Cartographer
Cartographers collect information and data about the geography of an area to create maps, charts and plans.
- Starter salary£24,000 a year
- Experienced£45,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 42 a week
What you'll do
As a cartographer, you could:
- analyse data from sensors on drones, planes and satellites
- survey areas using laser scanning methods and 360-degree cameras
- design 2D and 3D maps in different formats
- check maps and charts are accurate and to scale
- edit maps to capture changes to roads, buildings and landmarks
- use GIS to analyse and model landscapes
- plot the heights and positions of geographical features from photographs
- carry out surveys of land, sea or coastal areas
Working environment
You could work in an office.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of geography
- maths knowledge
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- analytical thinking skills
- excellent written communication skills
- design skills and knowledge
- the ability to work well with others
- concentration skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a cartographer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- the armed forces
University
You can take a degree in a subject that includes data gathering and analysis, such as:
- geography
- geographical information systems (GIS)
- land surveying
- earth sciences
- oceanography
- meteorology
Employers may also accept degrees in other subjects like computer science, software engineering or graphic design.
A postgraduate qualification may help you to find work in a specialist field of cartography like GIS.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
- a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
Apprenticeship
You could apply to an organisation to do an apprenticeship, such as:
- Geospatial Survey Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
- Geospatial Mapping and Science Specialist Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
- Spatial Data Specialist Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Work
You may be able to start as a trainee cartographic or GIS technician and work your way up through training and promotion.
Employers may want you to have:
- an apprenticeship in geospatial surveying or similar field
- A levels in geography, mathematics or computing
- a qualification equivalent to A level standard, for example a diploma in applied science
Other routes
You can apply to become a geographic technician with the Army , or join the Royal Air Force and train as an aviation data analyst (air cartographer).
At the end of your service, you could use your experience to find work in commercial cartography and mapping.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a senior cartographer, leading a team on mapping projects.
As your career develops, you could apply for Chartered Geographer status , which recogises your professional skills and expertise in this field.
You could also move into:
- educational publishing
- cartographic collections management
- urban planning
- freelance cartographic consultancy
Career tips
You can find opportunities to work as a cartographer in the public and private sector with:
- Ordnance Survey
- local and national government departments
- transport companies
- mapping and publishing companies
- surveying and energy companies
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the British Cartographic Society for networking, information resources and career development support.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0