The median annual wage of hydrologists was $75,690 in May 2010. (The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.) The lowest 10% earned less than $48,280, and the top 10% more than $112,490.

Most hydrologists work full time. However, the length of daily shifts may vary when hydrologists are doing field work.

Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of hydrologists in May 2010 were as follows:

• Federal government $84,540
• Management, scientific, and technical consulting services $77,850
• Architectural, engineering, and related services $77,750
• Local government, excluding education and hospitals $68,600
• Large government, excluding education and hospitals $61,830