Career Day
February 23, 2024 | Time: TBD | Location: TBD
The primary goal of the event is to promote geography and the kinds of jobs that are potentially available with such a degree. Students make great connections to potential jobs and internships. In preparation for those interactions, we host resume workshops previous to the event thanks to Thu-Tram Butler (ttbutler@msu.edu) & Maya Craft (mayac@msu.edu), our MSU Career Services & Placement Coordinators.
Geography is an exciting field with a wide variety of job opportunities at good pay. Our students work in fields such as environmental consulting, real estate, education, urban planning, forestry, state/national park management, climatology, agriculture, GIS, and many others.
With a degree in geography, you are well-positioned to sell yourself to employers as someone who understands how spatial variables interact in significant ways. Imagine, for example, that you apply for a position as a location analyst for a major retail chain. Although the job announcement doesn’t ask specifically for a “Geographer,” you can successfully compete for that job. Why? Consider the variables that are important for a new store location, which includes proximity to a populated area, easy access via highways or major roads, distance from the competition, and the physical characteristics (such, as soils, wetlands, etc.) of the potential sites for the new store. Who is best suited to analyze those questions?
That’s right! A Geographer!
Just a few of the exciting career opportunities awaiting our graduates!
| Environmental Consultant | Forestry Technician |
| Public School Teacher | Earth Scientist |
| Purchasing/Logistics Manager | National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency |
| Economic Location Analyst | Strategic Planning in Gas & Electric |
| Natural Historian | Remote Sensing Specialist, CIA |
| GIS Analyst, Real Estate Division | Climatologist |
| Aerial Photo Interpreter | Transportation Modeler |
| Surface Water Analyst | Land Management |
| Planning Coordinator | Weather forecaster/Meteorologist |
| Cartographer, National Mapping Agency | Real Estate Agent |
| Management | GIS Specialist, in Land Services |
| Computer Mapping Specialist | Battalion Maintenance Officer, U.S. Army |
| Air/Water Quality Control Manager | Soil Conservationist |
| Systems Librarian | Peace Corps |
| Physical Scientist | Department of Natural Resources Specialist |
| Public Health Analyst | Land, Community, Industrial, or Tourism |
| Developer | Urban Planner |
More Information About Careers In Geography
Geographer job outlook to 2028: The median pay for Geographers is approximately $61,800-$80,300 per year. (US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018).
American Association of Geographers Career Resources
American Geophysical Union Career Resources
Contact Thu-Tram Butler (ttbutler@msu.edu) or Maya Craft (mayac@msu.edu), MSU Career Services & Placement Coordinators for Social Science.
Undergraduate application information may be obtained from Michigan State University’s