Hydrologists: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Job description

Hydrologists research the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of underground and surface waters; and study the form and intensity of precipitation, its rate of infiltration into the soil, movement through the earth, and its return to the ocean and atmosphere.

• Prepare written and oral reports describing research results, using illustrations, maps, appendices, and other information.
• Design and conduct scientific hydrogeological investigations to ensure that accurate and appropriate information is available for use in water resource management decisions.
• 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.

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Salary

Hydrologists with little to no experience tend to make between $48820 and $61280 while the more experienced ones can earn over $100090 per year.

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Hydrologist is to move to a higher paying state like NJ. Right now, the highest paying states for Hydrologists are NJ, GA, MD, CA and NH.

However, a higher pay at NJ doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at NJ might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Hydrologist is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.

Requirements

We asked other Hydrologists what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Master’s Degree followed by a Bachelor’s Degree.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Hydrologist.

What is the job like

66% of Hydrologists said they were satisfied with their job and 57% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.

Is this right for me

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

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