Careers

Valpo’s programs prepare students to excel in diverse careers where science meets society.

Turning Knowledge into Impact

Graduates from these programs are highly sought after in fields that span the environment, government, education, and industry. Geography alumni bring broad scientific knowledge and critical skills in communication, analysis, and problem-solving, while meteorology graduates are known for their technical training, hands-on experience, and ability to apply atmospheric science in real-world contexts. Together, these strengths open doors to opportunities ranging from forecasting and field research to environmental planning and policy.

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About Our GEM Career Paths

Geography

Overview

Our majors engage in a variety of learning experiences to build professional, interpersonal, as well as transferable technical skills. Graduates go away with a rich educational foundation in geography that spans the physical and natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. With personalized guidance from academic advisors and professors, they also build strong organizational and communication skills that makes them leaders in the talent pool.

Careers

The American Association of Geographers lists the following careers based accounts for a combined 1,360,200 employees in geography-related fields. With emerging global challenges, large numbers of new job openings are expected through the foreseeable future. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median wages for Geographers were $81,970 in 2019. Even the lowest paid 25% of Geographers made $63,300 annually, far exceeding the median wages for all income earners.

Geospatial Information Scientists and Technologists:
- Employment: 413,000
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $88,550
Geophysical Data Technicians:
- Employment: 16,300
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $51,130
Geographic Information Systems Technicians:
- Employment: 412,800
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $88,550
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists:
- Employment: 11,800
- Projected Growth: Much faster than average, 11% or higher
- Median Wages: $65,470
Remote Sensing Technicians:
- Employment: 72,400
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $50,550
Precision Agriculture Technicians:
- Employment: 72,400
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $51,130
Urban and Regional Planners:
- Employment: 39,100
- Projected Growth: Much faster than average, 11% or higher
- Median Wages: $74,350
Transportation Planners:
- Employment: 39,400
- Projected Growth: Average, 4-6%
- Median Wages: $83,330
Environmental Scientists and Specialists:
- Employment: 85,000
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $71,360
Environmental Restoration Planners:
- Employment: 85,000
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $71,360
Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
- Employment: 10,000
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $95,380
Soil and Plant Scientists:
- Employment: 18,000
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $63,200
Climate Change Analysts:
- Employment: 85,000
- Projected Growth: Faster than average, 7-10%
- Median Wages: $71,360

(*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment figures are for 2018; projected growth is for the period 2018-2028; median wages are for 2019)

Potential Employers

About half of all professional geographers are employed by the federal government, and opportunities for geography majors abound in a variety of settings. Among the organizations that employ geography graduates:

Agricultural organizations
Architectural firms
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
Census Bureau
Central Intelligence Agency
Colleges and universities
Construction
Consulting firms
Departments of State, Defense & Commerce
Elementary/secondary schools
Engineering firms
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal government
Forestry
International trade organizations
Manufacturing firms
Mining
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Planning agencies

Graduate Schools

The department’s faculty is active in advising and assisting students who are interested in pursuing graduate study in geography and related fields. On the strength of their academic achievement, Valpo students have earned teaching assistantships and research grants in geography from excellent graduate programs. Among them:

Western Michigan University
University of South Carolina
University of British Columbia
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Iowa
Pennsylvania State University
Michigan State University
University of Kentucky
University of Denver Law School
Valparaiso University Law School
University of Texas

Meteorology

Overview

Graduates of Valpo’s meteorology program are in high demand. With its unusual focus on undergraduate education and state-of-the art professional equipment, the program provides unique opportunities for students of atmospheric science to apply the theory they learn. Employers appreciate their exceptional ability to begin work with little or no further training. A number of graduates of the Valpo meteorology program have achieved regional and even national fame as broadcast meteorologists. But atmospheric science has many other applications.

Meteorology graduates work as forecasters for private industry as well as federal, state, and local government agencies, on issues as diverse as air pollution control, safe travel, water conservation, and disease control, among others.

Careers

Training in meteorology prepares graduates for a variety of careers.

Among them:

Operational meteorologist
Broadcast meteorologist
Researcher
GIS specialist
Civil service meterologist
Climatologist
Computer modeler
Environmental consultant
Energy/commodities meteorologist
Weather forecaster
Aviation meteorologist
Air Quality meteorologist
Forensic meteorologist
Atmospheric measurements and instrumentation developer
Emergency management meteorologist
Flight dispatcher
Data analyst
Professor
Science teacher

Employers

Meteorologists are employed in a wide range of industries.

Among the potential employers of meteorology graduates:

National Weather Service alumnus Stephanie Dunten
Government research labs
Meteorological consulting firms
Environmental Protection Agency
Media: television stations, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, websites
Aerospace industry
Airlines
Insurance companies
Departments of natural resources
Futures trading firms
Museums
Energy and power companies
Forensic meteorology organizations
Emergency management agencies
Universities
Elementary, intermediate, and high schools

Graduate Schools

Graduate study is usually required for careers in research and academia and increasingly to be competitive for government positions. Valparaiso University graduates attend many of the finest meteorology graduate programs in the country. Valpo grads regularly win competitive fellowships from the National Science Foundation and the American Meteorological Society, as well as research and teaching assistantships at the institutions where they study.

Among the programs that have funded our graduates: