Remote Sensing Technicians
Apply remote sensing technologies to assist scientists in areas such as natural resources, urban planning, or homeland security. May prepare flight plans or sensor configurations for flight trips.
Also called: Digital Cartographic Technician · Geospatial Extractor · Meteorologist Liaison · Research Associate
Median pay (national)
$60,130
$37,310–$101,870 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
71,400
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3.5%
~10,600 openings/yr
Typical entry
Associate's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for remote sensing technicians shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $101,870 versus $37,310 at the bottom 10% — 2.7x. The median of $60,130 leaves roughly 69% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3.5% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 10,600 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 51 states with released data, California pays the most for this role (median $75,780, +26% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $37,710 — a 101% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags C, C++, ESRI ArcGIS software, Geographic information system GIS systems as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Mathematics
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Collect geospatial data, using technologies such as aerial photography, light and radio wave detection systems, digital satellites, or thermal energy systems.
- Verify integrity and accuracy of data contained in remote sensing image analysis systems.
- Integrate remotely sensed data with other geospatial data.
- Consult with remote sensing scientists, surveyors, cartographers, or engineers to determine project needs.
- Adjust remotely sensed images for optimum presentation by using software to select image displays, define image set categories, or choose processing routines.
- Manipulate raw data to enhance interpretation, either on the ground or during remote sensing flights.
- Merge scanned images or build photo mosaics of large areas, using image processing software.
- Participate in the planning or development of mapping projects.
- Prepare documentation or presentations, including charts, photos, or graphs.
- Correct raw data for errors due to factors such as skew or atmospheric variation.
Tools & technology
- C
- C++
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Geographic information system GIS systems
- Microsoft Office software
- Python
- QGIS
- R
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Photoshop
- AJAX
- Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2
- Amazon Web Services AWS software
- Ansible software
- Atlassian Confluence
Knowledge areas
- Geography
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Engineering and Technology
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Education and Training