OSCA occupation

241231 Cartographer

Applies scientific, mathematical and cartographic design principles to prepare and revise maps, charts and other forms of cartographic output.

Major group: 2 Professionals
Unit group: 2412 Geospatial Information Professionals and Surveyors
Edition: OSCA 2024
Skill level: Level 1

Should you use OSCA or ANZSCO?

OSCA 2024 is the current Australian occupation classification for storing, organising and reporting occupation information. Use this OSCA record for current Australian statistical and analytical classification work.

Some migration and administrative programs still specify ANZSCO 2022. Check the exact system named by the agency or form rather than replacing the code automatically.

Check the current ABS guidance on OSCA and ANZSCO use

Official ANZSCO correspondence

ANZSCO 232213 Cartographer Exact correspondence in the ABS table

Role overview

Applies scientific, mathematical and cartographic design principles to prepare and revise maps, charts and other forms of cartographic output.

Use this page to confirm the official title, the parent unit group, the task list and the related ANZSIC industry context before using the occupation in classification, reporting or migration-adjacent workflows.

Occupation facts

Skill level: 1
Major group: 2 Professionals
Sub-major group: 24 Design, Engineering and Science Professionals
Minor group: 241 Architects, Planners and Surveyors
Unit group: 2412 Geospatial Information Professionals and Surveyors

Tasks

Collects, researches and analyses geographic data for map and chart creation
Utilises geographic information systems (GIS) to organise and analyse spatial data
Creates and updates digital maps and charts using computer software
Prepares reports and presentations for cartographic communication

Skill level guidance

Skill level helps place the occupation inside the ABS hierarchy. Use it as a classification cue, then check the actual task list and occupational context before making a decision for HR, visa or reporting work.

How to use this occupation page

Start with the official OSCA title and task list. Then confirm the parent unit group and compare the related occupations on this page if the job title is broad, overlapping or used differently across employers.

The ANZSIC links are there to help when the same occupation appears across several industries and you need the business-side classification as well.

Related occupations

Industry context

Alternative titles

No alternative titles are currently attached.

Compare before choosing

Compare OSCA 241231 with related occupations

Compare roles in the same OSCA unit group by their official definition, skill level, tasks and recognised alternative titles.

Comparison point	Current code241231 Cartographer	241232 Engineering Surveyor	241233 Geospatial Specialist
Official role definition	Applies scientific, mathematical and cartographic design principles to prepare and revise maps, charts and other forms of cartographic output.	Inspects, evaluates, measures, sets-out and monitors infrastructure and construction works to ensure structures are built to plan.	Acquires, integrates, analyses, interprets, presents, manages and distributes information about locations in time and space, and develops related equipment, software and services.
Skill level	Skill Level 1	Skill Level 1	Skill Level 1
Key tasks	Collects, researches and analyses geographic data for map and chart creation Utilises geographic information systems (GIS) to organise and analyse spatial data Creates and updates digital maps and charts using computer software Prepares reports and presentations for cartographic communication	Measures, sets-out and monitors construction projects, including high rise buildings, roads, tunnels, airports and other forms of infrastructure, to ensure they are built in accordance with design specifications Performs surveys, fieldwork, calculations, data reduction and manipulation on construction sites using specialised software and technical equipment, such as theodolites, global positioning systems (GPS), lasers, and aerial and terrestrial scanners Completes as-constructed survey reports and plans to confirm a construction project conforms to the intended design and specifications Prepares data models for set-out and machine guidance to assist in planning, executing, monitoring and evaluating surveying work	Gathers geospatial data through satellite imagery, aerial photography, GPS, surveys and other sources Cleans, organises and formats geospatial data for analysis Uses geospatial technology such as GIS to analyse spatial data to describe and infer trends and patterns, solve problems and answer spatial data-related queries Communicates findings and insights from geospatial data using reports, dashboards and interactive maps to technical and non-technical stakeholders

Comparison uses occupation definitions, skill levels, tasks and title variants from the ABS OSCA data files.

In this section

Official source

Official source: ABS OSCA 2024 release and correspondence tables
Last reviewed: 2026-04-17

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