Geomatics Engineering Degree

If you are looking to pursue a career in geomatics engineering and want to learn more about this field, read on.

What is geomatics engineering?

Geomatics engineers are professionals who utilize spatial information in order to manage global spatial infrastructures. Geomatics engineers typically design, develop, and operate a wide range of systems which are used to collect and analyze spatial information about land surfaces, natural resources, the oceans and waterways, as well as manmade features.

This is an interdisciplinary field which offers a wide range of employment opportunities and incorporates several other distinct fields in its practice.

Some of the applications of geomatics engineering include:

• Digital mapping
• Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
• Real property boundary determination
• Construction layout activities
• Remote sensing
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Project management
• Photogrammetric mapping
• Applications programming

When students enroll in a program in geomatics engineering, they will be learning how to use a wide range of specialized equipment while also acquiring a solid theoretical background in the concepts of the field.

How to pursue a career in geomatics engineering

In order to pursue a career in geomatics engineering, you will need to have a certain number of qualifications. For starters, you will need to enroll in an undergraduate degree program in geomatics engineering to build a foundation in the field. While some jobs may only require applicants to have a bachelor’s degree, others may require advanced qualifications such as a graduate degree.

In general, for those interested in pursuing geomatics engineering as a profession, here is an outline of the steps you could follow:

Bachelor’s degree in geomatics engineering

A bachelor’s degree in geomatics engineering is essential for students to develop a foundational understanding of the knowledge and skills involved in this field. Furthermore, in order to get licensed, you will need to enroll in a school which is approved by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Master's Degree in Geomatics Engineering

A master’s degree in the field are pursued by those individuals who wish to take on advanced positions in the field such as in research, teaching, surveying, or managing data. These programs offer students in-depth knowledge of the theories and practices involved in geomatics engineering.

Licensing

If you are looking to take on advanced roles in the field of geomatics engineering, a Professional Engineering (PE) license is required. Once you are licensed, you will be known as a professional engineer (PE) and will be able to oversee the work of other engineers, provide services to the public, and sign off on projects.

Requirements for licensure vary by state. However, applicants must generally:

• Hold a degree in engineering recognized by ABET
• Have at least 4 years of work experience in the field
• Pass the Professional Engineering (PE) exam and the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam

Career prospects and salary

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have a separate and distinct career profile for geomatics engineering. In order to get an idea of what a career profile for this profession looks like, you can look at two other professions, which are similar to Geomatics engineering and for which BLS has data: Surveyors and Civil Engineers.

According to data from BLS, Surveyors made an annual median salary of $58,020 in May 2015. While there were about 44,300 jobs in the field in 2014, the profession is expected to see negative growth through until 2024.

Civil Engineers made an annual median salary of $82,220 in May 2015. This field is expected to see an 8% growth in its job outlook, meaning that there will be roughly 23,600 more jobs in the field through until 2024.

There are five industries which have the largest numbers of these professionals employed. These include: