2015 GIS Professional Salary Survey

August 25, 2015

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2015 Indiana GIS Professional Salary Survey

August 25, 2015

Introduction

In April, 2015, IGIC circulated the second Salary Survey to geospatial professionals around the state. Responses were collected online from a total of 221 individuals. Responses were provided to a total of 19 questions about salary, education, industry, technology, historical document use, and volunteerism. An analysis of the results is given below.

2015 Average Salary

Average Annual Salary: $55,894.41

Respondents: 221

FYI … 2010 Average Salary (first IGIC Salary Survey)

Average Annual Salary: $51,869.12

Respondents: 263

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2015 GIS Professional Salary Survey

August 25, 2015


Type of Organization 2015 Average Salary 2010 Average Salary / # of Respondents
County Government $44,092 $40,699 / 50
State Government 54,509 53,654 / 44
City Government 49,011 48,355 / 35
Private Sector 78,188 55,832 / 30
Utility 64,293 57,307 / 24
Institution/University 58,613 49,644 / 21
Other 51,860 61,667 / 11
Federal Government 77,250 58,663 / 6
Total / 221

Private Sector Areas of Expertise

Agriculture

BioTech

Civil Engineering

Conservation

Consulting

Education

Education non-profit

Electrical Utilities

Gas

Geospatial/Geospatial Imagery

GIS Services / GIS Sales

Imagery, Base-map Data, Local Government

Non-profit

Other: Regional Planning

Photogrammetric Mapping

Regional / Regional Government

Transportation

From the data, 61% of the respondents are from government-related employment, while 29% are from private industry and 9% are from the post-secondary arena. Within the private sector, areas represented have expanded since the 2010 IGIC Salary Survey, which can be seen from the Job Titles & Average Salaries data below.

Years in GIS / # of Respondents
10 to 14 / 52
15 to 19 / 43
1 to 4 / 40
8 to 9 / 26
20 to 24 / 21
5 to 7 / 20
25 or above / 18
Total / 220

Educational Background / # of Respondents
Bachelor of Sciences / 64
Master of Sciences / 38
Associates / 28
Bachelor of Arts / 28
Master of Arts / 23
None / 19
Other (including GISP) / 11
PhD / 9
Total / 220
FYI … 2010 Education / Average Annual Salary / Count (of 263 Respondents)
High School / $43,347 / 15 = 5.7%
Some College / $42,931 / 10 = 3.8%
Associate’s Degree / $49,461 / 38 = 14%
Bachelor’s Degree / $50,110 / 119 = 45%
Some Graduate / $58,280 / 4
Master’s Degree / $56,147 / 66 = 25%
PhD / $60,593 / 7 = 2.6%
Professional
Certification / $36,000 / 3 = 1%

FYI … 2010 Years of Experience in GIS Avg. Annual Salary # Respondents

1 - 4 / $41,338 / 65
5 - 7 / $48,541 / 36
8 - 10 / $49,597 / 51
11 - 14 / $60,098 / 51
15 - 20 / $58,588 / 35
20+ / $64,670 / 24


A shift from 2010 programming languages has occurred from SQL, Python, HTML at the top three. Python is considered by post-secondary specialists to be the “up and coming” programming language for geospatial technologies … along with “R”, a statistics/probability software.

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2015 GIS Professional Salary Survey

August 25, 2015

FYI … 2010 Technology Use … for more detailed data, see the IGIC website for the 2010 Salary Survey Report

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2015 GIS Professional Salary Survey

August 25, 2015

1. GIS Software
ESRI Products (ArcGIS, View, INFO, Editor, SDE, Server, Pad, Map, IMS, Catalog)
Google Earth/Map
AutoDesk Products (Map, MapGuide & other)
Microsoft Bing Map/3D
Bentley Products (Map & other)
GlobalMapper
MapInfo
DDTI Accuglobe
2. GPS Technology
Trimble
Garmin
Pathfinder
Magellan
3. Database Software
Microsoft Access
Microsoft SQL Server
Oracle
dBASE
MySQL
4. Programming Technologies top 5
SQL
Python
HTML
VBA
Microsoft .NET
5. CAD Software
AutoDesk AutoCAD
Bentley MicroStation
TurboCAD
TruView
Think Map
6. Photogrammetry Software
Leica Geosystems Photogrammetric Suite
ESRI Stereo Extension
Intergraph Z/I Imaging
7. LiDAR
LizardTech LiDAR Compressor
QCoherent Software
Other
Virtual Geomatics VG4D
TerraSolid LiDAR Products
Trimble
LiDAR Analyst
8. Remote Sensing / Image Processing Software
Adobe Photoshop
Pictometry Viewer
ERDAS Imagine
LizardTech Compressor Suite
Other
ER Mapper
ITT EXVI EX
DeLorme TopoBird
Idrisi
PCI Geomatics Geomatica
Microsoft Paint
ERDAS APOLLO
GIMP
GenaMap
ITT ENVI
Surfer
Manifold
Map Guide
MultiSpec
IrfanView
Unspecified

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2015 GIS Professional Salary Survey

August 25, 2015

Question 18: Do you volunteer at area schools, 4-H, FFA, Scouts or other groups to teach about GIS/geospatial technologies? Yes or No

83% responded No

17% responded Yes

You are accomplishing amazing things through your outreach and engagement! Of those who responded “yes”, the majority are working with K-12 students either through classroom work, 4-H, FFA, Boy Scouts, and GIS Day activities. Generally, you are engaging when directly asked by a teacher (or your son/daughter J), Cub Scout Pack Leader, Boy Scout Troop Master/Student working on a Merit Badge, or 4-H/FFA Leader to demonstrate GPS/geocaching, aerial photography, map making/cartography, or remote sensing. Some of you speak before local groups such as the Rotary, Kiwanis, or Moose.

Some of you are volunteering applied GIS for local places that need assistance: EMA efforts, animal shelter (mapping found cats/dogs), guest speakers in college classrooms, local community outreach events, and school boards/councils. Of those who responded “yes”, an average of 9.25 volunteer hours for the year were spent sharing geospatial technologies and perspectives. THANK YOU!

Question 19: In your professional career, do you utilize historical data (10+ years old)? Yes or No

90 out of 223 responded Yes (40%) of total survey respondents use historical data
Out of these 90:
6 use historical Census data
36 (40%) use historical aerial imagery/photography
At least 17 (19%) use historical land, deed, property, plat, parcel, easement, and survey data
12 use other historical imagery
12 (13%) use Sanborn Maps
12 (13%) use other historical maps (Baist, USGS Topo, and other city and county maps)
8 use historical data from IndianaMap, Indiana Geological Survey, USGS, and USDA.
6 use historical tax, assessor, auditor, recorder, and trustee data
6 use historical orthophotography/imagery
At least 5 use historical city planning and permit data

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