What is the salary of a Hydrologic Technician?

The typical salary range is $40,999 - $81,998 per year.

Research & DevelopmentStable

Hydrologic Technician

Operational-level

Also known as: Field Technician (Field Tech), GIS Technician (Geographic Information System Technician), Groundwater Monitoring Technician, Hydro Operator

Research & DevelopmentBachelor's Degree

Job Description

Collect and organize data concerning the distribution and circulation of ground and surface water, and data on its physical, chemical, and biological properties. Measure and report on flow rates and ground water levels, maintain field equipment, collect water samples, install and collect sampling equipment, and process samples for shipment to testing laboratories. May collect data on behalf of hydrologists, engineers, developers, government agencies, or agriculture.

HydrologyWater ResourcesEnvironmental ScienceEnvironmental MonitoringGeoscienceScienceResearchField OperationsAnalysisSTEM

Skills employers are looking for in 2027

Software and technologies flagged by O*NET as Hot or In-Demand for this role.

Hot technologies

Adobe Acrobat ESRI ArcGIS software Microsoft Access Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word

In-demand software

Geographic information system GIS systems

Job Outlook 2025-2035

Projected growth

-1.3%

US average: +3.5%

Job openings

400

per year (US)

Jobs today

3,000

in 2025 → 3,000 (2035)

Typical entry education

Associate's degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections; O*NET Bright Outlook. Read the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook

Future Perspective

Stable Job Market

This field maintains steady employment levels with consistent demand. Job opportunities remain available with moderate competition.

Career ladder

Often before this role

Assistant de terrain environnemental
Technicien de laboratoire junior
Aide à la conservation

Hydrologic Technician

Where it can lead

Hydrologue
Scientifique de l'environnement
Gestionnaire de projet en ressources hydriques

Impact of AI on this Job

AI will likely automate many routine data collection, sensor monitoring, and initial data processing tasks for hydrologic technicians. This will shift their focus towards managing advanced AI systems, validating complex data outputs, and performing more specialized field investigations, requiring new skills in AI oversight and interpretation rather than purely manual effort.

Salary

$64,790

Median annual wage, BLS 2025

Required Education

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum educational requirement for this position