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Hydrologic Technicians Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 19-4044 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$64,792
$31.15/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Hydrologic Technicians is $64,792 per year ($31.15/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $52,042 and $84,677 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $100,485 per year. There are approximately 2,840 hydrologic technicians employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

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.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-2.1%
Slower than average
Annual openings
400
per year, on avg
Workforce today
3K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Associate's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
2K$71,780
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
240$64,880
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
170$49,520
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution
NAICS 221100
90$81,860
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
50$49,500
Wage range across top 5 industries: $49,500 to $81,860 (65% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$21.61$44,949
P25$25.02$52,042
P50MEDIAN$31.15$64,792
P75$40.71$84,677
P90$48.31$100,485

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%

Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average hydrologic technicians salary?

The national median salary for Hydrologic Technicians is $64,792 per year ($31.15/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $52,042 and $84,677 annually.

How much do top-earning hydrologic technicians make?

The 90th percentile salary for Hydrologic Technicians is $100,485 per year ($48.31/hr). The 75th percentile is $84,677 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for hydrologic technicians?

Entry-level Hydrologic Technicians (10th percentile) earn approximately $44,949 per year ($21.61/hr). The 25th percentile is $52,042 per year.

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Hydrologic Technicians Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
California300 workersTexas270 workersFlorida240 workersNorth Carolina110 workersPennsylvania100 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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