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Hydrologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a hydrologist. Hydrologists usually study geology, environmental science, or civil engineering. 69% of hydrologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 459 real hydrologist resumes to see exactly what hydrologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for hydrologists are the Colorado State University and the Colorado State University.
There are also many online hydrologist courses to help get the education required to be a hydrologist.
What education do you need to become a hydrologist?
What degree do you need to be a hydrologist?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a hydrologist?
- Geology, 42%
- Civil Engineering, 11%
- Geography, 4%
- Other Majors, 27%
Most common colleges for hydrologists
| Hydrologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Colorado State University | 10.89% |
| University of Nevada - Las Vegas | 9.90% |
| University of Arizona | 6.93% |
| University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | 6.93% |
| University of Washington | 6.93% |
Best majors for hydrologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geology | 41.6% |
| 2 | Environmental Science | 15.5% |
| 3 | Civil Engineering | 11.5% |
| 4 | Geography | 3.7% |
| 5 | Biology | 2.7% |
Best colleges for hydrologists
The best colleges for hydrologists are Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A hydrologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for hydrologists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become hydrologists.
1. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
2. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
3. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
7. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
20 best online courses for hydrologists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for hydrologists
The most affordable schools for hydrologists are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and florida state university.
If the best universities for hydrologists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for hydrologists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
9. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
10. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hydrologists
The hardest universities for hydrologists to get into are Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for hydrologists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for hydrologists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for hydrologists
The easiest schools for hydrologists to get into are Wayland Baptist University, oregon institute of technology, and san francisco state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a hydrologist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for hydrologists.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
3. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
4. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
5. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
6. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
7. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
8. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
9. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
10. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona
Altoona, PA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,094
Average hydrologist salary by education level
| Hydrologist education level | Hydrologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $103,268 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $90,267 |
| Doctorate Degree | $114,217 |
Hydrologist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025