Cartography Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Science and art of making maps and geographic visualizations using technology.
Starting Salary
$62K
median
Mid-Career
$88K
salary
ROI Payback
3 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
3%
rate
Cartography Overview
Science and art of making maps and geographic visualizations using technology.
Category
STEM
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
82%
Enrollment Trend
growing
Online Available
Yes
Underemployment
5%
Lifetime Premium
$100K
Female Graduates
35%
Cartography Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$18,000
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$18,000
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$82,000
Lifetime earnings premium ($100,000) minus net degree cost ($18,000)
Cartography Salary Progression
Common Cartography Careers
Cartographer
GIS Analyst
Geospatial Engineer
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Cartography
#1
University of Wisconsin
#2
Penn State
#3
Oregon State
#4
Texas State
#5
USAFA
Cartography Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
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