# Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

> Research, study, and prepare maps and other spatial data in digital or graphic form for one or more purposes, such as legal, social, political, educational, and design purposes. May work with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). May design and evaluate algorithms, data structures, and user interfaces for GIS and mapping systems. May collect, analyze, and interpret geographic information provided by geodetic surveys, aerial photographs, and satellite data.

- **SOC code:** 17-1021.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-1021-00
- **Also known as:** Cartographer, Photogrammetric Technician, Photogrammetrist, Stereo Compiler, Aerial Photogrammetrist, Cartographic Designer, Digital Cartographer, Mapper
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Compile data required for map preparation, including aerial photographs, survey notes, records, reports, and original maps.
- Delineate aerial photographic detail, such as control points, hydrography, topography, and cultural features, using precision stereoplotting apparatus or drafting instruments.
- Prepare and alter trace maps, charts, tables, detailed drawings, and three-dimensional optical models of terrain using stereoscopic plotting and computer graphics equipment.
- Study legal records to establish boundaries of local, national, and international properties.
- Inspect final compositions to ensure completeness and accuracy.
- Revise existing maps and charts, making all necessary corrections and adjustments.
- Identify, scale, and orient geodetic points, elevations, and other planimetric or topographic features, applying standard mathematical formulas.
- Collect information about specific features of the Earth, using aerial photography and other digital remote sensing techniques.
- Examine and analyze data from ground surveys, reports, aerial photographs, and satellite images to prepare topographic maps, aerial-photograph mosaics, and related charts.
- Determine guidelines that specify which source material is acceptable for use.
- Build and update digital databases.
- Determine map content and layout, as well as production specifications such as scale, size, projection, and colors, and direct production to ensure that specifications are followed.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Estimate resources, such as production hours, required for projects.
- Use drone technology to capture high-resolution images and data for map creation and updating.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Geography _(knowledge)_
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_
- Written Comprehension _(ability)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Writing _(essential_skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(essential_skill)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Written Expression _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Geography _(Specialized Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Inductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Writing _(Common Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_
- Visualization _(Specialized Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Active Learning _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- ESRI ArcGIS software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe Acrobat _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Creative Cloud software _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Illustrator _(hot technology)_
- Adobe InDesign _(hot technology)_
- Adobe Photoshop _(hot technology)_
- Autodesk AutoCAD _(hot technology)_
- Bentley MicroStation _(hot technology)_
- C _(hot technology)_
- Extensible markup language XML _(hot technology)_
- JavaScript Object Notation JSON _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Access _(hot technology)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 76th percentile (High) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 68th percentile (High) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 95th percentile (High) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 61st percentile (Moderate) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 75th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** yes — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 6.4% growth (About average); 1k annual openings; 13.4k → 14.3k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $78,380; 12,790 employed.

## How people actually use AI here

Anthropic Economic Index — measured AI conversations mapped to this occupation's tasks:

- **Automation vs augmentation:** 56% automation, 20% augmentation (usage-weighted).
- **Autonomy median:** 2.5 (higher = AI acts more independently).
- **Dominant collaboration mode:** directive.

**Tasks most handed to AI here:**
- Build and update digital databases. _(0.5% of measured AI use; task iteration)_
- Determine guidelines that specify which source material is acceptable for use. _(0.4% of measured AI use; directive)_

**Example prompts (honest phrasings of the tasks above — starting points, not endorsed instructions):**
- Help me build and update digital databases.
- Help me determine guidelines that specify which source material is acceptable for use.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-1021-00_