign Services Officer
- Geographer
- Geopolitical Consultant
- Geospatial Analyst, Geospatial Programmer
- GIS Analyst/Specialist/Technician
- Health Services Planner
- Historic Preservationist
- Housing Development Specialist
- Hydrologist
- Industrial Developer/Planner
- International Development Project Officer, Facilitator
- Journalist
- Land Use Analyst
- Map Curator, Map Editor
- Map Librarian
- Market Researcher Analyst
- Natural Resources Manager
- Outdoor Guide
- Park Ranger
- Peace Corps Volunteer
- Planner
- Policy Researcher
- Professor
- Public Utilities Specialist
- Real Estate Appraiser/Analyst
- Remote Sensing Analyst
- Surveying and Mapping Technician
- Soil Scientist
- Surveyor
- Systems Analyst
- Transportation Planner
- Urban/Regional Planner
- Water Resources Specialist
The Geography Department is one of the most supportive communities I’ve ever experienced and I am incredibly grateful for all of the experiences that being a member has afforded me. Geography has enriched my life in so many ways.