SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-4044.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $44,950 | $3,746 | $864 | $21.61 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $52,040 | $4,337 | $1,001 | $25.02 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $64,790 | $5,399 | $1,246 | $31.15 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $84,680 | $7,057 | $1,628 | $40.71 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $100,480 | $8,373 | $1,932 | $48.31 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Hydrologic Technicians is $64,790, which is 27% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 38 by median pay. With 2,840 jobs, it makes up about 0.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Hydrologic Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in Texas ($88,400), Washington ($85,240) and New Mexico ($79,710). The lowest was in Tennessee ($30,780), West Virginia ($48,230) and Ohio ($52,120). The most jobs were in California (300), Texas (270) and Florida (240). The occupation is most concentrated in Montana, where its share of all jobs is 7.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 270 | $88,400 | $87,620 | $42.50 |
| Washington | 70 | $85,240 | $80,970 | $40.98 |
| New Mexico | 50 | $79,710 | $80,330 | $38.32 |
| Missouri | 40 | $79,440 | $75,300 | $38.19 |
| Massachusetts | 60 | $73,820 | $75,380 | $35.49 |
| California | 300 | $70,790 | $74,760 | $34.03 |
| Nevada | 30 | $68,660 | $72,760 | $33.01 |
| Maryland | 50 | $67,520 | $68,890 | $32.46 |
| Georgia | 60 | $66,770 | $69,070 | $32.10 |
| Pennsylvania | 100 | $65,420 | $71,260 | $31.45 |
| New Jersey | 40 | $65,190 | $70,310 | $31.34 |
| New York | 50 | $65,190 | $68,050 | $31.34 |
| Arizona | 50 | $65,170 | $68,440 | $31.33 |
| Kentucky | 30 | $65,170 | $69,440 | $31.33 |
| Louisiana | 40 | $65,170 | $67,970 | $31.33 |
| New Hampshire | 50 | $64,790 | $74,020 | $31.15 |
| Oregon | 80 | $62,510 | $68,440 | $30.05 |
| Florida | 240 | $61,820 | $65,110 | $29.72 |
| Wisconsin | 50 | $60,100 | $64,950 | $28.89 |
| North Carolina | 110 | $59,590 | $64,530 | $28.65 |
| Puerto Rico | 30 | $57,160 | $51,420 | $27.48 |
| Colorado | not published | $56,780 | $65,580 | $27.30 |
| Idaho | 50 | $54,950 | $60,470 | $26.42 |
| Montana | 70 | $53,550 | $58,690 | $25.75 |
| Illinois | not published | $52,870 | $58,510 | $25.42 |
| Virginia | 40 | $52,190 | $58,930 | $25.09 |
| Ohio | 80 | $52,120 | $56,500 | $25.06 |
| West Virginia | not published | $48,230 | $54,840 | $23.19 |
| Tennessee | not published | $30,780 | $48,770 | $14.80 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Anthropologists and Archeologists$70,770 a year
- Survey Researchers$69,460 a year
- Animal Scientists$68,940 a year
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280 a year
- Social Science Research Assistants$61,990 a year
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$61,560 a year
Common questions
How much do Hydrologic Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $64,790 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $44,950 and the highest-paid 10% more than $100,480.
How many people work as Hydrologic Technicians?
About 2,840 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.