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Hydrogeologist salary
Average hydrogeologist salary
$74,733
Understanding Hydrogeologist Salaries
A hydrogeologist focuses on groundwater and its interactions with the environment, making their expertise critical in various industries such as environmental consulting, water management, and geology. As of October 2025, the average hydrogeologist salary is $74,733 per year. This figure can fluctuate based on factors such as geographic location, industry specialization, and years of experience.
Salary Variations by Location
Hydrogeologists in states like California and Texas often earn more due to higher demand and cost of living. For instance, the highest-paying states include:
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Washington
In addition to state differences, hydrogeologists can find lucrative roles in various sectors, including government agencies, private firms, and non-profits. Those in management or specialized positions, such as groundwater modeling, can command higher salaries, often exceeding $90,000. Career advancement opportunities in this field are abundant, especially for individuals with advanced degrees and certifications.
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Where can a Hydrogeologist earn more?
Hydrogeologist salary estimates from across the web
Average hydrogeologist salary by state
The highest-paying states for hydrogeologists are California, Colorado, and Massachusetts. The lowest average hydrogeologist salary states are Wisconsin, South Dakota, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for hydrogeologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $79,622 | $38.28 |
| 2 | California | $91,546 | $44.01 |
| 3 | Florida | $78,600 | $37.79 |
| 4 | Washington | $76,912 | $36.98 |
| 5 | Ohio | $77,811 | $37.41 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $75,930 | $36.50 |
| 7 | Kentucky | $72,443 | $34.83 |
| 8 | Colorado | $90,564 | $43.54 |
| 9 | Virginia | $78,201 | $37.60 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $90,469 | $43.49 |
| 11 | Texas | $75,583 | $36.34 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $73,722 | $35.44 |
| 13 | Idaho | $70,938 | $34.10 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $65,832 | $31.65 |
| 15 | Arizona | $71,519 | $34.38 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $69,663 | $33.49 |
| 17 | Oregon | $74,277 | $35.71 |
| 18 | Kansas | $69,280 | $33.31 |
| 19 | Illinois | $71,297 | $34.28 |
| 20 | Nevada | $68,308 | $32.84 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $70,532 | $33.91 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $63,779 | $30.66 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $68,897 | $33.12 |
| 24 | Utah | $70,432 | $33.86 |
| 25 | Indiana | $65,013 | $31.26 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $72,807 | $35.00 |
| 27 | Alaska | $60,542 | $29.11 |
| 28 | Maine | $62,359 | $29.98 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $62,951 | $30.26 |
| 30 | Delaware | $71,568 | $34.41 |
| 31 | New York | $72,336 | $34.78 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $65,896 | $31.68 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $64,989 | $31.24 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $61,150 | $29.40 |
| 35 | Montana | $60,861 | $29.26 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $59,695 | $28.70 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $62,639 | $30.11 |
| 38 | Alabama | $62,281 | $29.94 |
| 39 | Iowa | $57,088 | $27.45 |
| 40 | Michigan | $61,642 | $29.64 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $55,683 | $26.77 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $54,718 | $26.31 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $55,756 | $26.81 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $58,269 | $28.01 |
| 45 | Vermont | $52,314 | $25.15 |
| 46 | Georgia | $59,823 | $28.76 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | $57,008 | $27.41 |
| 48 | Minnesota | $57,282 | $27.54 |
| 49 | Maryland | $59,410 | $28.56 |
| 50 | Missouri | $54,426 | $26.17 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $53,270 | $25.61 |
Highest paying cities for hydrogeologists
The highest-paying cities for hydrogeologists are San Ramon, CA, Englewood, CO, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Ramon, CA | $95,171 | $45.76 |
| 2 | Englewood, CO | $90,773 | $43.64 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $90,130 | $43.33 |
| 4 | Sterling, VA | $78,652 | $37.81 |
| 5 | Fort Myers, FL | $78,461 | $37.72 |
| 6 | Olympia, WA | $78,054 | $37.53 |
| 7 | Dallas, TX | $76,003 | $36.54 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $73,325 | $35.25 |
| 9 | New Brunswick, NJ | $72,874 | $35.04 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $71,716 | $34.48 |
| 11 | Midvale, UT | $70,212 | $33.76 |
| 12 | Reno, NV | $69,460 | $33.39 |
| 13 | Idaho Falls, ID | $67,750 | $32.57 |
| 14 | Shelton, CT | $63,237 | $30.40 |
| 15 | Ann Arbor, MI | $61,704 | $29.67 |
| 16 | Bel Air South, MD | $59,774 | $28.74 |
| 17 | Billings, MT | $58,929 | $28.33 |
| 18 | Merrimack, NH | $57,700 | $27.74 |
| 19 | Minneapolis, MN | $57,303 | $27.55 |
| 20 | Madison, WI | $55,073 | $26.48 |
Hydrogeologist salary details
A hydrogeologist's salary ranges from $52,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $106,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a hydrogeologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $106,000 | $8,833 | $51 |
| 75th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| Average | $74,733 | $6,228 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
Highest paying hydrogeologist jobs
The highest paying types of hydrogeologists are geologist, hydrologist, and research hydrologist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientist | $60,208 | $5,017 | $28.95 | 56,425 |
| Geologist | $111,878 | $9,323 | $53.79 | 869 |
| Hydrologist | $92,871 | $7,739 | $44.65 | 6,175 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for hydrogeologists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
A. Alonso Aguirre Ph.D.
Department Chair & Professor, George Mason University
Top companies hiring hydrogeologists now:
Which companies pay hydrogeologists the most?
Hydrogeologist salaries at Chevron and Argonne National Laboratory are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average hydrogeologist salary at companies like Albemarle and KIT Professionals are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevron | $134,316 | $64.58 |
| 2 | Argonne National Laboratory | $106,329 | $51.12 |
| 3 | Albemarle | $95,937 | $46.12 |
| 4 | KIT Professionals | $90,056 | $43.30 |
| 5 | Amec Foster Wheeler | $90,056 | $43.30 |
| 6 | Jacobs Enterprises | $90,032 | $43.28 |
| 7 | Woods Services | $89,443 | $43.00 |
| 8 | WorleyParsons | $86,171 | $41.43 |
| 9 | Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc. | $84,087 | $40.43 |
| 10 | SRK Consulting | $78,847 | $37.91 |
| 11 | Sanborn, Head & Associates | $78,048 | $37.52 |
| 12 | Barrick Gold | $77,992 | $37.50 |
| 13 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $77,925 | $37.46 |
| 14 | Westaff | $77,050 | $37.04 |
| 15 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $75,371 | $36.24 |
| 16 | Gsi Environmental Inc. | $74,874 | $36.00 |
| 17 | Ch2M Hill | $71,439 | $34.35 |
| 18 | INTERA Incorporated | $71,371 | $34.31 |
| 19 | Rio Tinto | $70,147 | $33.72 |
| 20 | Haley & Aldrich | $69,637 | $33.48 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Hydrogeologist salary by industry
The average hydrogeologist salary varies across industries:
- The average hydrogeologist salary in the utilities industry is $85,691, the highest of any industry.
- The average hydrogeologist salary in the finance industry is $79,743.
- Hydrogeologists in the government industry earn an average salary of $67,795, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for hydrogeologists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utilities | $85,691 | $41.20 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $79,743 | $38.34 |
| 3 | Technology | $72,088 | $34.66 |
| 4 | Professional | $68,928 | $33.14 |
| 5 | Government | $67,795 | $32.59 |
High paying hydrogeologist jobs
Hydrogeologist salary trends
The average hydrogeologist salary has risen by $7,434 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average hydrogeologist earned $67,299 annually, but today, they earn $74,733 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for hydrogeologists over the last decade.
Compare hydrogeologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average hydrogeologist salary over time
Compare hydrogeologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Hydrogeologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $74,700 | $35.93 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $72,300 | $34.75 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $70,600 | $33.93 | -0.8% |
| 2022 | $71,100 | $34.20 | -0.6% |
| 2021 | $71,600 | $34.41 | +1.2% |
Recently added hydrogeologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actalent | Hydrogeologist | Urban Honolulu, HI | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Weiss Associates | Hydrogeologist | Berkeley, CA | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| Actalent | Hydrogeologist | Berkeley, CA | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| WSP | Project Hydrogeologist | Marlton, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $83,600 |
| Inframark | Hydrogeologist | New York, NY | 06/16/2025 | $50,088 |
| St. Johns River Water Management District | Hydrogeologist (Groundwater Modeler) | Palatka, FL | 06/16/2025 | $70,803 |
| LLNL | Hydrogeologist | Livermore, CA | 06/12/2025 | $148,920 |
| Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | Early Career Hydrogeologist | Stanford, CA | 06/10/2025 | $49,400 |
| Suffolk County, Ny | Assistant Hydrogeologist | Yaphank, NY | 06/10/2025 | $63,919 |
| Houston Engineering, Inc. | Hydrogeologist | Maple Grove, MN | 06/10/2025 | $68,122 |
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