Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2004

19-2043 Hydrologists

Research the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of underground and surface waters; 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.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
State profile for this occupation
Metropolitan area profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
7,290 4.6 % $30.82 $64,100 0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $18.55 $22.64 $29.57 $37.46 $45.41
Annual Wage (2) $38,580 $47,080 $61,510 $77,910 $94,460

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage
Federal government (OES designation) 2,270 $34.53 $71,830
Architectural and engineering services 1,750 $30.41 $63,250
Management and technical consulting services 1,440 $30.56 $63,560
State government (OES designation) 1,110 $24.99 $51,980
Local government (OES designation) 360 $28.24 $58,750

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage
Federal government (OES designation) 2,270 $34.53 $71,830
Scientific research and development services 100 $32.22 $67,020
Power generation and supply (7) $31.60 $65,730
Management of companies and enterprises 30 $31.30 $65,090
Management and technical consulting services 1,440 $30.56 $63,560

State profile for this occupation: Top

States with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment
Wyoming 120 $22.31 $46,410 0.049%
Montana 150 $23.59 $49,060 0.037%
New Mexico 190 $30.68 $63,810 0.025%
Alaska 70 $32.93 $68,500 0.024%
Colorado 470 $35.11 $73,040 0.022%

Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment
Virginia 200 $38.08 $79,200 0.006%
Georgia 70 $35.96 $74,790 0.002%
Maryland 140 $35.71 $74,270 0.006%
California 1,040 $35.59 $74,020 0.007%
Colorado 470 $35.11 $73,040 0.022%

Metropolitan area profile for this occupation: Top

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
Santa Fe, NM MSA 40 $28.48 $59,250 0.053%
Olympia, WA PMSA 40 $29.11 $60,560 0.046%
Madison, WI MSA 120 $28.74 $59,780 0.042%
Trenton, NJ PMSA 90 $29.68 $61,730 0.041%
Albuquerque, NM MSA 130 $32.47 $67,540 0.036%

Top paying Metropolitan areas for this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
Boston, MA-NH PMSA 40 $37.93 $78,890 0.002%
Oakland, CA PMSA 80 $37.55 $78,100 0.008%
San Francisco, CA PMSA (7) $36.69 $76,310 (7)
Denver, CO PMSA 280 $36.24 $75,370 0.025%
Atlanta, GA MSA 50 $35.82 $74,500 0.002%

About May 2004 National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas in every State and the District of Columbia. The top five employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable Excel files(XLS).

Percentile wage estimates show the percentage of workers in an occupation that earn less than a given wage and the percentage that earn more. 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 mean 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) Estimates not released.

All Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

May 2004 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2004 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2004 Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2004 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2004 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped Excel files

Technical notes

 

Last Modified Date: June 02, 2005