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Geography Education

What Geography Education Majors Need to Know

Studies in Geography Education build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Geography Education graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Geography Education emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Sociology and Anthropology — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Geography Education program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Geography Education careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Geography Education graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.7 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Geography Education professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Desmos	Analytical or scientific software	—
Blackboard software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Padlet	Computer based training software	—
Geogebra	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Geography Education graduates include:

• Educator
• Associate Professor
• Professor
• College Professor
• Instructor
• Lecturer
• Assistant Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Counselor Education Professor
• Special Education Professor
• Adjunct Lecturer
• Adult Basic Education Instructor
• Science Education Professor
• Education Adjunct Professor
• Educational Administration Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Geography Education graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	51.9%
Bachelor’s degree	29.3%
Master’s degree	6.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	6.2%
Post-master’s certificate	2.8%
Less than a high school diploma	2.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	0.7%
Post-doctoral training	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do Geography Education Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Geography Education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$49,919
4 years	$50,204
5 years	$56,331

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $56,331 — roughly 13% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Geography Education Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Geography Education graduates earn a median of $50,204 four years after completion — roughly 32% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	13.13
Agricultural Teacher Education	13.1301
Art Teacher Education	13.1302
Biology Teacher Education	13.1322
Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education	13.1303
Chemistry Teacher Education	13.1323
Communication Arts and Literature Teacher Education	13.1339
Computer Teacher Education	13.1321
Drama and Dance Teacher Education	13.1324
Driver and Safety Teacher Education	13.1304
Earth Science Teacher Education	13.1337
English/Language Arts Teacher Education	13.1305

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.