Geography Careers

Because geography teachers -- such as the EarthView team -- like teaching geography so much, it is easy to think that teaching is the only job for geographers.

Perhaps this impression is created because employment ads do not usually include the word "geographer." Instead, geographers have jobs with many different titles, such as Regulatory Analyst, Publisher, Market Researcher, Park Ranger, Project Manager, or even President.

Some famous geographers include Michael Jordan, Mother Teresa, and Kofi Anan. Less famously, EarthView Team member Dr. Hayes-Bohanan used his geographic education in an environmental consulting firm, a specialty food manufacturing company, and many local volunteer organizations -- even his church. We also know geographers who work in many interesting jobs in newspapers, department-stores, libraries, and computer companies. Of course, some of us do find teaching to be the most rewarding path, but it is not the only one available to geographers.

Geographers are hired for some jobs because of specific skills, but they also tend to have some general skills that make them suitable for all kinds of employment. The computer skills needed to work with Geographic Information Systems, for example, are applicable in many kinds of workplaces. Geographers also tend to be good at both research and writing, Geographers also tend to work very well as part of a team, because geography involves bringing together many different kinds of ideas.

For more information, see the "Perfect Major" page from the Bridgewater State College Geography Department and the Geography Careers pages from the Association of American Geographers.