GIS Certification Institute

Name

GIS Certification Institute

Legal name

GIS Certification Institute

Website

https://gisci.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA)

Keywords

• Professional certification programs
• Geospatial credentials
• GISP certification
• Professional credentialing services
• Industry certification body

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Plaines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Application Fees: One-time application fees for GISP certification including portfolio review. Application fee and Portfolio fee were combined into a single payment of $100 each ($200 total) as of July 2023.
2. Examination Fees: Fees for taking the Geospatial Core Technical Knowledge Exam at Pearson VUE testing centers. Exam fee remained unchanged when application/portfolio fees were restructured.
3. Recertification Fees: Ongoing fees for maintaining GISP certification through the recertification process. GISCI announced new flexible payment options to reduce hassle for recertification.
4. GISP-E (Emerging Professional) Certification: Fees for the PreGISP certification program for students and emerging GIS professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

GIS Certification Institute administers the GISP (Certified GIS Professional) credential — the internationally recognized certification for GIS practitioners — combining a portfolio review with the Geospatial Core Technical Knowledge Exam delivered through Pearson VUE testing centers. It also offers the entry-level GISP-E (Emerging GIS Professional) certification, the GISP-R (Retired) designation, and an Endorsing Employer program that enables organizations to formally endorse GISP certification for their staff.

Product overview

GIS Certification Institute operates a certification ecosystem centered on the GISP (Certified GIS Professional) designation, the primary credential for GIS professionals worldwide. The organization offers a multi-tiered portfolio approach including the full GISP certification for experienced professionals, the GISP-E (Emerging GIS Professional) program for students and new entrants, and the GISP-R designation for retired professionals. The certification process combines a portfolio review component with the Geospatial Core Technical Knowledge Exam administered through Pearson VUE's global testing network. Supporting products include official study guides, practice exams, and the GISCIEye newsletter. The institute also runs complementary programs including the Endorsing Employer designation for organizations supporting GISP certification, an annual Map Contest, and an Awards Program recognizing excellence in the geospatial profession.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GISP (Certified GIS Professional): Primary professional certification designation for GIS professionals
• GISP-E (Emerging GIS Professional)
• GISP-R (Retired)
• GISCI Endorsing Employer
• Geospatial Core Technical Knowledge Exam
• GISCI Map Contest
• GISCI Awards Program

Products and services

• GISP (Certified GIS Professional) Certification

Quantifiable outcome

• 207 professionals certified in December 2025 exam cycle
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or Integration · 19 August 2024Strategic partnership to expand GISCI testing network for the Geospatial Core Technical Exam and PreGISP exam. Expanded from 800 to 4,500 testing centers worldwide, significantly enhancing international reach for GIS certification examinations.
• American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2024ASPRS joined GISCI's Board of Directors, representing a significant milestone in efforts to advance geospatial science, promote best practices, and support professional development within the industry.
• American Association of Geographers (AAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four founding member organizations of GISCI. AAG appoints representatives to the GISCI Board of Directors.
• National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four founding member organizations of GISCI. NSGIC appoints representatives to the GISCI Board of Directors.
• University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four founding member organizations of GISCI. UCGIS appoints representatives to the GISCI Board of Directors.
• Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four founding member organizations of GISCI. URISA appoints representatives to the GISCI Board of Directors.
• The Moran CompanyminorOthersRecruiting firm that conducted the national search for GISCI's new Executive Director in 2021.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• URISA (Urban and Regional Information Systems Association): URISA is a founding member organization of GISCI and offers its own GIS-related certificate programs (including GIS Leadership Academy), making it a direct peer in professional GIS education and credentialing.
• ASPRS (American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing): ASPRS operates competing professional certifications in the geospatial domain (Certified Photogrammetrist, Certified Mapping Scientist, GIS/LIS) and joined the GISCI Board in 2024, making it the closest direct competitor in geospatial credentialing.
• Esri Technical Certification: Esri's ArcGIS certification program is the dominant alternative credential for GIS professionals and the most direct functional substitute for GISP, representing the principal competitive threat from a software vendor with vast industry reach.

Broad incumbents

• CompTIA: CompTIA is a broad incumbent in IT professional certification (A+, Security+, Network+) with a member-organization governance model and Pearson VUE test delivery, structurally analogous to GISCI's operations.
• ISACA: ISACA issues CISA, CISM, CRISC and other technology-adjacent professional certifications using a member-driven governance and recertification model highly comparable to GISCI's structure.
• (ISC)²: (ISC)² operates CISSP and other IT/security professional certifications through a similar nonprofit member-organization model with portfolio-based credentialing and recurring maintenance fees — comparable structural peer.
• Project Management Institute (PMI): PMI operates the PMP/PfMP/PMI-ACP certification ecosystem with a comparable member-organization structure, exam-based credentialing, and recurring recertification revenue model — a broad incumbent template for professional certification.
• IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis): IIBA offers CBAP and other business analysis certifications via member-organization governance and Pearson VUE testing — closely parallels GISCI's nonprofit certification body model in a different professional discipline.

Others

• American Association of Geographers (AAG): AAG is one of GISCI's four founding member organizations and operates as a professional association in the same geospatial/geography domain, providing adjacent professional development and credentialing signals in geography.
• National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC): NSGIC is a GISCI founding member organization that coordinates state-level GIS policy and practice across US states, an adjacent ecosystem player reinforcing GISCI's positioning among government employers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gisci_gisp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GISCertificationInstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/GIS-Certification-Institute-104110183014942
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gis-certification-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/gisci.gisp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GIS Certification Institute