The median pay for Remote Sensing Technicians is $62,280 a year ($29.94/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 4.4% through 2035, with about 11,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
- SOC 19-4099
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Remote Sensing Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $62,280a year, or $29.94/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $39KTop 10% $103K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.4%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 11,20089,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202589.5K
- Projected 203593.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 89.5K Projected 2035 93.4K - Typical education
- Associate'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school9.5%
- Certificate4.5%
- Some college6%
- Associate's9.2%
- Bachelor's62%
- Post-bacc certificate8.4%
Highest education held by remote sensing technicians Segment Value High school 9.5% Certificate 4.5% Some college 6% Associate's 9.2% Bachelor's 62% Post-bacc certificate 8.4%
Also advertised as: Digital Cartographic Technician, Geospatial Extractor, Meteorologist Liaison, Research Associate.
Pay
How much do Remote Sensing Technicians make?
Every remote sensing technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$62,280
Middle half earn $48,030 to $79,780
- 10th
- $39,000
- 25th
- $48,030
- 75th
- $79,780
- 90th
- $102,690
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $39,000 |
| 25th | $48,030 |
| Median | $62,280 |
| 75th | $79,780 |
| 90th | $102,690 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $62,280
- Median hourly wage
- $29.94/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $66,280
- People employed
- 73,910
Versus all US occupations
At $62,280, Remote Sensing Technicians earn 22% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $11,300 a year.
Versus life, physical, and social science occupations
Inside the Life, Physical, and Social Science group, where the middle occupation pays $82,220, this is 24% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $102,690 or more while the bottom 10% earn $39,000, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 35% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Oklahoma pays the most at $86,260, and still leads at $98,198 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Remote Sensing Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Oklahoma | $86,260 | $98,198 | 460 |
| 2District of Columbia | $79,230 | $72,092 | 150 |
| 3California | $78,350 | $70,764 | 10,090 |
| 4Washington | $73,530 | $68,711 | 980 |
| 5Alaska | $70,700 | $69,071 | 170 |
| 6Rhode Island | $69,630 | $68,078 | 210 |
| 7North Dakota | $69,350 | $77,957 | 180 |
| 8Georgia | $69,320 | $71,989 | 2,230 |
| 9Maryland | $68,390 | $65,159 | 3,510 |
| 10Kentucky | $68,230 | $75,677 | 320 |
Job outlook
Is Remote Sensing Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Remote Sensing Technicians | +4.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Remote Sensing Technicians to change 4.4% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 3,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 11,200 openings are projected each year, 12.5% of the 89,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Remote Sensing Technician
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as remote sensing technicians.
- Bachelor's Degree62%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)9.5%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree9.2%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate8.4%
- Some College Courses6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 62% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 9.5% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 9.2% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 8.4% |
| Some College Courses | 6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Remote Sensing Technician do?
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.
Day-to-day tasks
- Integrate remotely sensed data with other geospatial data.
- Adjust remotely sensed images for optimum presentation by using software to select image displays, define image set categories, or choose processing routines.
- Verify integrity and accuracy of data contained in remote sensing image analysis systems.
- Manipulate raw data to enhance interpretation, either on the ground or during remote sensing flights.
- Participate in the planning or development of mapping projects.
- Merge scanned images or build photo mosaics of large areas, using image processing software.
- Consult with remote sensing scientists, surveyors, cartographers, or engineers to determine project needs.
- Collect geospatial data, using technologies such as aerial photography, light and radio wave detection systems, digital satellites, or thermal energy systems.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Reading Comprehension3.5
- Speaking3.5
- Mathematics3.5
- Active Listening3.4
- Monitoring3.4
- Writing3.3
- Active Learning3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.5 |
| Speaking | 3.5 |
| Mathematics | 3.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Writing | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4
- Systems Analysis3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Coordination3.1
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Quality Control Analysis2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Programming2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Programming | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Application server software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Expert system software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Remote Sensing Technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Remote Sensing Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Conventional5.2
- Realistic5.1
- Investigative4.6
- Artistic2.1
- Enterprising1.7
- Social1.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Remote Sensing Technician
O*NET related occupations
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
Remote Sensing Scientist and Technologist
$122,570median a year
Most earn $67K to $195K
+2.1%Bachelor's - Architecture and Engineering
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologist and Technician
$73,900median a year
Most earn $48K to $110K
+2.6%Associate's - Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Camera Operator, Television, Video, and Film
$74,990median a year
Most earn $39K to $135K
+1.3%Bachelor's - Life, Physical, and Social Science
Geological Technician, Except Hydrologic Technicians
$53,350median a year
Most earn $36K to $100K
+3.6%Associate's - Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
More life, physical, and social science careers
Median annual pay, with remote sensing technicians highlighted
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$193,950
- Physicist$172,250
- Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Chemist$91,240
- Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health$82,220
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Remote Sensing Technician$62,280
- Chemical Technician$60,390
- Biological Technician$57,510
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 |
| Physicist | $172,250 |
| Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 |
| Chemist | $91,240 |
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health | $82,220 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 |
| Remote Sensing Technician | $62,280 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Remote Sensing Technician appears on
Questions
Remote Sensing Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Remote Sensing Technicians make?
Remote Sensing Technicians earn a median of $62,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 22% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $29.94/hr. The middle half earn between $48,030 and $79,780. The top 10% earn $102,690 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Remote Sensing Technician?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Remote Sensing Technicians. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 62.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Remote Sensing Technician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.4% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 11,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Remote Sensing Technician do?
Apply remote sensing technologies to assist scientists in areas such as natural resources, urban planning, or homeland security. A core O*NET task: integrate remotely sensed data with other geospatial data. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Application server software, Cloud-based management software.
Which states pay Remote Sensing Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Remote Sensing Technicians are Oklahoma ($86,260), District of Columbia ($79,230), California ($78,350) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Remote Sensing Technician?
O*NET scores Remote Sensing Technicians highest on the Conventional, Realistic and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.