Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 19-4044

Hydrologic Technicians

Median pay sits 45% below the mid peer in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (neighbors include Biochemists and Biophysicists, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers, Geographers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Hydrologic Technicians: Biochemists and Biophysicists ($127K) , Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($101K) , Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($102K) , Geographers ($102K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Hydrologic Technicians publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 19-4044 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Analyze ecological data about the impact of pollution, erosion, floods, and other environmental problems on bodies of water
  2. 2. Answer technical questions from hydrologists, policymakers, or other customers developing water conservation plans
  3. 3. Apply research findings to minimize the environmental impacts of pollution, waterborne diseases, erosion, or sedimentation
  4. 4. Assist in designing programs to ensure the proper sealing of abandoned wells
  5. 5. Collect water and soil samples to test for physical, chemical, or biological properties, such as pH, oxygen level, temperature, and pollu…
  6. 6. Develop computer models for hydrologic predictions
  7. 7. Estimate the costs and benefits of municipal projects, such as hydroelectric power plants, irrigation systems, and wastewater treatment f…
  8. 8. Investigate complaints or conflicts related to the alteration of public waters by gathering information, recommending alternatives, or pr…
  9. 9. Investigate the properties, origins, or activities of glaciers, ice, snow, or permafrost
  10. 10. Locate and deliver information or data as requested by customers, such as contractors, government entities, and members of the public
  11. 11. Measure the properties of bodies of water, such as water levels, volume, and flow
  12. 12. Perform quality control checks on data to be used by hydrologists
Pay vs Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations peers
-45%
vs mid peer median $117,790
This role $64,790/yr
$65K
National median
↓ -2%
Growth 2024-2034
400
Annual openings
2,840
Estimated US jobs
Biochemists and Biophysicists
Highest-pay peer · $127K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Associate's degree

Top Paying States for Hydrologic Technicians

1. Washington $85,240
2. Nevada $68,660
3. Massachusetts $73,820
4. Pennsylvania $65,420
5. New Mexico $79,710
6. Maryland $67,520
7. Missouri $79,440
8. Texas $88,400
9. Georgia $66,770
10. California $70,790

Other Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations titles

  1. 1. Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $101,920
  2. 2. Geographers $102,040
  3. 3. Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $100,580
  4. 4. Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other $101,110
  5. 5. Biochemists and Biophysicists $127,410
  6. 6. Physical Scientists, All Other $122,570

Among Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations peers on this card, Hydrologic Technicians sits 45% below the mid peer median ($117,790). Its own median is $64,790.

Employment Projections expect -2% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 400 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Washington at $85,240. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Biochemists and Biophysicists at $127,410. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Hydrologic Technicians pay-rank #38 in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

On the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations median table (48 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Hydrologic Technicians lands at #38, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Hydrologic Technicians pays 45% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Hydrologic Technicians salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 19-4044

Washington · top state for Hydrologic Technicians

$85K published median

Nevada · #2 state pay

$69K · behind Washington

Biochemists and Biophysicists

Highest-pay peer vs Hydrologic Technicians · $127K

Clinical and Counseling Psychologists

Lower-pay peer beside Hydrologic Technicians · $101K

Compare Hydrologic Technicians

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Hydrologic Technicians with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Hydrologic Technicians

Against another occupation

Biochemists and Biophysicists card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Hydrologic Technicians land on the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations median table? ▼
Hydrologic Technicians is pay-rank #38 of 48 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other ($62K), Social Science Research Assistants ($62K), Occupational Health and Safety Technicians ($62K), Animal Scientists ($69K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do hydrologic technicians do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Hydrologic Technicians. Leading ones include: Analyze ecological data about the impact of pollution, erosion, floods, and other environmental problems on bodies of water; Answer technical questions from hydrologists, policymakers, or other customers developing water conservation plans; Apply research findings to minimize the environmental impacts of pollution, waterborne diseases, erosion, or sedimentation; Assist in designing programs to ensure the proper sealing of abandoned wells. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
What is the OEWS national median for Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $64,790 as the national median for Hydrologic Technicians. The published 10th-90th range is $44,950 to $100,480. Beside Biochemists and Biophysicists ($127,410), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Hydrologic Technicians is -2%. Projected annual openings: about 400. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
BLS assigns Associate's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Hydrologic Technicians. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Hydrologic Technicians? ▼
Washington ($85,240), Nevada ($68,660), Massachusetts ($73,820) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Hydrologic Technicians card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 19-4044. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Hydrologic Technicians. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics