How much does a hydrologist make?

In the United States, more experience, in-demand skills, or sought-after credentials can help a hydrologist earn more. Pay also differs by employer and location: government, consulting, and engineering jobs—and states—do not all pay alike.

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.

What's a typical day like?

Hydrologists may visit a stream to measure water flow and collect samples. Back in the office, they study the data to help forecast floods and water supplies.

Hydrologists typically earn a bachelor’s in hydrology, geology, or a related science and often start in their early 20s. Internships help; some employers prefer a master’s, and some states encourage hydrologists to seek geology licensure.

Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)

Good for people who like figuring things out and building and doing.

USGS researchers estimated that groundwater samples from one U.S. aquifer ranged from 12 to 22,000 years old, using chemical tracers dissolved in the water.