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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

19-2043 Hydrologists

Research the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of underground and surface waters; and study the form and intensity of precipitation and its rate of infiltration into the soil, movement through the earth, and return to the ocean and atmosphere.


National estimates for Hydrologists
Industry profile for Hydrologists
Geographic profile for Hydrologists

National estimates for Hydrologists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Hydrologists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
6,390 5.5 % $ 45.57 $ 94,780 2.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Hydrologists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 24.58 $ 31.09 $ 40.40 $ 51.17 $ 64.99
Annual Wage (2) $ 51,120 $ 64,670 $ 84,030 $ 106,440 $ 135,170


Industry profile for Hydrologists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Hydrologists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Hydrologists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Hydrologists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,620 0.08 $ 43.89 $ 91,290
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,440 0.07 $ 36.46 $ 75,840
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,260 0.08 $ 54.06 $ 112,440
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 910 0.06 $ 50.52 $ 105,080
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 720 0.01 $ 43.45 $ 90,370

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Hydrologists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,260 0.08 $ 54.06 $ 112,440
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,620 0.08 $ 43.89 $ 91,290
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,440 0.07 $ 36.46 $ 75,840
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 910 0.06 $ 50.52 $ 105,080
Management of Companies and Enterprises 150 0.01 $ 72.40 $ 150,590

Top paying industries for Hydrologists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 150 0.01 $ 72.40 $ 150,590
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,260 0.08 $ 54.06 $ 112,440
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 910 0.06 $ 50.52 $ 105,080
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,620 0.08 $ 43.89 $ 91,290
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 720 0.01 $ 43.45 $ 90,370


Geographic profile for Hydrologists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Hydrologists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Hydrologists, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of hydrologists by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Hydrologists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 810 0.05 1.08 $ 55.16 $ 114,730
Colorado 460 0.18 3.89 $ 46.54 $ 96,800
Arizona 410 0.14 3.11 $ 49.29 $ 102,520
Florida 330 0.04 0.84 $ 32.80 $ 68,220
Ohio 290 0.06 1.23 $ 41.71 $ 86,750


Map of location quotient of hydrologists by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Hydrologists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Montana 150 0.32 7.06 $ 37.51 $ 78,020
Idaho 170 0.23 5.05 $ 34.62 $ 72,000
Alaska 70 0.22 4.89 $ 43.21 $ 89,870
Colorado 460 0.18 3.89 $ 46.54 $ 96,800
Nevada 180 0.14 3.13 $ 51.78 $ 107,700


Map of annual mean wages of hydrologists by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Hydrologists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Jersey (8) (8) (8) $ 61.57 $ 128,070
California 810 0.05 1.08 $ 55.16 $ 114,730
New Hampshire 70 0.11 2.36 $ 53.11 $ 110,460
Maryland 70 0.03 0.60 $ 52.47 $ 109,140
Nevada 180 0.14 3.13 $ 51.78 $ 107,700



Map of employment of hydrologists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Hydrologists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 250 0.17 3.71 $ 51.90 $ 107,950
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 200 0.11 2.45 $ 39.87 $ 82,920
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 200 0.10 2.10 $ 54.83 $ 114,050
Columbus, OH 150 0.15 3.21 $ 42.10 $ 87,570
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 140 0.15 3.20 $ 51.83 $ 107,810
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 140 0.02 0.52 $ 57.64 $ 119,890
Tucson, AZ 120 0.34 7.52 $ 39.02 $ 81,160
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 120 0.04 0.93 $ 65.83 $ 136,920
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 100 0.04 0.92 $ 35.33 $ 73,480
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 100 0.09 1.92 $ 46.62 $ 96,960


Map of location quotient of hydrologists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Hydrologists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 60 0.51 11.21 $ 42.69 $ 88,800
Bismarck, ND 30 0.48 10.56 $ 38.32 $ 79,710
Salem, OR 60 0.37 8.07 $ 41.16 $ 85,600
Tucson, AZ 120 0.34 7.52 $ 39.02 $ 81,160
Boise City, ID 100 0.28 6.18 $ 36.46 $ 75,840
Reno, NV 60 0.25 5.48 $ 56.16 $ 116,820
Columbia, SC 80 0.23 5.03 $ 28.13 $ 58,510
Madison, WI 80 0.22 4.75 $ 35.58 $ 74,010
Trenton, NJ 50 0.21 4.57 $ 47.98 $ 99,800
Lincoln, NE 30 0.20 4.51 $ 33.08 $ 68,810


Map of annual mean wages of hydrologists by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Hydrologists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 80 0.05 1.17 $ 71.23 $ 148,150
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 120 0.04 0.93 $ 65.83 $ 136,920
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 80 0.04 0.83 $ 60.32 $ 125,470
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 140 0.02 0.52 $ 57.64 $ 119,890
Reno, NV 60 0.25 5.48 $ 56.16 $ 116,820
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (8) (8) (8) $ 55.49 $ 115,430
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 100 0.05 1.11 $ 54.96 $ 114,320
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 200 0.10 2.10 $ 54.83 $ 114,050
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 80 0.05 1.20 $ 52.80 $ 109,820
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 80 0.09 1.94 $ 52.66 $ 109,530

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Hydrologists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 90 0.64 14.13 $ 37.49 $ 77,990
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.33 7.18 $ 38.50 $ 80,080
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 30 0.16 3.63 $ 36.96 $ 76,880

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Hydrologists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 90 0.64 14.13 $ 37.49 $ 77,990
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.33 7.18 $ 38.50 $ 80,080
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 30 0.16 3.63 $ 36.96 $ 76,880

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Hydrologists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.33 7.18 $ 38.50 $ 80,080
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 90 0.64 14.13 $ 37.49 $ 77,990
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 30 0.16 3.63 $ 36.96 $ 76,880
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 32.36 $ 67,300


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022