Remote Sensing Technicians: Career Overview
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.
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What Tasks Do Remote Sensing Technicians Perform?
The core tasks performed by remote sensing technicians include:
- 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.
What Remote Sensing Technicians Need to Know
Top remote sensing technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Commercial Drone Operator
- Commercial Drone Pilot
- Commercial Drone Technician
- Digital Cartographic Technician
- Document Image Technician
- Drone Operator
- Drone Pilot
- Drone Technician
Job Outlook
There are about 31,122 remote sensing technicians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -2.2% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Remote Sensing Technicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $99,834 |
| Hourly median | $48.00 |
| 10th percentile | $70,820 |
| 25th percentile | $85,327 |
| 75th percentile | $114,340 |
| 90th percentile | $128,847 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Remote Sensing Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $75,780 |
| Oklahoma | $73,940 |
| Connecticut | $72,090 |
| District of Columbia | $70,680 |
| Washington | $70,650 |
| Alaska | $68,600 |
| Maryland | $67,040 |
| North Carolina | $66,090 |
| North Dakota | $65,800 |
| Georgia | $65,070 |
| Vermont | $63,960 |
| Massachusetts | $62,610 |
| New York | $62,500 |
| Colorado | $62,180 |
| Wyoming | $61,740 |
| Kansas | $61,740 |
| Indiana | $61,610 |
| Virginia | $61,470 |
| Rhode Island | $61,160 |
| Kentucky | $60,340 |
| West Virginia | $60,250 |
| South Carolina | $59,900 |
| Maine | $59,690 |
| Mississippi | $59,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,590 |
| New Hampshire | $57,880 |
| Florida | $57,840 |
| New Mexico | $57,180 |
| New Jersey | $56,950 |
| Oregon | $55,890 |
| Illinois | $54,720 |
| Arkansas | $54,290 |
| Nevada | $53,990 |
| Alabama | $53,910 |
| Utah | $52,400 |
| Missouri | $52,400 |
| Nebraska | $52,000 |
| Michigan | $51,400 |
| Montana | $50,510 |
| Texas | $48,550 |
| Louisiana | $48,240 |
| Idaho | $47,870 |
| Tennessee | $47,520 |
| Arizona | $47,330 |
| Minnesota | $47,130 |
| Ohio | $46,540 |
| Hawaii | $45,710 |
| Wisconsin | $44,120 |
| Iowa | $44,040 |
| South Dakota | $41,250 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,710 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for remote sensing technicians shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $70,824 | 19.9% | 1.39 |
| New England | $62,638 | 2.0% | 1.00 |
| Middle Atlantic | $61,924 | 21.0% | 1.58 |
| Southeast | $59,820 | 22.6% | 1.17 |
| Rocky Mountains | $56,011 | 5.8% | 1.50 |
| Plains States | $51,642 | 8.4% | 1.29 |
| Great Lakes | $51,001 | 7.1% | 0.52 |
| Southwest | $49,985 | 12.4% | 1.11 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $112,040 | 50 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | OK | $106,850 | 240 |
| Spartanburg, SC | SC | $105,350 | 260 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | GA | $86,350 | 150 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | CA | $82,290 | 70 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $81,030 | 1,880 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $80,100 | 2,000 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $79,360 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of remote sensing technicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 21,830 | $60,130 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16,840 | $62,460 |
| Manufacturing | 8,800 | $62,990 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 5,980 | $46,750 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 4,050 | $59,370 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,210 | $60,980 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 730 | $64,720 |
| Finance and Insurance | 670 | $61,600 |
Remote Sensing Technicians work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: AJAX (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2 (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Expert system software: Ansible software (hot technology)
- Project management software: Atlassian Confluence (hot technology)
- Project management software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C# (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for remote sensing technicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Sitting
Education and Training
Entry-level remote sensing technicians positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Software Developers (Supplemental)
- Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists (Primary-Long)
- Surveyors (Supplemental)
- Geodetic Surveyors (Primary-Short)
- Aerospace Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists (Supplemental)
- Robotics Engineers (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Future remote sensing technicians typically earn programs in:
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
4 programs across 2 majors
Science Technologies/Technicians
4 programs across 3 majors
Physical Sciences
3 programs across 2 majors
Social Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-4099.03 (Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other).
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