Cartographers and Photogrammetrists Salary
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD make a median of $78,230 a year, or about $37.61 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $74,868 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,857/month, about 36.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $78K actually covers in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cartographers and photogrammetrists
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What this looks like in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Cartographers and photogrammetrists pay in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson tracks closely to the national median, $78K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,857/month, which is 37.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 104.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cartographers and photogrammetrists in metros near Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $87K | $80K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $80K | $81K |
| Richmond | $79K | $81K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $77K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level cartographers and photogrammetrists (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cartographers and Photogrammetrists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $103K | +26% | 1,450 |
| Minnesota | $100K | +23% | 100 |
| Washington | $96K | +18% | 870 |
| Nevada | $94K | +15% | 180 |
| Massachusetts | $92K | +13% | 160 |
| New York | $89K | +10% | 230 |
| Alaska | $89K | +10% | 60 |
| New Jersey | $88K | +9% | 170 |
| Oregon | $88K | +8% | 640 |
| Colorado | $87K | +7% | 1,220 |
| Virginia | $87K | +6% | 860 |
| Oklahoma | $86K | +6% | 70 |
| Iowa | $85K | +4% | 90 |
| Maryland | $84K | +4% | 450 |
| Connecticut | $84K | +3% | 150 |
| Arizona | $82K | +1% | 400 |
| Nebraska | $82K | +0% | 50 |
| North Carolina | $81K | -0% | 900 |
| Florida | $80K | -2% | 610 |
| New Mexico | $79K | -3% | 70 |
| Maine | $79K | -3% | 40 |
| Missouri | $77K | -5% | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | -6% | 260 |
| Utah | $75K | -8% | 150 |
| Michigan | $75K | -8% | 250 |
| Indiana | $75K | -8% | 40 |
| Texas | $74K | -9% | 1,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $73K | -10% | 140 |
| Tennessee | $73K | -10% | 150 |
| Idaho | $73K | -10% | 100 |
| South Dakota | $73K | -10% | 140 |
| South Carolina | $72K | -11% | 150 |
| Montana | $72K | -11% | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | -11% | 70 |
| Kentucky | $71K | -12% | 90 |
| North Dakota | $71K | -13% | 80 |
| Ohio | $71K | -13% | 490 |
| Wyoming | $71K | -13% | 100 |
| Georgia | $63K | -23% | 490 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -26% | N/A |
| Illinois | $55K | -33% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cartographers and photogrammetrists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Baltimore-Columbia-Towson numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a cartographers and photogrammetrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 37.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,857/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cartographers and photogrammetrists in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cartographers and photogrammetrists typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,893/month. At HUD’s $1,857/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cartographers and photogrammetrist a high-paying job in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $78K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Baltimore-Columbia-Towson compare to the national average for cartographers and photogrammetrists?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do cartographers and photogrammetrists make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $78,230 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,870, and experienced cartographers and photogrammetrists can clear $118,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,990/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 37.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cartographers and photogrammetrists salary go in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cartographers and photogrammetrists salary is worth about $74,868 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cartographers and photogrammetrists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.