How much does a GIS Specialist I make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a GIS Specialist I in the United States is $93,422 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $45.
However, a GIS Specialist I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $109,342
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $84,832 to $101,755
Key Factors That Influence GIS Specialist I Salaries
A GIS Specialist I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects GIS Specialist Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a GIS Specialist I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do GIS Specialist I Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract GIS Specialist Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $103,437.
California: $103,044.
Massachusetts: $101,671.
District of Columbia$103,437
California$103,044
Massachusetts$101,671
Washington$101,297
New Jersey$101,260
Alaska$101,129
Connecticut$99,840
New York$99,317
Hawaii$97,645
Rhode Island$96,860
Maryland$96,327
Minnesota$95,599
Colorado$95,318
Illinois$95,225
Oregon$94,870
Delaware$94,608
New Hampshire$94,444
Virginia$94,076
Pennsylvania$93,002
Nevada$92,460
North Dakota$92,282
Michigan$92,002
Wisconsin$91,899
Vermont$91,694
Texas$91,124
Maine$91,086
Arizona$91,030
Ohio$90,965
Georgia$90,105
Indiana$89,676
Wyoming$89,592
Utah$89,461
Iowa$89,405
Kansas$88,956
Louisiana$88,826
North Carolina$88,779
Missouri$88,760
Florida$88,396
Montana$88,200
Nebraska$88,013
Kentucky$87,910
South Carolina$87,536
Tennessee$87,303
Idaho$87,209
New Mexico$86,527
Oklahoma$86,378
Alabama$85,827
South Dakota$84,902
Arkansas$84,397
West Virginia$84,126
Mississippi$83,314
Top Paying Cities for GIS Specialist Is
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $117,833
San Francisco: $116,543
Oakland: $114,087
San Jose, CA$117,833
San Francisco, CA$116,543
Oakland, CA$114,087
New York, NY$107,565
Paramus, NJ$106,257
Queens Village, NY$106,252
Passaic, NJ$106,164
Bergenfield, NJ$106,155
Stamford, CT$105,950
Huntington, NY$105,911
Newark, NJ$105,221
Bridgeport, CT$105,024
Vallejo, CA$104,838
New Brunswick, NJ$104,801
Petaluma, CA$104,745
Middlesex, NJ$104,567
Somerset, NJ$104,502
Santa Cruz, CA$104,380
Boston, MA$103,810
Monterey, CA$103,483
Seattle, WA$103,269
Santa Rosa, CA$103,250
Los Angeles, CA$103,222
Juneau, AK$102,979
Washington, DC$102,876
Orange, CA$102,544
Santa Ana, CA$102,297
Long Beach, CA$102,204
Anaheim, CA$102,185
Anchorage, AK$102,138
Santa Maria, CA$101,858
Everett, WA$101,839
Danbury, CT$101,510
Bremerton, WA$101,381
Tacoma, WA$101,045
New Suffolk, NY$101,043
Sacramento, CA$101,017
Santa Barbara, CA$100,914
Trenton, NJ$100,812
San Diego, CA$100,812
Brockton, MA$100,709
Fairbanks, AK$100,480
Lompoc, CA$100,242
Lowell, MA$100,166
Ventura, CA$100,148
Nashua, NH$100,130
Stockton, CA$100,120
Modesto, CA$99,438
Poughkeepsie, NY$99,233
Olympia, WA$99,055
Kennewick, WA$99,055
New Haven, CT$99,018
Lawrence, MA$98,682
Hartford, CT$98,588
Riverside, CA$98,569
New Bedford, MA$98,476
Richland, WA$98,476
Bakersfield, CA$98,345
San Bernardino, CA$98,308
New Britain, CT$98,299
Atlantic City, NJ$98,299
New London, CT$98,261
Norwich, CT$98,233
Portsmouth, NH$98,214
Boulder, CO$98,016
Portland, OR$97,887
Worcester, MA$97,878
Minneapolis, MN$97,589
Philadelphia, PA$97,458
Honolulu, HI$97,149
Saint Paul, MN$97,105
Vineland, NJ$97,084
Providence, RI$96,813
Chicago, IL$96,542
Bellingham, WA$96,430
Springfield, MA$96,355
Baltimore, MD$96,327
Chico, CA$96,094
Pittsfield, MA$95,842
Manchester, NH$95,664
Spokane, WA$95,253
Denver, CO$95,244
Albany, NY$94,805
Troy, NY$94,767
Nassau, NY$94,667
Schenectady, NY$94,571
Wilmington, DE$94,496
Burlington, VT$94,365
Salem, OR$94,328
Portland, ME$94,038
Yakima, WA$93,945
Rochester, MN$93,655
Reno, NV$93,609
Fresno, CA$93,609
Milwaukee, WI$93,525
Detroit, MI$93,431
Ann Arbor, MI$93,415
Allentown, PA$93,403
Colorado Springs, CO$93,244
Syracuse, NY$93,198
Carson City, NV$93,198
Houston, TX$93,067
Eugene, OR$93,020
Gary, IN$92,908
Springfield, OR$92,833
Bismarck, ND$92,815
Galveston, TX$92,749
Medford, OR$92,609
Fort Collins, CO$92,572
Concord, NH$92,525
Austin, TX$92,497
Mesa, AZ$92,301
Reading, PA$92,291
Phoenix, AZ$92,282
Dallas, TX$92,254
Saint Cloud, MN$92,164
Madison, WI$92,039
Utica, NY$91,787
Rochester, NY$91,638
Des Moines, IA$91,628
Raleigh, NC$91,619
Atlanta, GA$91,479
Battle Creek, MI$91,451
Salt Lake City, UT$91,423
Lancaster, PA$91,283
Harrisburg, PA$91,152
Kansas City, MO$91,058
Champaign, IL$91,040
Kansas City, KS$91,040
Fort Worth, TX$91,030
Columbus, OH$91,014
Boca Raton, FL$90,993
Pittsburgh, PA$90,956
Richmond, VA$90,918
Indianapolis, IN$90,900
Cleveland, OH$90,890
Las Vegas, NV$90,778
Cincinnati, OH$90,778
Petersburg, VA$90,638
Huntsville, AL$90,498
Lansing, MI$90,435
Lebanon, PA$90,423
Pueblo, CO$90,414
Appleton, WI$90,386
Buffalo, NY$90,348
Dayton, OH$90,320
Racine, WI$90,302
Charlotte, NC$90,292
Saint Louis, MO$90,264
York, PA$90,208
Elkhart, IN$90,208
Gastonia, NC$90,190
Billings, MT$90,168
Beaumont, TX$90,143
Lorain, OH$90,124
Benton Harbor, MI$90,105
Toledo, OH$90,087
Binghamton, NY$90,040
Rock Hill, SC$90,031
Rockford, IL$89,984
Springfield, IL$89,947
Elyria, OH$89,937
Fargo, ND$89,937
Flagstaff, AZ$89,872
Fort Lauderdale, FL$89,816
Duluth, MN$89,760
Miami, FL$89,760
Cheyenne, WY$89,694
Grand Forks, ND$89,694
Bangor, ME$89,489
Cedar Rapids, IA$89,386
Durham, NC$89,347
Louisville, KY$89,339
Grand Rapids, MI$89,321
Hialeah, FL$89,311
Casper, WY$89,181
Scranton, PA$89,068
New Orleans, LA$89,040
Virginia Beach, VA$89,031
Akron, OH$88,984
Peoria, IL$88,863
Sarasota, FL$88,844
Nashville, TN$88,779
Omaha, NE$88,779
Green Bay, WI$88,779
Baton Rouge, LA$88,732
Charleston, SC$88,713
Jamestown, NY$88,667
Davenport, IA$88,667
Tucson, AZ$88,620
Saint Petersburg, FL$88,564
Tampa, FL$88,545
Evansville, IN$88,489
Port Arthur, TX$88,489
Bradenton, FL$88,452
Santa Fe, NM$88,284
Orlando, FL$88,116
Clearwater, FL$88,088
Canton, OH$87,891
La Crosse, WI$87,891
Albuquerque, NM$87,835
Newport News, VA$87,826
High Point, NC$87,798
Ogden, UT$87,761
Corpus Christi, TX$87,686
Norfolk, VA$87,630
Laramie, WY$87,630
Rock Island, IL$87,574
Saginaw, MI$87,555
Jacksonville, FL$87,546
Salisbury, NC$87,527
Boise, ID$87,508
Moline, IL$87,462
Fort Myers, FL$87,434
Memphis, TN$87,415
Tulsa, OK$87,368
Waterloo, IA$87,312
Spartanburg, SC$87,219
Lincoln, NE$87,172
Fort Wayne, IN$87,153
Provo, UT$87,144
Cedar Falls, IA$87,032
San Antonio, TX$86,994
Greensboro, NC$86,957
South Bend, IN$86,948
Savannah, GA$86,845
Muskegon, MI$86,808
Birmingham, AL$86,798
Winston Salem, NC$86,753
Lake Charles, LA$86,527
Anderson, IN$86,509
Lexington, KY$86,481
Augusta, GA$86,453
Greenville, SC$86,453
Lima, OH$86,378
Wichita, KS$86,369
Tuscaloosa, AL$86,369
Columbia, SC$86,284
Springfield, OH$86,266
Asheville, NC$86,116
Bloomington, IN$86,051
Knoxville, TN$85,715
Shreveport, LA$85,705
Wilmington, NC$85,584
Roanoke, VA$85,584
Topeka, KS$85,416
Frankfort, KY$85,405
Oklahoma City, OK$85,341
Chillicothe, OH$85,304
Longview, TX$85,294
Melbourne, FL$85,285
Sioux Falls, SD$85,135
Mobile, AL$85,126
Terre Haute, IN$85,089
Altoona, PA$85,033
Amarillo, TX$84,967
Killeen, TX$84,939
Fayetteville, AR$84,864
Chattanooga, TN$84,836
Sioux City, IA$84,752
Idaho Falls, ID$84,734
Lynchburg, VA$84,659
Gainesville, FL$84,537
Portsmouth, OH$84,491
Little Rock, AR$84,472
Lafayette, LA$84,435
Youngstown, OH$84,435
Daytona Beach, FL$84,379
Clarksville, TN$84,369
Pensacola, FL$84,360
Temple, TX$84,353
Hopkinsville, KY$84,080
Erie, PA$84,061
Florence, SC$84,024
Charleston, WV$83,874
Great Falls, MT$83,827
Macon, GA$83,697
Tallahassee, FL$83,687
Fayetteville, NC$83,669
Waco, TX$83,650
Helena, MT$83,585
Pine Bluff, AR$83,549
Vincennes, IN$83,435
Lubbock, TX$83,398
Alamogordo, NM$83,342
Twin Falls, ID$83,258
Rapid City, SD$83,230
Jackson, MS$83,061
Huntington, WV$83,055
Greenville, MS$83,052
Parkersburg, WV$82,957
Montgomery, AL$82,940
Wichita Falls, TX$82,847
Springfield, MO$82,847
Biloxi, MS$82,800
Monroe, LA$82,706
Johnstown, PA$82,641
Sumter, SC$82,604
Columbus, GA$82,594
Pascagoula, MS$82,417
Abilene, TX$82,417
Kingsport, TN$82,174
Albany, GA$82,174
Gulfport, MS$82,146
Alexandria, LA$81,838
Fort Smith, AR$81,604
El Paso, TX$81,352
Las Cruces, NM$80,931
Harlingen, TX$80,694
Pocatello, ID$80,679
Florence, AL$80,558
Brownsville, TX$80,539
Mcallen, TX$80,343
Dothan, AL$80,212
Columbus, MS$79,657
Altus, OK$79,222
Lawton, OK$79,044
Pierre, SD$78,708
What Skills Can Increase a GIS Specialist I's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 13.74% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
SQL (Mentioned in 3.03% Job Postings): Structured Query Language) is a domain-specific language used in programming and designed for managing data held in a relational database management system (RDBMS), or for stream processing in a relational data stream management system (RDSMS).
Data Analysis (Mentioned in 2.15% Job Postings): Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, and is used in different business, science, and social science domains. In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively. Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes, while business intelligence covers data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing mainly on business information. In statistical applications, data analysis can be divided into descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new features in the data while CDA focuses on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive analytics focuses on application of statistical models for predictive forecasting or classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All of the above are varieties of data analysis.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a GIS Specialist I's salary.
Team Development: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
JavaScript: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
GIS Specialist I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For GIS Specialist I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, GIS Specialist positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view GIS Specialist I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a GIS Specialist I
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$121,448
$58.0
30%
Financial Services
$116,777
$56.0
25%
Energy & Utilities
$112,106
$54.0
20%
Pharmaceuticals
$112,106
$54.0
20%
Aerospace & Defense
$107,435
$52.0
15%
How Education impacts a GIS Specialist I's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many GIS Specialist Is enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a GIS Specialist I with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$85,117
and $90,506).
GIS Specialist I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a GIS Specialist I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$84,832
Average$93,422/year
$101,755
$7,069
Average$7,785/month
$8,480
$1,631
Average$1,797/week
$1,957
$41
Average$45/hour
$49
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$101,755
$8,480
$1,957
$49
Average
$93,422
$7,785
$1,797
$45
25th Percentile
$84,832
$7,069
$1,631
$41
Salaries of Jobs related to GIS Specialist I
GIS Manager$123,228
GIS Technician/Analyst IV$116,390
GIS Data/Insights Analyst, Specialist$116,340
GIS Analyst IV$116,334
GIS Technician$91,335
GIS Specialist$79,949
GIS Coordinator$69,528
GIS Technician/Analyst I$67,290
GIS Analyst I$67,213
GIS Developer$65,574
GIS Consultant$57,927
Salary Trends for GIS Specialist I
Salaries for a GIS Specialist I can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $101,947 in 2023
to around $100,361 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of GIS Specialist I salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of GIS Specialist I Over Time
$???
$101,947
$101,448
$100,361
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$101,947
2024
$101,448
2025
$100,361
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for GIS Specialist I
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for GIS Specialist I
Here are companies hiring for GIS Specialist I and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next GIS Specialist I Job
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current GIS Specialist I job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
For Employees
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Get a Salary Increase
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Search Job Openings
For Employers
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Adjust Employee Salary
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Price My Industry Jobs
FAQ about GIS Specialist I
1. What industry pays the highest salary for GIS Specialist I?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for GIS Specialist I roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
