What Does it Take to Be a Remote Sensing Technician?
Career Description 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.
Life As a Remote Sensing Technician
- Correct raw data for errors due to factors such as skew or atmospheric variation.
- Participate in the planning or development of mapping projects.
- Verify integrity and accuracy of data contained in remote sensing image analysis systems.
- Integrate remotely sensed data with other geospatial data.
- Provide remote sensing data for use in addressing environmental issues, such as surface water modeling or dust cloud detection.
- Develop or maintain geospatial information databases.
Featured schools near , edit
What a Remote Sensing Technician Should Know
These are the skills Remote Sensing Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Related Job Titles
- Mosaic Technician
- Document Image Technician
- Meteorologist Liaison
- Remote Sensing Field Technician
- Senior Stereo Compiler Team Lead
Remote Sensing Technician Job Outlook
There were about 76,100 jobs for Remote Sensing Technician in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 7,400 new jobs for Remote Sensing Technician by 2026. There will be an estimated 9,900 positions for Remote Sensing Technician per year.

The states with the most job growth for Remote Sensing Technician are Utah, Texas, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Maine, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Remote Sensing Technician Make?
The salary for Remote Sensing Technicians ranges between about $29,830 and $80,370 a year.

Remote Sensing Technicians who work in Maryland, Connecticut, or Rhode Island, make the highest salaries.
How much do Remote Sensing Technicians make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $46,600 |
Alaska | $56,470 |
Arizona | $51,250 |
Arkansas | $50,740 |
California | $56,670 |
Colorado | $51,890 |
Connecticut | $62,090 |
District of Columbia | $61,000 |
Florida | $45,200 |
Georgia | $52,690 |
Hawaii | $57,310 |
Idaho | $42,220 |
Illinois | $51,130 |
Indiana | $51,970 |
Iowa | $46,740 |
Kansas | $51,960 |
Kentucky | $52,340 |
Louisiana | $47,250 |
Maine | $55,220 |
Maryland | $69,500 |
Massachusetts | $63,450 |
Michigan | $43,640 |
Minnesota | $50,440 |
Mississippi | $52,950 |
Missouri | $49,590 |
Montana | $43,930 |
Nebraska | $58,150 |
Nevada | $47,690 |
New Hampshire | $57,990 |
New Jersey | $60,660 |
New Mexico | $59,850 |
New York | $53,380 |
North Carolina | $53,390 |
North Dakota | $52,050 |
Ohio | $52,690 |
Oklahoma | $57,950 |
Oregon | $51,800 |
Pennsylvania | $50,410 |
Rhode Island | $59,480 |
South Carolina | $56,910 |
South Dakota | $45,190 |
Tennessee | $43,440 |
Texas | $54,290 |
Utah | $50,980 |
Virginia | $52,180 |
Washington | $55,920 |
West Virginia | $55,930 |
Wisconsin | $52,500 |
Wyoming | $53,940 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Remote Sensing Technicians
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Remote Sensing Technicians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Python
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- SAS
- UNIX
- R
- Bentley Microstation
- Global positioning system GPS software
- Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Interface definition language IDL
- ESRI ArcView 3D Analyst
- ITT Visual Information Solutions ENVI
How to Become a Remote Sensing Technician
Individuals working as a Remote Sensing Technician have obtained the following education levels:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Remote Sensing Technicians Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Remote Sensing Technicians employed by various industries.

References:
Image Credit: U.S. Department of Energy from United States via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |