Hydrologic Technician Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Hydrologic Technicians — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$64,790
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$31.15
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$100,480
entry level starts ~$44,950
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 3,000 employed

How much does a Hydrologic Technician make?

A Hydrologic Technician earns a median annual salary of $64,790 in the United States, which works out to roughly $31.15 per hour for full-time work. Most Hydrologic Technicians earn between $44,950 at the entry level and $100,480 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $52,040 and $84,680 a year.

That is $3,400 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Hydrologic Technician salary range by percentile

Half of all Hydrologic Technicians earn between $52,040 and $84,680 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$44,950$21.61
25th percentile (early career)$52,040$25.02
50th percentile (median)$64,790$31.15
75th percentile (experienced)$84,680$40.71
90th percentile (top earners)$100,480$48.31

Highest-paying states for Hydrologic Technician

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Texas leads the country for Hydrologic Technician pay at $88,400 a year, followed by Washington ($85,240) and New Mexico ($79,710). At the other end, Tennessee posts the lowest median at $30,780 — a gap of $57,620 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Texas$88,400$42.50+36%
2Washington$85,240$40.98+32%
3New Mexico$79,710$38.32+23%
4Missouri$79,440$38.19+23%
5Massachusetts$73,820$35.49+14%

Workforce and education

About 3,000 people work as Hydrologic Technicians in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $69,530 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Hydrologic Technician make in the United States?
The median Hydrologic Technician salary in the United States is $64,790 per year, or about $31.15 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $44,950, while the top 10% of earners make $100,480 or more.
How does Hydrologic Technician pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Hydrologic Technician median of $64,790 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Hydrologic Technicians the most?
Texas is the highest-paying state for Hydrologic Technicians, with a median salary of $88,400 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Hydrologic Technician?
Becoming a Hydrologic Technician typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Hydrologic Technicians work in the United States?
About 3,000 people were employed as Hydrologic Technicians in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.