Geographers
Machines can already do 47% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 75%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Geographers in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 47% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 11% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2028, and 75% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 1,400 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $102,040 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 59% for contact with people.
- Also called: Earth Observations Scientist, Geographer, GIS Coordinator (Geographic Information Systems Coordinator), GIS Geographer (Geographic Information Systems Geographer).
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create and modify maps, graphs, or diagrams, using geographical information software and related equipment, and principles of cartography, such as coordinate systems, longitude, latitude, elevation, topography, and map scales | 19% | 35% to 65% | |
| Write and present reports of research findings | 15% | 82% to 97% | |
| Gather and compile geographic data from sources such as censuses, field observations, satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and existing maps | 14% | 45% to 78% | |
| Analyze geographic distributions of physical and cultural phenomena on local, regional, continental, or global scales | 13% | 55% to 85% | |
| Provide geographical information systems support to the private and public sectors | 8% | 35% to 65% | |
| Study the economic, political, and cultural characteristics of a specific region's population | 6% | 55% to 85% | |
| Develop, operate, and maintain geographical information computer systems, including hardware, software, plotters, digitizers, printers, and video cameras | 5% | 35% to 65% | |
| Locate and obtain existing geographic information databases | 5% | 55% to 85% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills geographers use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Geographers?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2028. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of geographers?
Machines can do 47% of the tasks of geographers today and 75% by 2035. Most of the routine work moves to machines, and the people in the job move to oversight, judgement and client work.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 19-3092.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Geographers: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/geographers/