Cartography Degrees: Find Programs and Map Your Career

Often, when people think of cartography, they envision a sailor heaving across the oceans, painstakingly etching a course to undiscovered lands. But today’s cartography extends far beyond traditional mapmaking. It’s a sophisticated blend of science, art, and technology that shapes our understanding and navigation of the world.

For those considering a career in cartography, the educational path isn’t straightforward. Most cartography concentrations are integrated into broader programs like geographic information systems (GIS) or geography, or offered as specialized certificates. Understanding the available options is crucial to choosing the right educational path.

To support your search, this guide outlines related degree programs with a cartography focus, highlights the different degree and certificate options, explains how these programs work and the skills you’ll gain, and identifies key elements of a quality curriculum. This will help launch your exploration of a career in the dynamic and evolving field of cartography.

What Is Cartography, and Why Is It Important?

Cartography is the study and practice of creating, analyzing, and interpreting maps to visually represent geographic information. Today, cartographers use advanced technologies like GIS, satellite imagery, and data visualization tools to create accurate maps, analyze spatial data, and solve real-world problems in areas that include urban planning, environmental management, navigation, and disaster response.

Cartography transforms complex geographic data into clear, visual maps that help us navigate, understand, and interact with the world. From planning cities and managing natural resources to tracking climate change and guiding disaster response, cartography plays a critical role in solving real-world problems and shaping decision-making in numerous fields.

Can You Earn a Degree in Cartography?

Earning a degree specifically in cartography is possible, but dedicated bachelor’s and master’s degree programs focused exclusively on cartography are relatively rare in the U.S., with only a few such programs currently available. The more common route for earning a cartography-focused degree is through related degree programs like GIS or geography. These programs prepare students for cartography careers by teaching essential skills like map design, data visualization, spatial analysis, and geographic technologies.

For both students and professionals seeking a more accessible or focused approach, certificate programs in cartography are an excellent alternative. These programs are available in both credit and non-credit formats. Credit certificate programs can count toward general college credit accumulation, while noncredit certificate programs focus more on skill development and professional enrichment. Available at both undergraduate and graduate levels, these certificates are designed to teach the technical skills and practical applications central to cartography.

The certificate format often appeals to students and professionals looking to enhance their expertise without committing to a full degree program. Since cartography is a skills-based discipline, these certificates emphasize hands-on learning in areas such as GIS software, data visualization, and digital mapping techniques. This approach makes certificates an efficient way to gain relevant, marketable skills in the field of cartography.

Degree Options for a Career in Cartography

Given the diverse options for cartography studies, this guide will outline the most effective ways to learn the requisite skills and highlight the best degree options for your college and career searches.

Which Major Is Best for Cartography?

Obtaining a bachelor’s in cartography is uncommon. Typically, the field is integrated into broader degree programs like GIS studies or geography. To help you better understand cartography’s relationship to other degrees, let’s examine the most closely related programs that offer cartography concentrations.

• GIS: Geared toward the technical aspects of spatial data analysis and mapping, GIS programs align closely with the practical skills cartographers need, often emphasizing the core components of modern cartography—software proficiency and data visualization.
• Geography: Geography’s broad approach to studying human and physical landscapes makes it a versatile and relevant option for aspiring cartographers.
• Digital Mapping and Surveying: These programs, while distinct from cartography, share overlapping areas such as spatial data collection and map creation. Digital mapping and surveying may be suitable for students interested in specialized cartography applications like land management or infrastructure planning.
• Geomatics: Often considered a blend of surveying, GIS, and spatial data analysis, geomatics programs are highly relevant to cartography. Providing a solid technical foundation, they are increasingly seen as a modern alternative to traditional cartography programs.

Degree Program Options: Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Certificates

As noted, cartography programs are available at various academic levels, each tailored to different educational objectives and career goals. Here we provide information detailing the differences between the three key cartography program types.

Bachelor’s degrees in cartography, while rare, provide a comprehensive foundation in mapping principles, GIS, and data visualization:

• Ideal candidates for these programs: students seeking the technical and analytical skills needed for entry-level roles in mapping, GIS, or related fields
• What these programs cover: coursework in broader subjects like geography, environmental studies, GIS, or computer science, giving students a well-rounded education
• Sample programs and coursework:
  • University of Wisconsin – Madison – Cartography and GIS Major: Cartography, GIS, Remote Sensing, Python Programming, People-Environment Geography, and Earth Systems Geography
  • University of Arkansas, BA Geography: Cartography, Map Design and Computer-Assisted Map Production, Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation, and GIS

Master’s degrees in cartography or related fields are more specialized, catering to students looking to deepen their expertise or advance to leadership careers.

• Ideal candidates for these programs: students aiming for leadership roles, academic positions, or highly technical careers requiring advanced knowledge of mapping technologies and spatial analysis
• What they cover: research, advanced GIS techniques, and applications of cartography in areas like urban planning, environmental management, or disaster response
• Sample programs and coursework:
  • George Mason University, MS in Geographic and Cartographic Science: Cartographic Design, GIS, Quantitative Methods, Remote Sensing, Seminar in Geographic Thought and Methodology
  • University of Montana, MS in Geography – Cartography and GIS: Advanced Cartographic Design, Image Analysis & Modeling, Cartography/GIS Laboratory

Certificate programs are excellent options for students or professionals seeking flexible, efficient, and targeted training without committing to a full degree. They are often the most accessible path for gaining cartography-specific expertise, given their prevalence and skill-based focus.

• Ideal candidates for these programs: working professionals looking to enhance their credentials or shift into cartography-related roles
• What they cover: practical skills and tools most relevant to cartography, such as GIS software, data management, and digital mapping
• Sample certificate programs and coursework:
  • California State University East Bay: Cartography and GIS Certificate: Fundamentals of GIS, Computer Cartography, Advanced GIS, Remote Sensing of the Environment, and Air Photo Interpretation
  • Ohio University – Online GIS Certificate: GIS and Cartography: Principles of GIS, Cartography I, and Cartography II

How to Find a Quality Cartography Program

Given the lack of dedicated cartography degrees, it’s crucial to understand what to look for in a program. First, clearly define your goals:

• Are you an undergraduate looking to start your career in cartography? Explore bachelor’s and certificate programs that provide the skills necessary for your first job.
• Are you a prospective graduate student looking to pursue a leadership role or an academic career in cartography? Consider master’s programs that offer specialized skills in your areas of interest.
• Are you a professional wanting to focus your career or pivot your job path? Investigate certificate programs that give you the cartographic knowledge needed to enhance your professional skills.

After clarifying your goals, it’s time to find the right program. Evaluate the coursework, key technologies in the curriculum, hands-on opportunities, and faculty expertise to ensure the program provides a strong foundation for a cartography career.

Look for these key elements:

1. Courses with Core Skills Development: Programs with classes in cartographic design, GIS, remote sensing, data visualization, and spatial analysis are essential. These subjects form the foundation of modern cartography and provide the requisite experience to start a cartography career.
2. Software and Technology: Proficiency in GIS platforms like ArcGIS and QGIS, graphic design tools (e.g., Adobe Illustrator), and coding languages like Python or R for spatial data processing can enhance your job prospects in cartography.
3. Hands-On Experience: Fieldwork, internships, or research opportunities are invaluable for applying your education to real-world problems. Programs that emphasize project-based learning or have partnerships with government, private, or nonprofit organizations will offer great practical value to your education.
4. Faculty Expertise: Experienced faculty with strong academic or industry backgrounds in cartography, GIS, or spatial analysis can provide valuable insight, mentorship, and career connections. Faculty with ongoing research or professional ties to the field can help bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world jobs.

Cartography has evolved far beyond ancient explorers charting the unknown with quills and parchment. While the planet has been extensively mapped, today’s cartographers play an essential role in industries that rely on spatial data to make critical decisions about our changing world.

From urban planning and environmental conservation to disaster management and navigation, cartographers transform complex geographic information into clear, actionable visuals. Careers in GIS, remote sensing, and data visualization all benefit from cartographic skills, supporting efforts to optimize transportation systems, monitor climate change, and manage natural resources. As technology continues to evolve, the demand for professionals who can analyze spatial data and create precise, functional maps is ever-increasing.

A career in cartography offers an exciting mix of art, science, and technology, with paths ranging from traditional degree programs to flexible, skill-based certificates. Whether you’re seeking a comprehensive educational foundation through a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or focused training via certificate programs, there are options to suit your goals.

To learn more about navigating your journey into this field, explore our cartography career page. And to find the right program for you, review our directory of schools.