Average Hydrologists Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Hydrologists is $96,600 per year. The middle 50% earn between $77,210 and $122,830, with 5,850 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 35 states and 35 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Hydrologists pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $64,020
- 25th
- $77,210
- Median
- $96,600
- 75th
- $122,830
- 90th
- $153,130
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for hydrologists from 2024 to 2034. This occupation is projected to shrink. Workers may face more competition for fewer openings, and the role may see automation or consolidation pressure.
- Projected growth
- -0.1%
- 0 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 500
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for hydrologists.
Where Hydrologists earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where hydrologists work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Maryland at $143,010, about 48.0% above the national median. At the metro level, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV leads with a median of $152,730.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $143,010 | 90 |
| Virginia | $132,080 | 40 |
| New Jersey | $126,680 | N/A |
| California | $122,110 | 540 |
| Georgia | $121,830 | 30 |
| Massachusetts | $119,350 | 50 |
| Missouri | $116,100 | 50 |
| Alaska | $108,660 | 60 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $152,730 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $147,080 | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $142,640 | 30 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $138,020 | 50 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $128,320 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $126,820 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $123,420 | 70 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $118,390 | 50 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see hydrologists pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Hydrologists rose from $81,270 to $96,600, a gain of +18.9% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $81,270 would need to be worth $102,341 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $96,600 is −$5,741 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -5.6% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 18.9% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +18.9%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -5.6%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Hydrologists median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $96,600
- 2024
- $92,060
- 2023
- $88,770
- 2022
- $85,990
- 2021
- $84,030
- 2020
- $84,040
- 2019
- $81,270
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Atmospheric And Space Scientists
- $99,070
- Chemists
- $91,240
- Materials Scientists
- $117,790
- Physical Scientists, All Other
- $122,570
- Astronomers
- $128,820
- Physicists
- $172,250
Common salary questions for Hydrologists
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Hydrologists workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.