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Hydraulic engineer salary
Average hydraulic engineer salary
$84,440
Understanding Hydraulic Engineer Salaries
As of October 2025, hydraulic engineers earn an average salary of $84,440 per year. This figure can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, hydraulic engineers in high-demand areas or those specializing in advanced technologies may earn significantly more.
In terms of experience, entry-level hydraulic engineers typically start at a lower salary, while those with extensive experience can command salaries well above the average. Various states also offer different salary scales; for example, states with major engineering hubs tend to have higher pay rates.
According to recent data, states like California and Texas rank among the highest-paying locations for hydraulic engineers. Additionally, sectors such as construction and manufacturing often provide more competitive compensation compared to others.
For those considering a career in this field, understanding the salary landscape is crucial for making informed decisions about education and job opportunities. By targeting specific industries or locations, potential hydraulic engineers can better position themselves for lucrative roles.
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Where can a Hydraulic Engineer earn more?
Hydraulic engineer salaries by experience level
Hydraulic engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average hydraulic engineer salary by state
The average hydraulic engineer salary in California, Washington, and New Mexico are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average hydraulic engineer salary states are Mississippi, Indiana, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for hydraulic engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $108,520 | $52.17 |
| 2 | California | $111,331 | $53.52 |
| 3 | Oregon | $98,987 | $47.59 |
| 4 | Texas | $100,834 | $48.48 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $106,579 | $51.24 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $100,887 | $48.50 |
| 7 | Arizona | $93,372 | $44.89 |
| 8 | Alaska | $96,280 | $46.29 |
| 9 | Idaho | $97,184 | $46.72 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $94,259 | $45.32 |
| 11 | Delaware | $92,097 | $44.28 |
| 12 | Alabama | $90,940 | $43.72 |
| 13 | Michigan | $90,829 | $43.67 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $100,967 | $48.54 |
| 15 | Colorado | $90,172 | $43.35 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $94,277 | $45.33 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $91,034 | $43.77 |
| 18 | New York | $92,465 | $44.45 |
| 19 | Virginia | $88,221 | $42.41 |
| 20 | Nevada | $88,716 | $42.65 |
| 21 | Maryland | $90,598 | $43.56 |
| 22 | Utah | $82,618 | $39.72 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $90,807 | $43.66 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $84,360 | $40.56 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $85,062 | $40.90 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $77,717 | $37.36 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $81,839 | $39.35 |
| 28 | Illinois | $82,833 | $39.82 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $79,626 | $38.28 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $84,143 | $40.45 |
| 31 | Ohio | $77,006 | $37.02 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $76,772 | $36.91 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $76,979 | $37.01 |
| 34 | Missouri | $81,568 | $39.22 |
| 35 | Iowa | $75,503 | $36.30 |
| 36 | Montana | $74,945 | $36.03 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $71,117 | $34.19 |
| 38 | Maine | $76,790 | $36.92 |
| 39 | Vermont | $71,853 | $34.54 |
| 40 | Georgia | $74,535 | $35.83 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $74,739 | $35.93 |
| 42 | Florida | $75,820 | $36.45 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $74,005 | $35.58 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $68,873 | $33.11 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $72,175 | $34.70 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $73,047 | $35.12 |
| 47 | Indiana | $69,922 | $33.62 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $69,443 | $33.39 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $71,076 | $34.17 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $68,269 | $32.82 |
| 51 | Kansas | $67,437 | $32.42 |
Highest paying cities for hydraulic engineers
The highest-paying cities for hydraulic engineers are San Francisco, CA, Bellevue, WA, and Austin, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $122,271 | $58.78 |
| 2 | Bellevue, WA | $109,154 | $52.48 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $101,678 | $48.88 |
| 4 | Piscataway, NJ | $101,026 | $48.57 |
| 5 | Salem, OR | $99,258 | $47.72 |
| 6 | Carson City, NV | $95,055 | $45.70 |
| 7 | Cranston, RI | $94,286 | $45.33 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $93,634 | $45.02 |
| 9 | Baton Rouge, LA | $91,001 | $43.75 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $90,855 | $43.68 |
| 11 | Lakewood, CO | $90,303 | $43.41 |
| 12 | Holland, MI | $90,263 | $43.40 |
| 13 | Newport News, VA | $88,342 | $42.47 |
| 14 | Windsor, CT | $84,761 | $40.75 |
| 15 | Tulsa, OK | $83,264 | $40.03 |
| 16 | Champaign, IL | $81,955 | $39.40 |
| 17 | Gainesville, FL | $77,645 | $37.33 |
| 18 | Wilmington, NC | $77,248 | $37.14 |
| 19 | South Portland, ME | $77,125 | $37.08 |
| 20 | Columbus, OH | $76,553 | $36.80 |
Hydraulic engineer salary details
A hydraulic engineer's salary ranges from $60,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $118,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a hydraulic engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| 75th Percentile | $101,000 | $8,417 | $49 |
| Average | $84,440 | $7,037 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 10th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
Highest paying hydraulic engineer jobs
The highest paying types of hydraulic engineers are senior principal engineer, principal engineer, and senior engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development Engineer | $93,206 | $7,767 | $44.81 | 224,881 |
| Lead Design Engineer | $108,490 | $9,041 | $52.16 | 118,073 |
| Design Engineer | $77,134 | $6,428 | $37.08 | 138,173 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Staff Engineer | $107,530 | $8,961 | $51.70 | 277,011 |
| Civil Engineer | $70,950 | $5,912 | $34.11 | 26,803 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for hydraulic engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Daisy Huang
Assistant Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Top companies hiring hydraulic engineers now:
Which companies pay hydraulic engineers the most?
Hydraulic engineer salaries at Phillips 66 and BP America Inc are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average hydraulic engineer salary at companies like Nevada DOT and Stanadyne are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phillips 66 | $118,037 | $56.75 |
| 2 | BP America Inc | $115,532 | $55.54 |
| 3 | Nevada DOT | $96,735 | $46.51 |
| 4 | Stanadyne | $93,639 | $45.02 |
| 5 | Volvo Construction Equipment | $93,567 | $44.98 |
| 6 | Taco Comfort Solutions | $93,532 | $44.97 |
| 7 | General Electric | $92,521 | $44.48 |
| 8 | NOV | $90,420 | $43.47 |
| 9 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $90,158 | $43.35 |
| 10 | ProPetro Holding | $89,943 | $43.24 |
| 11 | URS E&C Holdings Inc | $88,229 | $42.42 |
| 12 | CNH Industrial | $88,229 | $42.42 |
| 13 | Colorado State Express | $88,229 | $42.42 |
| 14 | KIT Professionals | $88,229 | $42.42 |
| 15 | Electrolux | $88,229 | $42.42 |
| 16 | *n/a* | $88,092 | $42.35 |
| 17 | PDS Tech | $88,030 | $42.32 |
| 18 | Goodwin Recruiting | $88,000 | $42.31 |
| 19 | Whitney Bailey Cox & Magnani, LLC | $87,834 | $42.23 |
| 20 | PSEG | $86,979 | $41.82 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Hydraulic Engineer salary by industry
The average hydraulic engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average hydraulic engineer salary in the energy industry is $97,790, the highest of any industry.
- The average hydraulic engineer salary in the finance industry is $91,981.
- Hydraulic engineers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $76,818, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for hydraulic engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $97,790 | $47.01 |
| 2 | Technology | $91,981 | $44.22 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $87,375 | $42.01 |
| 4 | Professional | $76,818 | $36.93 |
High paying hydraulic engineer jobs
Hydraulic engineer salary trends
The average hydraulic engineer salary has risen by $10,237 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average hydraulic engineer earned $74,203 annually, but today, they earn $84,440 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for hydraulic engineers over the last decade.
Compare hydraulic engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average hydraulic engineer salary over time
Compare hydraulic engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Hydraulic engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,400 | $40.60 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | $82,800 | $39.82 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $81,800 | $39.34 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $80,400 | $38.67 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $78,800 | $37.91 | +0.7% |
Recently added hydraulic engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Ohio | Transportation Engineer 4/Roadway Hydraulic Engineer, Office of Hydraulic Engineering, PN 20049529 | Columbus, OH | 06/29/2025 | $86,047 |
| Prohns LLC | Hydraulics Engineer | Sedro-Woolley, WA | 06/27/2025 | $104,350 |
| Dasstateoh | Transportation Engineer 4/Roadway Hydraulic Engineer, Office of Hydraulic Engineering, PN 20049529 | Columbus, OH | 06/27/2025 | $86,047 |
| KGS Group | Senior Hydrology and Hydraulics Engineer | Seattle, WA | 06/20/2025 | $120,000 |
| Stvinc | Senior Hydraulic Engineer | Morrisville, NC | 06/20/2025 | $136,843 |
| Actalent | Hydraulics Engineer | Durham, NC | 06/18/2025 | $80,000 |
| Insight Global | Hydraulic Modeling Engineer | Richmond, VA | 06/17/2025 | $110,000 |
| Kfc Airport | Hydraulics Engineer | Urban Honolulu, HI | 06/16/2025 | $90,000 |
| GEI Consultants | Civil/Hydrologic and Hydraulic Engineer | Denver, CO | 06/10/2025 | $90,000 |
| Michael Baker | Hydrologic/Hydraulic Engineer | Boston, MA | 06/10/2025 | $90,000 |
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