Students with skills in GIS and geospatial technology are in high demand in today’s job market. In fact the demand for employees may outstrip the supply, especially in places like Denver where a large number of geospatial technology firms are clustered. The U.S. Department of Labor declared the geospatial industry a "high growth" area as part of the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative in 2004 and listed geospatial technology as one of three key "emerging industries" with high growth in 2006 (along with nanotechnology and biotechnology). GIS is used in a wide variety of fields including urban planning, natural resource conservation, business, marketing, landscape architecture, archaeology, epidemiology, demography, civil engineering, and meteorology, to name just a few. 

This means that students majoring in most any area could benefit from taking courses in GIS and geospatial technology. While employers certainly want to hire students who can use GIS software, they are also looking for good analysts who can understand spatial patterns and processes and apply geographic knowledge. Therefore, it is helpful for students who want to work in GIS and geospatial technology to have some additional background in geography. A complementary major or a minor in geography or geoscience is highly recommended for those students already majoring in other fields. In addition students should take courses in computer science and math. Graduate study in geography, planning, or one of a number of relatively new master’s degree programs in GIS can also enhance employment opportunities in GIS and geospatial technology.