Life, Physical, and Social Science · Holland code IRC
Hydrologists
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.
Also called: Groundwater Consultant, Hydrogeologist, Research Hydrologist, Source Water Protection Specialist, Research Hydrologic Engineer.
O*NET 19-2043.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $96,600
- Middle half earn $77,210 to $122,830. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
- US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034
- 0% · Little or no change
- 6,300 jobs in 2024, projected 6,300. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Hydrologists".
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- Design and conduct scientific hydrogeological investigations to ensure that accurate and appropriate information is available for use in water resource management decisions.
- Study and document quantities, distribution, disposition, and development of underground and surface waters.
- Prepare reports or presentations describing research results, using illustrations, maps, appendices, and other information.
- Apply research findings to help minimize the environmental impacts of pollution, waterborne diseases, erosion, and sedimentation.
- Measure and graph phenomena such as lake levels, stream flows, and changes in water volumes.
- Conduct research and communicate information to promote the conservation and preservation of water resources.
- Develop computer models for hydrologic predictions.
- Coordinate and supervise the work of professional and technical staff, including research assistants, technologists, and technicians.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Critical Thinking4.1 / 5
- Reading Comprehension3.9 / 5
- Active Listening3.9 / 5
- Mathematics3.9 / 5
- Science3.9 / 5
- Writing3.8 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Mathematics4.4 / 5
- Physics4.2 / 5
- Engineering and Technology3.8 / 5
- Chemistry3.6 / 5
- English Language3.6 / 5
- Geography3.5 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic81
- Investigative90
- Artistic10
- Social19
- Enterprising22
- Conventional55
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- geologist · DE Geologe/Geologin · FR géologue
- environmental geologist · DE Umweltgeologe/Umweltgeologin · FR géologue environnementaliste
- hydrogeologist · DE Hydrogeologe/Hydrogeologin · FR hydrogéologue
- hydrologist · DE Hydrologe/Hydrologin · FR hydrologue
- soil scientist · DE Bodenwissenschaftler/Bodenwissenschaftlerin · FR pédologue
- water engineer · DE Ingenieur Wasserwirtschaft/Ingenieurin Wasserwirtschaft · FR hydraulicien/hydraulicienne
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Conservation professionals (2151)21,900 employed
- Environment professionals (2152)80,200 employed
- Civil engineers (2121)94,100 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €61,714 |
| Germany | €59,529 |
| Ireland | €56,877 |
| Austria | €55,374 |
| Netherlands | €53,595 |
| Sweden | €43,567 |
| France | €41,515 |
| Spain | €35,735 |
| Italy | €33,649 |
| Portugal | €26,072 |
| Poland | €14,380 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the middle third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +0.64. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (19-2043).
Related careers
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