by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 6 U.S. colleges awarded 19 degrees and certificates in Geospatial Intelligence. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 74% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $51,422 one year after completing, rising to $69,868 after four years.
Studying Geospatial Intelligence involves the study of A Program That Prepares Individuals To Analyze Security And Intelligence Problems Using A Geographic Perspective By Relating Human Actions To Cultural, Political, Economic, Social, And Physical Landscapes. Includes Instruction In Aerial Photography Analysis, Cartography, Geographic Information Systems (Gis), Physical Geography, Remote Sensing, Spatial Programming, And Quantitative Methods In Geographic Research.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, geospatial intelligence is a widely-pursued major, with 19 degrees awarded annually. 6 colleges award geospatial intelligence degrees, an average of 3 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 5.
By level, the 19 awards include 4 certificates and 14 master’s degrees.
Women earned 26% of geospatial intelligence degrees and certificates in the latest year (5 of 19). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (16) and Hispanic or Latino (1), and international students earned 1.
The most common geospatial intelligence credential is the master’s degree: 14 of the 19 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to geospatial intelligence call most for Active Listening, Speaking and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Law and Government and Public Safety and Security, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression and Inductive Reasoning.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a geospatial intelligence degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 4 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 14 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to geospatial intelligence, at 22.3%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 22.3% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 21.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 18.3% |
| Some college courses | 14.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 5.7% |
| Master’s degree | 5.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 2.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
10 occupations are related to Geospatial Intelligence, with an average median salary of $64,810; the strongest outlook belongs to Detectives and Criminal Investigators, at 14.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Criminalist, Identification Officer, Police Investigator and Crime Scene Investigator (CSI).
The occupation related to geospatial intelligence with the most projected jobs is Police Identification and Records Officers, at 532,882.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Police Identification and Records Officers | 532,882 | 7.1% |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 469,816 | 14.5% |
| Geography Teachers, Postsecondary | 420,756 | -3.5% |
| Intelligence Analysts | 313,116 | 11.7% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 290,410 | 11.9% |
| Cartographers and Photogrammetrists | 55,239 | -4.8% |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | 52,113 | 12.0% |
| Geographers | 41,950 | 10.6% |
Geospatial Intelligence graduates earn a median $51,422 one year after completing their program, $69,868 after four years and $58,543 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $51,422 |
| 4 years | $69,868 |
| 5 years | $58,543 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to geospatial intelligence is Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary, with a median salary of $91,449.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,449 |
| Geographers | $77,391 |
| Special Forces Officers | $73,745 |
| Intelligence Analysts | $65,483 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $64,492 |
| Police Identification and Records Officers | $61,847 |
| Special Forces | $56,978 |
| Cartographers and Photogrammetrists | $56,771 |
Geospatial Intelligence has 8 similar majors in the Law Enforcement & Firefighting field, which together award 10,515 degrees a year; the largest are Forensic Science and Technology (5,123), Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism (2,476) and Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy (1,714). Browse all Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors or the full list of college majors.
More about our data sources and methodologies.