Field observer vs hydrographer

The differences between field observers and hydrographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a field observer and a hydrographer. Additionally, a hydrographer has an average salary of $52,359, which is higher than the $40,890 average annual salary of a field observer.

The top three skills for a field observer include mathematics, grade class and classroom management. The most important skills for a hydrographer are GPS, GIS, and data analysis.

Field observer vs hydrographer overview

	Field Observer	Hydrographer
Yearly salary	$40,890	$52,359
Hourly rate	$19.66	$25.17
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	45,105	1,439
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	12	12

Field observer vs hydrographer salary

Field observers and hydrographers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Field Observer	Hydrographer
Average salary	$40,890	$52,359
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $69,000	Between $32,000 And $85,000
Highest paying City	-	Dartmouth, MA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Santa Clara Valley Water District
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between field observer and hydrographer education

There are a few differences between a field observer and a hydrographer in terms of educational background:

	Field Observer	Hydrographer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Education	Geology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Johns Hopkins University

Field observer vs hydrographer demographics

Here are the differences between field observers' and hydrographers' demographics:

	Field Observer	Hydrographer
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5%	Male, 72.2% Female, 27.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 11.4% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between field observer and hydrographer duties and responsibilities

Field observer example responsibilities.

Assist in taking patient medical history and managing clinical patients and participate in medical team discussions regarding patient treatment plans.
Acquire hand to hand combat and defense techniques used solely for the purpose of last resort when all else fails.
Establish and maintain appropriate systems to monitor, evaluate and report on all operational activities including logistics and program implementation.
Familiarize myself with immunization schedule, coding for pediatrics.

Hydrographer example responsibilities.

Manage daily RCRA inspections and mechanical, electrical, and electronic equipment preventive/corrective maintenance procedures.
Provide technical expertise in GIS and remote sensing software, hardware, data analysis & mapping
Train personnel to improve ADCP measurements.
Present to inter-agency climate change work group.
Assist in the planning and mobilization of lidar and marine sensors and vessels.
Navigate surveying vessels equip with GPS systems and fathometers used to conduct accurate and repeatable surveys.

Field observer vs hydrographer skills

Common field observer skills

Mathematics, 47%
Grade Class, 32%
Classroom Management, 20%

Common hydrographer skills

GPS, 28%
GIS, 21%
Data Analysis, 16%
Data Processing, 16%
LiDAR, 6%
Side Scan, 5%

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Field Observer
Field Observer vs Hydrographer

Updated January 8, 2025

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