Geospatial Engineering Bachelor's Degree

Geospatial engineering combines principles of engineering, geography, and surveying to collect, analyze, and manage spatial information. With advancing technologies and tools, geospatial engineering at Michigan Tech brings computational methodologies to the great outdoors.

A bachelor’s degree in geospatial engineering from Michigan Tech prepares you to study, measure, and visualize the physical features of the Earth with great precision and accuracy. Geospatial engineers are surveyors, calculating the position, elevation, and property parcels of land. Become familiar with high-precision optical and electromechanical instruments. Learn to use satellite and aerial remote Earth observation systems. Use aerial and terrestrial lidar, as well as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and geographic information systems (GIS). 

Working with Michigan Tech's industry-leading faculty, prepare for the state professional surveyor’s exams using real tools in real environments. Work with cutting-edge software to develop digital maps and visualize geospatial data. Gain hands-on experience by surveying the forests, lakes, rivers, and mines surrounding Michigan Tech’s campus. 

Gain professional experience in professional organizations such as the National Society of Professional Surveyors. Expand your expertise with minors in construction management or municipal engineering. Find the right academic and career path for you with the help of our dedicated advisors.

  • No. 13
    Best Public College for Engineering in America (Niche)
  • No. 2
    Best Public School for Internships (The Princeton Review)
  • No. 3
    Best Public College in the US for High Salaries (The Wall Street Journal)
  • No. 9
    for Career Placement (The Princeton Review)

What Will I Study?

Build on a foundation of mathematics, geography, and engineering principles. Develop hands-on expertise working on real land surveying projects. Before you graduate, put your geospatial engineering skills to the test in either an industry-sponsored Senior Design capstone project or collaborative Enterprise team. Specialize your geospatial engineering degree with advanced coursework in the following areas:

  • Geospatial Data Mining
  • Hydrographic Mapping and Surveying
  • Introduction to Remote Sensing
  • Photogrammetry and UAV Mapping
  • 3D Surveying and Modeling
  • Geospatial Monitoring

Tomorrow Needs Geospatial Engineers

Many different industries need the expertise of geospatial engineers. You can work with architectural  and engineering firms. Collaborate with government and real estate agencies. Share a project with mining companies. Industries also rely on the geospatial data and products that geospatial engineers provide. The need is increasing with advances in technology.

Engineering Enterprise Concentration

You can pursue an Enterprise concentration by taking part in Michigan Tech's award-winning Enterprise program. It's a great way to enhance your undergraduate degree. Enterprise is when students work in teams on real projects, with real clients, in an environment that's more like a business than a classroom. Choose from among 25 Enterprise teams on campus to invent products, provide services, and pioneer solutions. Tackle real-world design projects for industry sponsors or take part in a national competition (or both). This concentration can add courses in business and entrepreneurship.

All Enterprise teams are open to all majors, including geospatial engineering-focused teams such as Built World Enterprise, Green Campus, or SENSE. Tackle real-world design projects for industry sponsors or take part in a national competition (or both). This concentration can add courses in business and entrepreneurship.

Be Career Ready

With a 100 percent job placement rate for graduates, you'll be ready to engineer a better tomorrow. Learn field practice, boundary law, and geospatial monitoring. Practice geoinformatics, GPS, GIS, and photogrammetry. Use geodesy, spatial data adjustments, remote sensing, and hydrographic surveying. Tomorrow needs geospatial engineers who can measure, model, and perform. Be agile on the job from day one. We're ready. Are you?

Explore Career Opportunities for Geospatial Engineers:

  • Professional Surveyor
  • Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP)
  • Photogrammetrist (CP)
  • Surveying Engineer
  • Geospatial Engineer

$61,351 mean entry-level salary
Figures from glassdoor.com, accessed June 2025.

What is Geospatial Engineering?

Geospatial engineering is a field that combines principles of engineering, geography, and surveying to collect, analyze, and manage spatial data.

It involves the use of various technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), remote sensing, and computer-aided design (CAD) to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, and visualize geographic information.

Geospatial engineers work on projects related to land surveying, mapping, urban planning, environmental assessment, infrastructure development, disaster management, and natural resource management. They use their expertise to create accurate maps, models, and databases that help in decision-making processes for various industries, including transportation, agriculture, telecommunications, and urban development. 

Geospatial engineering plays a crucial role in understanding and managing the spatial aspects of our world, enabling better planning, resource allocation, and problem-solving.

Common applications include mapping and measuring various aspects of the Earth.

Jacob Wysko on Geospatial Imagery

"Ever since I was young, I’ve always had a keen interest in mapmaking and cartography. I liked to make detailed maps of the house and property that I grew up in. Finding out that there is a degree and career based around making detailed and accurate surveys really sparked my interest."

Jacob Wysko
Jacob Wysko ’24
BS Geospatial Engineering

Ready to take the next step?

Learn more about studying geospatial engineering at Michigan's flagship technological university.

 

Jacob Heck
“Sitting at a desk job from 9 to 5 never truly appealed to me; I was looking for a career that would fulfill my need for adventure and allow me to spend time outdoors.”Jacob Heck ’10, Geodesist at National Geodetic Survey

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering at Michigan Tech integrates structural engineering, design principles, and natural resources management to build a better, more sustainable future. Study and collaborate with faculty experts in infrastructure, railroad engineering, urban redevelopment, natural hazard management, wastewater treatment, and more. Become a leader in sustainable engineering practices to improve life on the local, national, and global scale.

  • Practice your skills in the environmental simulation lab.
  • Gain hands-on construction experience on the Built World Enterprise team.
  • Participate in undergraduate research with world-renowned faculty.
  • Collaborate with leading research centers, like the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute and Great Lakes Research Center.
  • Develop real solutions in an industry-sponsored Senior Design capstone project.

MTU engineering

Real Engineering. Meaningful Work.

Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering is committed to inspiring students, advancing knowledge, and innovating technological solutions to create a sustainable, just, and prosperous world. With an entering engineering class of about 1,000 students, 18 degrees to choose from, and 160+ engineering faculty alone, our students take part in a world-class education with the trusted reputation of Michigan Tech.

Collaborate and innovate as part of Michigan Tech’s discovery-based learning environment. Explore the endless possibilities of your engineering education in Engineering Fundamentals. Work closely with world-renowned faculty as a research assistant or develop real solutions with industry partners on an Enterprise team or Senior Design capstone project. 

Join the pack and find the support you need. Map your academic career with the help of an academic advisor. Transition to University life with the support of the Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success or receive academic support in any of the Learning Centers across campus. 

Study abroad, with engineering opportunities ranging from a few weeks to a full year. Focus on problems facing disadvantaged communities in countries around the world. Michigan Tech’s Global and Community Engagement program offers a range of options.

A degree in engineering from Michigan Tech can take you anywhere. After graduating, 95 percent of our alumni find successful employment within six months. Tech engineers work at NASA, Whirlpool, General Motors, Dow, Lockheed Martin, and other noteworthy organizations around the globe. With multiple annual Career Fairs and one-on-one advising from Career Services, you can find an internship, co-op, or full-time job where your engineering expertise can make a difference.

Tomorrow Needs Every Engineer

Michigan Tech engineers are at the forefront of change. Using creative ideas and technologies to solve problems in healthcare, energy, transportation, space exploration, climate change, and beyond, Tech engineers are prepared to help people and their communities adapt toward an equitable future. Become an engineer who is ready for what tomorrow needs.

College News

“There is a shortage of professional surveyors, who must have a four-year degree and pass a state licensure exam. Only two Michigan colleges offer a bachelor’s degree—Michigan Technological University in Houghton, with which [Northwestern Michigan College] has a transfer agreement, and Ferris State University.”Traverse City Record Eagle