Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between hydrologists and geologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a hydrologist and a geologist. Additionally, a geologist has an average salary of $111,878, which is higher than the $92,871 average annual salary of a hydrologist.
The top three skills for a hydrologist include water resources, data collection and surface water. The most important skills for a geologist are oversight, OSHA, and data collection.
| Hydrologist | Geologist | |
| Yearly salary | $92,871 | $111,878 |
| Hourly rate | $44.65 | $53.79 |
| Growth rate | - | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 6,175 | 869 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A hydrologist studies the water systems' dynamics in the Earth's crust and uses the data to solve water maintenance issues, water scarcity, water management, water quality, and environmental effects on water systems. These professionals analyze concerns related to hydroelectric power plants, local water projects, and dam safety. Besides measuring water pollution levels, hydrologists also conduct fieldwork to gather soil samples and water samples. They determine water flow, water volume, and PH levels by measuring water properties.
A Geologist studies the composition, structure, and history of the earth's crust. They may work for private industries, the federal government, colleges and universities, or museums.
Hydrologists and geologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hydrologist | Geologist | |
| Average salary | $92,871 | $111,878 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $135,000 | Between $63,000 And $196,000 |
| Highest paying City | Silver Spring, MD | El Paso, TX |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Texas |
| Best paying company | Shell | Devon Energy |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a hydrologist and a geologist in terms of educational background:
| Hydrologist | Geologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Geology | Geology |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between hydrologists' and geologists' demographics:
| Hydrologist | Geologist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0% | Male, 78.7% Female, 21.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 0.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.4% Asian, 5.7% White, 81.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 1.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 4.9% White, 81.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |