Geography Teachers
O*NET title: Geography Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in geography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also called: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Cartography Professor, Cartography Teacher, College Faculty Member, College Professor
Median pay
$97,590
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$52,550 – $165,460
People employed
3,330
Holland code
SIA
Social · Investigative · Artistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 2.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Geography Teachers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (28 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What geography teachers do
- 01Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- 02Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as urbanization, environmental systems, and cultural geography.
- 03Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- 04Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- 05Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- 06Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Skills that matter most
- Writing
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- English Language
- Geography
- Education and Training
- History and Archeology
- Mathematics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
- Social Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from geography teachers
- Geographers80% · +5%
- Sociologists78% · +9%
- Political Scientists74% · +46%
- Epidemiologists69% · −11%
- Speech-Language Pathologists68% · 0%
Change into geography teachers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Anthropologists and Archeologists79% · $70,770
- Geographers78% · $102,040
- Sociologists78% · $106,030
- Historians74% · $76,750
- Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary74% · $42,910
Majors that lead here
- Geography Teacher Education
- Geography and Environmental Studies
- Geospatial Intelligence
- Geography
- Geographic Information Science and Cartography
- Geography, Other
- Geography and Anthropology
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.