Geographers pay in the U.S.
$102,350avg. a year
$49.21 an hour · 1,400 employed
Geographers in the U.S. earn an average of $102,350 a year and a median of $102,040. Pay is highest in California ($114,310) and lowest in Texas ($84,830).
$102,040Median pay
$49.21Average hourly
+20%Avg. pay since 2020
1,400Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for geographers
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 7.
180 jobs
California
$114,310
$54.96 an hour
240 jobs
Washington
$113,420
$54.53 an hour
3130 jobs
Virginia
$112,100
$53.90 an hour
4210 jobs
Maryland
$109,820
$52.80 an hour
540 jobs
Missouri
$100,980
$48.55 an hour
640 jobs
Illinois
$92,160
$44.31 an hour
7180 jobs
Texas
$84,830
$40.78 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Geographers pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $92k$92k–$110k$110k–$113k$113k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $114,830 | $55.21 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $78,670 | $37.82 |
Related jobs
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$112,750
- School Psychologists$99,160
- Urban and Regional Planners$94,750
- Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$107,690
- Psychologists, All Other$111,210
- Economists$142,130
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Geographers pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $114,310 | $114,460 | 80 |
| Illinois | $92,160 | $92,640 | 40 |
| Maryland | $109,820 | $114,920 | 210 |
| Missouri | $100,980 | $102,040 | 40 |
| Texas | $84,830 | $79,170 | 180 |
| Virginia | $112,100 | $108,020 | 130 |
| Washington | $113,420 | $112,260 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$114,830
280 jobsAustin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
$78,670
120 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do geographers make?
The average is $102,350 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $102,040 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $49.21, and the median is $49.06 an hour.
Which state pays geographers the most?
California, with an average of $114,310 a year. The best-paying metro area is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $114,830.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $66,770 a year, and the top 10% earn over $136,660.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 19-3092. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.