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Water Resources Engineering

Types of Degrees Water Resources Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Water Resources Engineering may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	1
Master’s Degree	45
Doctor’s Degree	7

What Water Resources Engineering Majors Need to Know

Programs in Water Resources Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Water Resources Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Water Resources Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Physics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Water Resources Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Water Resources Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Water Resources Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Water Resources Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Water Resources Engineering graduates include:

• Engineer
• Project Engineer
• Mechanical Engineering Professor
• Engineering Fundamentals Instructor
• Aeronautics Teacher
• Motion and Time Study Teacher
• Engineering Lecturer
• Ceramic Engineering Professor
• Machine Design Teacher
• Electronics Engineering Professor
• Sanitary Engineering Teacher
• Electrical Engineering Professor
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Radar Engineering Teacher
• Metallurgy Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Water Resources Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	40.8%
Doctoral degree	23.2%
Master’s degree	12.5%
Post-doctoral training	6.1%
Post-master’s certificate	5.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.0%
Postsecondary certificate	1.6%
First professional degree	1.5%
Some college courses	1.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.5%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Water Resources Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 52.8% women and 47.2% men among Water Resources Engineering graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	28	52.8%
Men	25	47.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Water Resources Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	31	58.5%
Asian	1	1.9%
Hispanic or Latino	5	9.4%
Black or African American	1	1.9%
Two or More Races	5	9.4%
Race Unknown	2	3.8%
International Students	8	15.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Water Resources Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Water Resources Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$71,056
4 years	$78,886
5 years	$88,976

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $88,976 — roughly 25% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Water Resources Engineering Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Water Resources Engineering graduates earn a median of $78,886 four years after completion — roughly 108% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Civil Engineering	14.08
Civil Engineering, General	14.0801
Civil Engineering, Other	14.0899
Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering	14.0802
Structural Engineering	14.0803
Transportation and Highway Engineering	14.0804
Construction Engineering	14.3301
Architectural Engineering	14.0401
Biochemical Engineering	14.4301
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.4501
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	14.0702
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.4701

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.