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What is a water resource project manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Melissa Price

Water resource project managers supervise projects related to water or wastewater management. Especially as problems with drought and water pollution increase, more construction and engineering firms are looking to hire water resource project managers in order to ensure efficient use and delivery of water. In fact, the demand for water resource project managers is set to grow by 6% by 2028.

Water resource project managers perform technical duties such as monitoring water quality, analyzing water supply, and designing distribution systems. They also handle administrative aspects of a water resource project, such as communicating with clients about deliverables or documenting progress on a project. Water resource project managers often supervise other technicians or workers and make sure that the project gets done.

In order to supervise projects successfully, water resource project managers need to have excellent knowledge of engineering, especially its environmental impacts. Almost all water resource project managers have a bachelor's or even a master's degree in civil engineering or a related field. They usually need several years of practical experience in water resource management or civil engineering as well. The aferage annual salary for a water resource project manager is $98,998.

What general advice would you give to a water resource project manager?

Dr. Melissa Price

Associate Professor

If you can identify a need and start a nonprofit or for profit business to fill that need, there is huge salary potential. For example, in natural resource management much of the work is contracted out to various sectors. If you live in a rural or remote island area such as Hawai'i, many of these contractors need to be flown in from outside the area, dramatically increasing costs. If you can develop a local business model to meet these needs, you essentially will have a corner on the market. Examples include heavy machinery, genetic analysis services, water testing services, certification training, decision analysis and facilitation, native plant nurseries, biosecurity, and helicopter services for transportation and materials delivery to remote work sites. Any preparation that demonstrates capacity for leadership positions will help you obtain positions beyond entry level technicians. Specialized skills will also help you negotiate salaries. While a solid understanding of the scientific aspects of the job are important, many higher level positions require an understanding of project management. Coursework or internships that include use of spreadsheets, preparation of reports, or team management will demonstrate that you can quickly move into project management positions.
ScoreWater Resource Project ManagerUS Average
Salary
6.9

Avg. Salary $88,678

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.49%

Asian 9.02%

Black or African American 2.25%

Hispanic or Latino 11.27%

Unknown 7.08%

White 69.88%

Gender

female 16.22%

male 83.78%

Age - 43.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43.5
Stress level
6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.8

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a water resource project manager

  1. Explore water resource project manager education requirements

    Most common water resource project manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    66.7 %

    Master's

    25.6 %

    High School Diploma

    2.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific water resource project manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Water Resources33.49%
    Business Development14.04%
    GIS11.22%
    HEC-RAS10.55%
    Autocad9.92%
  3. Research water resource project manager duties and responsibilities

    • Perform problem resolution, cost recovery, manage inventory of network components, direct RFP process for procurement of telecommunications services.
    • Develop, organize and execute SDLC projects to improve safety, quality and/or productivity throughout several processes in a warehouse environment.
    • Supervise and coordinate installation of new telecommunication system in multiple buildings.
  4. Apply for water resource project manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a water resource project manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first water resource project manager job

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Average water resource project manager salary

The average water resource project manager salary in the United States is $88,678 per year or $43 per hour. Water resource project manager salaries range between $67,000 and $115,000 per year.

Average water resource project manager salary
$88,678 Yearly
$42.63 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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