The average salary for a hydrologist in the United States is around $96,600 per year.
Avg Salary
Hydrologists earn an average yearly salary of $96,600.
Wages typically start from $64,020 and go up to $153,130.
51% above national average Updated in 2025
Hydrologist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$73.62 per hour
$153,130 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$59.06 per hour
$122,830 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$46.44 per hour
$96,600 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$37.12 per hour
$77,210 per year
10th percentile
Starting level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$30.78 per hour
$64,020 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Hydrologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Ohio | $98,200 |
| New Mexico | $97,470 |
| Oklahoma | $97,470 |
| Minnesota | $94,580 |
| Wyoming | $94,520 |
| Utah | $94,190 |
| Connecticut | $94,060 |
| Oregon | $93,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $91,730 |
| New Hampshire | $88,420 |
| New York | $88,100 |
| Arizona | $86,700 |
| Vermont | $86,140 |
| Tennessee | $85,220 |
| Montana | $84,500 |
| Illinois | $83,720 |
| North Carolina | $81,770 |
| Iowa | $81,150 |
| Texas | $81,080 |
| Indiana | $80,700 |
| South Dakota | $78,880 |
| Idaho | $78,850 |
| Wisconsin | $78,770 |
| North Dakota | $77,500 |
| Florida | $76,850 |
| Nebraska | $69,630 |
| Maine | $67,200 |
| South Carolina | $65,770 |
| Maryland | $143,010 |
| Virginia | $132,080 |
| New Jersey | $126,680 |
| California | $122,110 |
| Georgia | $121,830 |
| Massachusetts | $119,350 |
| Missouri | $116,100 |
| Alaska | $108,660 |
| Nevada | $107,930 |
| Washington | $105,600 |
| Louisiana | $104,520 |
| Michigan | $101,060 |
| Colorado | $100,840 |
How do hydrologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Hydrologists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than sociologists but more than food science technologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Sociologist salary | $106K |
| Scientist salary | $101K |
| Geneticist salary | $99K |
| Molecular biologist salary | $99K |
| Bioinformatics scientist salary | $99K |
| Hydrologist salary | $97K |
| Geographer salary | $102K |
| Epidemiologist salary | $87K |
| Microbiologist salary | $88K |
| Food science technologist salary | $89K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)