What is GIS?
Wondering if it is worth it for you to earn a GIS degree or certificate in GIS? If you want to identify optimal business locations, analyze spatial trends for crimes, or assess the viability of establishing a solar farm, you’ll definitely rely on GIS. GIS stands for Geographical Information System, a computer-based tool to store, visualize, analyze, and interpret geographical data. This system matches locations with events happening, offering invaluable insights. Nearly all of us have interacted with GIS without even noticing. Even a task as seemingly simple as checking the location of your Doordash delivery involves GIS. A GIS Certificate or degree can open the door to a wide variety of careers to anyone interested in using technology for environmental concerns. This article delves into the various career opportunities in the GIS field and different approaches to becoming a GIS professional. It will go over the top 5 colleges for earning a GIS degree, as well as the top 5 routes to earning a (usually cheaper and quicker) GIS certificate.
Salaries for GIS
GIS is a diverse field with an ever-growing number of job opportunities. Companies that are developing offshoot products need people with GIS skills, creating thousands of job opportunities yearly. Salaries in the GIS field vary from $40,000 to $155,000+. At an entry level, for example, technicians, draftsmen and analysts earn an average salary of $40,000 to $55,000. This refers to those who handle basic roles like data editing and metadata writing. When we climb up the salary ladder, higher payments are offered to specialists in the field. Higher level skills in GIS include Python programming, database administration, and GIS web development. For instance, analysts that specialize in LiDAR, sensors that collect elevation information, earn an average salary of $75,000.
How to learn GIS
These days, there are multiple ways to earn your GIS degree or certificate in GIS, through either colleges or online courses. Most colleges teach GIS within their geography departments. Therefore, a student could get a geography degree and go through a couple of GIS courses. Another option is to combine your existing degree in any field with a GIS certificate from your local college. However, with GIS being such a fast developing industry, materials taught in classrooms may be too basic, too general, or using out of date software. In this case, up-to-date online resources will be most useful.
In addition to learning GIS skills, pursuing industry connections and developing professionally are the keys to starting a GIS career. Social media sites like Linkedin and Facebook offer opportunities to connect directly with people who are actively in the industry. For a more in-depth breakdown of how to make professional connections online, check out our video guide on how to get a GIS job in 2025:
Additionally Esri, the developer of ArcGIS, holds conferences each year which offers great networking opportunities and resources for people interested in GIS fields. The conference is held every summer in San Diego, CA while representing the largest gathering of GIS users in the world. Sign up for the Esri UC and you’ll have lots of fun. However, these resources may not give up-to-date information or systematic training for someone who is interested in GIS. But there are alternatives! You can get a GIS degree from home by completing certificate programs online. It is both time-saving and money-saving. Rather than spending 2 years in a master program, you can get your degree online within 6 months and enter the industry with competitive skills.
Best GIS degree programs
There are over 200 colleges and universities that currently offer a GIS program. A list of all colleges that offer GIS degrees was compiled by GISDegree.com. Here are some of the best GIS programs across the country:
| Program Name | Duration | Cost |
| 1. University of Denver This program focuses on the ability to plan, launch and execute GIS programs using various digital methods. | 12 months | $20K |
| 2. Pennsylvania State University This program aims at professionals in the industry, helping them to be more specialized with a customized curriculum. | 30 months | $34K |
| 3. University of Southern California This program focuses mostly on data science skills and information engineering. | 2 years | $72K |
| 4. Johns Hopkins University This program gives students valuable experience in the GIS industry while learning up-to-date applications of digital transformation. | 9-12 months | $44K |
| 5. University of Maryland This program aims to provide the most up-to-date education on geospatial technology, theory and applications. | 15 months | $27K |
Best GIS certificate programs
While college degrees are the typical route that students take to learning industry skills, certificates are continuously becoming a competitive alternative. Typically, these certificate are more focused on teaching you applicable skills and giving you real-world experience without the added “fluff” of homework or tests. Enterprise GIS certificates also come at a fraction of the cost of college degrees, and can be complicated quicker than a degree. Here is a list of the top 5 GIS certificates that are currently offered online:
| Program Name | Duration | Cost |
| 1. Bootcamp GIS This program focuses on getting you hired with resume-building projects, career advisement sessions, and job-hunt dashboard. | 6 months | $7K |
| 2. University of Washington This program specializes in integrating geospatial technologies with interdisciplinary research to tackle complex environmental, urban, and societal challenges. | 9 months | $7K |
| 3. University of Arizona This program focuses on teaching programming and automation techniques that use ModelBuilder and Python. | 12 months | $7K |
| 4. University of Florida This program provides asynchronous classes to students that include web mapping and visualization. | 12-16 months | $8K |
| 5. Texas A&M University This program helps students build their skills through beginner, intermediate, or advanced-level courses. | 12-16 months | $15-18K |
Online GIS certificates: book a FREE advisement session today!
Afraid of the high tuition? Don’t want to move to a new city that offers a program? Get your GIS certification completely online at Bootcamp GIS within as little as 6 months! Bootcamp GIS offers project-based online GIS courses with prices starting at $697. You can learn about the industry, data analysis, and GIS web development through this online program. Whether you choose to earn your GIS degree or certificate in GIS, you can book a free advisory session today to see if joining the GIS industry is right for you!
