6 Best GIS Courses for Beginners
We compared 6 Gis courses currently listed on edX, Udemy and Coursera, priced from $19.99 to $510.30. 1 comes from a named university or institution, including University of Alaska Fairbanks. They are ordered by our CourseAsk score, which is built from how thoroughly each course describes what it teaches, whether it comes from a named institution, and how it compares on price — not from star ratings, which our course data does not include.
- Courses compared
- 6
- Price range
- $19.99 – $510.30
- Providers
- edX, Udemy, Coursera
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
How these 6 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from edX, Udemy, Coursera, matched to this topic by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.
The grade on each entry scores how much the provider publishes about the course before you pay — the length and detail of the description, whether it lists learning outcomes and objectives — and whether a named university or institution stands behind it. A is fully documented and institution-backed; E is little more than a title and a price. Courses with almost nothing published are left ungraded rather than marked down, because an unknown course and a poor one are not the same thing.
There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $19.99 to $510.30, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Fundamentals of Geospatial Science
Offered by University of Alaska Fairbanks
In the Fundamentals of Geospatial Science course, you'll explore the principles and applications of geospatial technology. Through engaging content, you'll learn how to analyze and visualize spatial data, gaining insight...
$510.30listed price -
2
A COMPLETE 3-Hour Introduction to Spatial and GIS Data in R
If you are entering the field of GIS and want to learn how to get started with R programming and spatial data, this is the course for you. We go over all the basis of how to work with spatial data in an R environment. Th...
$134.99listed price -
3
Drone Photogrammetric Image Processing (Beginner to Expert)
This comprehensive course delves into the intricate realm of UAV/Drone image processing, focusing on the generation of GIS data products using Agisoft Metashape. Through meticulous instruction, participants will be guide...
$64.99listed price -
4
Learn GIS and ArcGIS from Scratch - Part1
GIS (Geographic Information System)A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a framework for capturing, storing, analyzing, managing, and visualizing spatial and geographic data. GIS integrates data layers and applies spa...
$19.99listed price -
5
Lidar Fundamentals and Applications
Explore the transformative realm of Lidar technology in "Unlocking Spatial Insights: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fundamentals of Lidar." This dynamic course is designed for individuals at all levels, from beginners eage...
$29.99listed price -
6
Mastering Geospatial Data Science: From Beginner to Expert
Offered by Coursera
Start your journey into geospatial data science and build skills used to analyze, visualize, and manage spatial data. This beginner-friendly program guides you from core GIS concepts to modern geospatial workflows using...
$49.00listed price
Best GIS Courses for Beginners compared
| # | Course | Provider | Offered by | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fundamentals of Geospatial Science | edX | University of Alaska Fairbanks | $510.30 | View → |
| 2 | A COMPLETE 3-Hour Introduction to Spatial and GIS Data in R | Udemy | — | $134.99 | View → |
| 3 | Drone Photogrammetric Image Processing (Beginner to Expert) | Udemy | — | $64.99 | View → |
| 4 | Learn GIS and ArcGIS from Scratch - Part1 | Udemy | — | $19.99 | View → |
| 5 | Lidar Fundamentals and Applications | Udemy | — | $29.99 | View → |
| 6 | Mastering Geospatial Data Science: From Beginner to Expert | Coursera | Coursera | $49.00 | View → |
Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.
What the prices here tell you
The 6 priced courses on this page run from $19.99 to $510.30, with the middle of the range around $64.99 — a spread of $490.31. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.
Who is behind these courses
These courses come from edX, Udemy and Coursera. The platforms differ in how they sell: some charge once per course, others expect a subscription, and the listed price is not always what you pay at checkout after a promotion. 1 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including University of Alaska Fairbanks — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Before you enrol
Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 18 September 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.