Hydrologists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for hydrologistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $103,600 ≈ $50/hr
National median salary $96,600
Total employment 5,850 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -0.1%
Decline
Annual openings 500 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 6,300 → 6,300 (0)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Maryland$145,970
- New Jersey$127,450
- Washington$123,510
- California$122,940
- Colorado$122,740
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Carolina$74,660
- Indiana$83,660
- Florida$84,130
- Wisconsin$86,040
- North Carolina$86,330
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $145,970 | $143,010 | $70 | +40.9% | 90 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $127,450 | $126,680 | $61 | +23% | — |
| 3 | Washington | $123,510 | $105,600 | $59 | +19.2% | 350 |
| 4 | California | $122,940 | $122,110 | $59 | +18.7% | 540 |
| 5 | Colorado | $122,740 | $100,840 | $59 | +18.5% | 360 |
| 6 | Georgia | $122,030 | $121,830 | $59 | +17.8% | 30 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $119,710 | $119,350 | $58 | +15.6% | 50 |
| 8 | Virginia | $119,240 | $132,080 | $57 | +15.1% | 40 |
| 9 | Nevada | $116,790 | $107,930 | $56 | +12.7% | 170 |
| 10 | Missouri | $110,030 | $116,100 | $53 | +6.2% | 50 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $108,810 | $104,520 | $52 | +5% | — |
| 12 | Alaska | $108,750 | $108,660 | $52 | +5% | 60 |
| 13 | Michigan | $105,910 | $101,060 | $51 | +2.2% | 40 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $105,700 | $97,470 | $51 | +2% | 100 |
| 15 | Arizona | $100,600 | $86,700 | $48 | -2.9% | 400 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $99,810 | $94,520 | $48 | -3.7% | 40 |
| 17 | Oregon | $98,910 | $93,690 | $48 | -4.5% | 300 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | $97,470 | $97,470 | $47 | -5.9% | 40 |
| 19 | Utah | $97,230 | $94,190 | $47 | -6.1% | 80 |
| 20 | Ohio | $95,570 | $98,200 | $46 | -7.8% | 390 |
| 21 | New York | $95,000 | $88,100 | $46 | -8.3% | 160 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $94,300 | $94,580 | $45 | -9% | 300 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $93,500 | $91,730 | $45 | -9.7% | 160 |
| 24 | Montana | $92,840 | $84,500 | $45 | -10.4% | 190 |
| 25 | Illinois | $92,640 | $83,720 | $45 | -10.6% | 100 |
| 26 | Iowa | $90,730 | $81,150 | $44 | -12.4% | 50 |
| 27 | Texas | $89,530 | $81,080 | $43 | -13.6% | 220 |
| 28 | Vermont | $89,120 | $86,140 | $43 | -14% | 50 |
| 29 | Idaho | $86,620 | $78,850 | $42 | -16.4% | 160 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $86,330 | $81,770 | $42 | -16.7% | 150 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $86,040 | $78,770 | $41 | -16.9% | 150 |
| 32 | Florida | $84,130 | $76,850 | $40 | -18.8% | 280 |
| 33 | Indiana | $83,660 | $80,700 | $40 | -19.2% | 50 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $74,660 | $65,770 | $36 | -27.9% | 100 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 39 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $152,730 | $153,030 | 50 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $147,080 | $142,450 | 50 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $142,640 | $149,180 | 30 |
| 4 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $138,020 | $139,870 | 50 |
| 5 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $128,320 | $120,090 | 40 |
| 6 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $126,820 | $112,990 | 40 |
| 7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $123,420 | $130,070 | 70 |
| 8 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $118,390 | $122,810 | 50 |
| 9 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $113,550 | $118,810 | 80 |
| 10 | Reno, NV | $111,140 | $124,880 | 70 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing hydrologistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $106,950 | $123,020 | 1,160 |
| 2 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $106,460 | $118,060 | 1,720 |
| 3 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $106,460 | $117,130 | 1,880 |
| 4 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $106,460 | $118,060 | 1,720 |
| 5 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $104,770 | $105,020 | 1,540 |
| 6 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $104,770 | $105,020 | 1,540 |
| 7 | Engineering Services | $104,160 | $113,970 | 450 |
| 8 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $99,990 | $108,510 | 520 |
| 9 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $98,470 | $106,010 | 730 |
| 10 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $97,360 | $105,790 | 740 |
| 11 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $96,600 | $103,600 | 5,850 |
| 12 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $94,520 | $97,860 | 3,790 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do hydrologists make in the U.S.?
The median hydrologists salary in the United States is $96,600 per year (mean $103,600), and about 80% earn between $64,020 and $153,130.
How much do hydrologists make per hour?
Roughly $50 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $103,600 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays hydrologists the most?
Maryland has the highest average pay for hydrologists at $145,970 per year (median $143,010).
What is the job outlook for hydrologists?
Employment is projected to change -0.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 500 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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