Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
19-4044 Hydrologic Technicians
Collect and organize data concerning the distribution and circulation of ground and surface water, and data on its physical, chemical, and biological properties. Measure and report on flow rates and ground water levels, maintain field equipment, collect water samples, install and collect sampling equipment, and process samples for shipment to testing laboratories. May collect data on behalf of hydrologists, engineers, developers, government agencies, or agriculture. Excludes “Hydrologists” (19-2043).
National estimates for Hydrologic Technicians
Industry profile for Hydrologic Technicians
Geographic profile for Hydrologic Technicians
National estimates for Hydrologic Technicians:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Hydrologic Technicians:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 3,550 |
4.7 % |
$ 34.50 |
$ 71,760 |
2.6 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Hydrologic Technicians:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 18.42 |
$ 22.31 |
$ 29.94 |
$ 40.66 |
$ 62.52 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 38,310 |
$ 46,410 |
$ 62,280 |
$ 84,570 |
$ 130,050 |
Industry profile for Hydrologic Technicians:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Hydrologic Technicians are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Hydrologic Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Hydrologic Technicians:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) |
1,690 |
0.08 |
$ 28.77 |
$ 59,830 |
| Support Activities for Mining |
340 |
0.16 |
$ 40.05 |
$ 83,310 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) |
270 |
0.08 |
$ 65.69 |
$ 136,640 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
250 |
0.00 |
$ 30.77 |
$ 64,000 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
140 |
0.01 |
$ 22.28 |
$ 46,340 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Hydrologic Technicians:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Support Activities for Mining |
340 |
0.16 |
$ 40.05 |
$ 83,310 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction |
130 |
0.12 |
$ 40.37 |
$ 83,970 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems |
50 |
0.10 |
$ 24.56 |
$ 51,080 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) |
270 |
0.08 |
$ 65.69 |
$ 136,640 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) |
1,690 |
0.08 |
$ 28.77 |
$ 59,830 |
Top paying industries for Hydrologic Technicians:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) |
270 |
0.08 |
$ 65.69 |
$ 136,640 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction |
130 |
0.12 |
$ 40.37 |
$ 83,970 |
| Support Activities for Mining |
340 |
0.16 |
$ 40.05 |
$ 83,310 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
250 |
(7) |
$ 30.77 |
$ 64,000 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) |
1,690 |
0.08 |
$ 28.77 |
$ 59,830 |
Geographic profile for Hydrologic Technicians:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Hydrologic Technicians are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Hydrologic Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Hydrologic Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Texas |
830 |
0.07 |
2.69 |
$ 45.55 |
$ 94,740 |
| California |
250 |
0.02 |
0.61 |
$ 33.65 |
$ 70,000 |
| Louisiana |
210 |
0.12 |
4.65 |
$ 46.87 |
$ 97,490 |
| Florida |
190 |
0.02 |
0.86 |
$ 28.46 |
$ 59,200 |
| Colorado |
140 |
0.05 |
2.09 |
$ 27.82 |
$ 57,860 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Hydrologic Technicians:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| South Dakota |
50 |
0.13 |
5.17 |
$ 21.53 |
$ 44,770 |
| Louisiana |
210 |
0.12 |
4.65 |
$ 46.87 |
$ 97,490 |
| Montana |
50 |
0.10 |
4.14 |
$ 24.78 |
$ 51,550 |
| Idaho |
80 |
0.10 |
3.94 |
$ 28.17 |
$ 58,590 |
| New Mexico |
60 |
0.08 |
3.22 |
$ 32.11 |
$ 66,800 |
Top paying states for Hydrologic Technicians:
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Hydrologic Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
450 |
0.16 |
6.20 |
$ 52.05 |
$ 108,260 |
| Baton Rouge, LA |
110 |
0.31 |
12.21 |
$ 61.01 |
$ 126,900 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
70 |
0.02 |
0.74 |
$ 30.58 |
$ 63,610 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD |
60 |
0.05 |
1.96 |
$ 24.41 |
$ 50,770 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA |
60 |
0.06 |
2.40 |
$ 31.98 |
$ 66,520 |
| Raleigh, NC |
60 |
0.09 |
3.45 |
$ 24.47 |
$ 50,900 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
50 |
0.04 |
1.73 |
$ 31.90 |
$ 66,360 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
40 |
0.02 |
0.73 |
$ 31.85 |
$ 66,240 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
40 |
0.01 |
0.26 |
$ 41.50 |
$ 86,310 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
40 |
0.02 |
0.99 |
$ 29.31 |
$ 60,970 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Hydrologic Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Baton Rouge, LA |
110 |
0.31 |
12.21 |
$ 61.01 |
$ 126,900 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
450 |
0.16 |
6.20 |
$ 52.05 |
$ 108,260 |
| Raleigh, NC |
60 |
0.09 |
3.45 |
$ 24.47 |
$ 50,900 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA |
60 |
0.06 |
2.40 |
$ 31.98 |
$ 66,520 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD |
60 |
0.05 |
1.96 |
$ 24.41 |
$ 50,770 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
50 |
0.04 |
1.73 |
$ 31.90 |
$ 66,360 |
| Columbus, OH |
30 |
0.03 |
1.24 |
$ 25.03 |
$ 52,050 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL |
40 |
0.03 |
1.10 |
$ 28.78 |
$ 59,860 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
40 |
0.02 |
0.99 |
$ 29.31 |
$ 60,970 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
70 |
0.02 |
0.74 |
$ 30.58 |
$ 63,610 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Hydrologic Technicians:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Baton Rouge, LA |
110 |
0.31 |
12.21 |
$ 61.01 |
$ 126,900 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
450 |
0.16 |
6.20 |
$ 52.05 |
$ 108,260 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
40 |
0.01 |
0.26 |
$ 41.50 |
$ 86,310 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA |
60 |
0.06 |
2.40 |
$ 31.98 |
$ 66,520 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
50 |
0.04 |
1.73 |
$ 31.90 |
$ 66,360 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
40 |
0.02 |
0.73 |
$ 31.85 |
$ 66,240 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
70 |
0.02 |
0.74 |
$ 30.58 |
$ 63,610 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
40 |
0.02 |
0.99 |
$ 29.31 |
$ 60,970 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL |
40 |
0.03 |
1.10 |
$ 28.78 |
$ 59,860 |
| Columbus, OH |
30 |
0.03 |
1.24 |
$ 25.03 |
$ 52,050 |
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.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(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
United States Department of Labor
