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Best states for a hydraulic engineer
Quoted expert
Adeeba Raheem Ph.D.
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It seems like hydraulic engineers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for hydraulic engineers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Our research found that Washington is the best state for hydraulic engineers, while California and Washington are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Washington has a median salary of $108,520 and California has the highest median salary among all 50 states for hydraulic engineers.
We figured that the best places for hydraulic engineer jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.Washington is the best state, and Eureka is the city with the highest pay for hydraulic engineers.
10 best states for hydraulic engineers in 2025
1. Washington
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 1,725 Average annual salary: $108,520 Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000 Location Quotient: 1.67
2. California
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 8,132 Average annual salary: $111,331 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location Quotient: 1.97
3. Oregon
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 900 Average annual salary: $98,987 Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
4. Texas
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 2,751 Average annual salary: $100,834 Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
5. New Mexico
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 237 Average annual salary: $106,579 Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
6. Massachusetts
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 1,477 Average annual salary: $100,887 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
7. Arizona
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 1,089 Average annual salary: $93,372 Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
8. Alaska
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 120 Average annual salary: $96,280 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
9. Idaho
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 180 Average annual salary: $97,184 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
10. Rhode Island
Total hydraulic engineer jobs: 155 Average annual salary: $94,259 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
Hydraulic engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a hydraulic engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a hydraulic engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $108,520 | $78,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,725 |
| 2 | California | $111,331 | $77,000 | 39,536,653 | 8,132 |
| 3 | Oregon | $98,987 | $71,000 | 4,142,776 | 900 |
| 4 | Texas | $100,834 | $72,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,751 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $106,579 | $76,000 | 2,088,070 | 237 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $100,887 | $73,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,477 |
| 7 | Arizona | $93,372 | $66,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,089 |
| 8 | Alaska | $96,280 | $73,000 | 739,795 | 120 |
| 9 | Idaho | $97,184 | $69,000 | 1,716,943 | 180 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $94,259 | $68,000 | 1,059,639 | 155 |
| 11 | Delaware | $92,097 | $67,000 | 961,939 | 222 |
| 12 | Alabama | $90,940 | $66,000 | 4,874,747 | 571 |
| 13 | Michigan | $90,829 | $67,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,011 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $100,967 | $73,000 | 9,005,644 | 744 |
| 15 | Colorado | $90,172 | $65,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,212 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $94,277 | $69,000 | 693,972 | 510 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $91,034 | $68,000 | 5,576,606 | 804 |
| 18 | New York | $92,465 | $67,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,702 |
| 19 | Virginia | $88,221 | $64,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,038 |
| 20 | Nevada | $88,716 | $62,000 | 2,998,039 | 227 |
| 21 | Maryland | $90,598 | $66,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,101 |
| 22 | Utah | $82,618 | $58,000 | 3,101,833 | 506 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $90,807 | $65,000 | 4,684,333 | 224 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $84,360 | $62,000 | 1,815,857 | 133 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $85,062 | $61,000 | 3,588,184 | 489 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $77,717 | $56,000 | 579,315 | 86 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $81,839 | $61,000 | 5,795,483 | 578 |
| 28 | Illinois | $82,833 | $61,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,300 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $79,626 | $58,000 | 1,342,795 | 211 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $84,143 | $60,000 | 3,930,864 | 211 |
| 31 | Ohio | $77,006 | $56,000 | 11,658,609 | 959 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $76,772 | $56,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,111 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $76,979 | $56,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,150 |
| 34 | Missouri | $81,568 | $60,000 | 6,113,532 | 450 |
| 35 | Iowa | $75,503 | $56,000 | 3,145,711 | 298 |
| 36 | Montana | $74,945 | $54,000 | 1,050,493 | 138 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $71,117 | $53,000 | 755,393 | 129 |
| 38 | Maine | $76,790 | $57,000 | 1,335,907 | 106 |
| 39 | Vermont | $71,853 | $53,000 | 623,657 | 112 |
| 40 | Georgia | $74,535 | $54,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,097 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $74,739 | $54,000 | 6,715,984 | 385 |
| 42 | Florida | $75,820 | $53,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,604 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $74,005 | $54,000 | 5,024,369 | 393 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $68,873 | $51,000 | 1,427,538 | 121 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $72,175 | $53,000 | 869,666 | 76 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $73,047 | $53,000 | 4,454,189 | 236 |
| 47 | Indiana | $69,922 | $51,000 | 6,666,818 | 639 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $69,443 | $51,000 | 1,920,076 | 214 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $71,076 | $51,000 | 2,984,100 | 117 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $68,269 | $49,000 | 3,004,279 | 211 |
| 51 | Kansas | $67,437 | $49,000 | 2,913,123 | 239 |
Highest paying states for hydraulic engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Hydraulic Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $108,520 |
| 2 | California | $111,331 |
| 3 | Oregon | $98,987 |
| 4 | Texas | $100,834 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $106,579 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $100,887 |
| 7 | Arizona | $93,372 |
| 8 | Alaska | $96,280 |
| 9 | Idaho | $97,184 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $94,259 |
| 11 | Delaware | $92,097 |
| 12 | Alabama | $90,940 |
| 13 | Michigan | $90,829 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $100,967 |
| 15 | Colorado | $90,172 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $94,277 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $91,034 |
| 18 | New York | $92,465 |
| 19 | Virginia | $88,221 |
| 20 | Nevada | $88,716 |
| 21 | Maryland | $90,598 |
| 22 | Utah | $82,618 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $90,807 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $84,360 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $85,062 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $77,717 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $81,839 |
| 28 | Illinois | $82,833 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $79,626 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $84,143 |
| 31 | Ohio | $77,006 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $76,772 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $76,979 |
| 34 | Missouri | $81,568 |
| 35 | Iowa | $75,503 |
| 36 | Montana | $74,945 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $71,117 |
| 38 | Maine | $76,790 |
| 39 | Vermont | $71,853 |
| 40 | Georgia | $74,535 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $74,739 |
| 42 | Florida | $75,820 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $74,005 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $68,873 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $72,175 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $73,047 |
| 47 | Indiana | $69,922 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $69,443 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $71,076 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $68,269 |
| 51 | Kansas | $67,437 |
Expert opinions on the best states for hydraulic engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for hydraulic engineers to find work opportunities?
Adeeba Raheem Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of Texas
In my opinion, career fairs are viewed as the best platform for students to get hired for entry-level jobs. They should also access campus and community resources for employment support. It is highly suggested that students should gain work-based learning experiences during their time at their academic institute. These experiences not only help them to develop their work-readiness skills but also provide significant networking opportunities. My message would be: "Don't wait until you graduate."
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Updated January 8, 2025