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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

19-4044 Hydrologic Technicians

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).


National estimates for Hydrologic Technicians
Industry profile for Hydrologic Technicians
Geographic profile for Hydrologic Technicians

National estimates for Hydrologic Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Hydrologic Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
2,920 6.6 % $ 32.04 $ 66,640 2.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Hydrologic Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.73 $ 21.50 $ 28.06 $ 38.19 $ 52.40
Annual Wage (2) $ 36,880 $ 44,720 $ 58,360 $ 79,440 $ 108,990


Industry profile for Hydrologic Technicians:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Hydrologic Technicians are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Hydrologic Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Hydrologic Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,700 0.08 $ 29.46 $ 61,270
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 200 0.00 $ 30.35 $ 63,130
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 140 0.01 $ 26.38 $ 54,870
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 140 0.01 $ 20.76 $ 43,180
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 130 0.04 $ 69.22 $ 143,970

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Hydrologic Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,700 0.08 $ 29.46 $ 61,270
Oil and Gas Extraction 70 0.07 $ 41.12 $ 85,540
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 130 0.04 $ 69.22 $ 143,970
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 140 0.01 $ 20.76 $ 43,180
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 140 0.01 $ 26.38 $ 54,870

Top paying industries for Hydrologic Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 130 0.04 $ 69.22 $ 143,970
Support Activities for Mining (8) (8) $ 45.35 $ 94,330
Oil and Gas Extraction 70 0.07 $ 41.12 $ 85,540
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 200 (7) $ 30.35 $ 63,130
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,700 0.08 $ 29.46 $ 61,270


Geographic profile for Hydrologic Technicians:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Hydrologic Technicians are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Hydrologic Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of hydrologic technicians by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Hydrologic Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 420 0.03 1.64 $ 42.79 $ 89,010
California 230 0.01 0.67 $ 35.26 $ 73,350
Florida 140 0.02 0.78 $ 27.13 $ 56,440
North Carolina 130 0.03 1.43 $ 24.15 $ 50,230
Colorado 120 0.04 2.18 $ 28.94 $ 60,190


Map of location quotient of hydrologic technicians by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Hydrologic Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Montana 90 0.18 8.92 $ 24.23 $ 50,410
South Dakota 50 0.12 6.16 $ 25.46 $ 52,950
Idaho 90 0.11 5.55 $ 32.06 $ 66,680
Alaska 30 0.10 4.96 $ 37.08 $ 77,120
Louisiana 110 0.06 3.03 $ 53.82 $ 111,940


Map of annual mean wages of hydrologic technicians by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Hydrologic Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 110 0.06 3.03 $ 53.82 $ 111,940
Texas 420 0.03 1.64 $ 42.79 $ 89,010
Alaska 30 0.10 4.96 $ 37.08 $ 77,120
California 230 0.01 0.67 $ 35.26 $ 73,350
Pennsylvania 70 0.01 0.65 $ 34.19 $ 71,110



Map of employment of hydrologic technicians by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Hydrologic Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 210 0.07 3.52 $ 53.27 $ 110,800
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 60 0.06 2.97 $ 31.54 $ 65,610
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 50 0.04 1.98 $ 27.36 $ 56,920
Raleigh, NC 40 0.07 3.32 $ 25.21 $ 52,440
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 40 0.03 1.38 $ 29.35 $ 61,060
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 40 0.04 1.80 $ 35.31 $ 73,440
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 40 0.02 0.80 $ 28.37 $ 59,000
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 40 0.01 0.66 $ 31.70 $ 65,930
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 30 0.03 1.67 (8) (8)
Columbus, OH 30 0.03 1.58 $ 26.42 $ 54,960


Map of location quotient of hydrologic technicians by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Hydrologic Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boise City, ID 30 0.09 4.62 $ 33.04 $ 68,710
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 210 0.07 3.52 $ 53.27 $ 110,800
Raleigh, NC 40 0.07 3.32 $ 25.21 $ 52,440
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 60 0.06 2.97 $ 31.54 $ 65,610
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 50 0.04 1.98 $ 27.36 $ 56,920
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 40 0.04 1.80 $ 35.31 $ 73,440
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 30 0.03 1.67 (8) (8)
Columbus, OH 30 0.03 1.58 $ 26.42 $ 54,960
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 40 0.03 1.38 $ 29.35 $ 61,060
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 40 0.02 0.80 $ 28.37 $ 59,000


Map of annual mean wages of hydrologic technicians by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Hydrologic Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 210 0.07 3.52 $ 53.27 $ 110,800
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 30 0.01 0.69 $ 35.46 $ 73,750
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 40 0.04 1.80 $ 35.31 $ 73,440
Boise City, ID 30 0.09 4.62 $ 33.04 $ 68,710
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 40 0.01 0.66 $ 31.70 $ 65,930
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 60 0.06 2.97 $ 31.54 $ 65,610
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 40 0.03 1.38 $ 29.35 $ 61,060
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 40 0.02 0.80 $ 28.37 $ 59,000
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 50 0.04 1.98 $ 27.36 $ 56,920
Columbus, OH 30 0.03 1.58 $ 26.42 $ 54,960

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Hydrologic Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 60 0.42 21.35 $ 24.34 $ 50,630

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Hydrologic Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 60 0.42 21.35 $ 24.34 $ 50,630

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Hydrologic Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 60 0.42 21.35 $ 24.34 $ 50,630


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023