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Hydrology & Water Resources Science

Types of Degrees Hydrology & Water Resources Science Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Hydrology & Water Resources Science may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	4
Bachelor’s Degree	42
Master’s Degree	145
Doctor’s Degree	29

What Hydrology & Water Resources Science Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Hydrology & Water Resources Science emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Hydrology & Water Resources Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Hydrology & Water Resources Science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Hydrology & Water Resources Science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Hydrology & Water Resources Science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Hydrology & Water Resources Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Hydrology & Water Resources Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
ESRI ArcInfo	Geographic information system	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Hydrology & Water Resources Science graduates include:

• Clinical Project Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Oceanology Teacher
• Oceanic Sciences Professor
• Oceanography Professor
• Associate Professor
• Hydrography Teacher
• Mineralogy Teacher
• Volcanology Teacher
• Geological Science Teacher
• Meteorology Professor
• Mineral Industry Teacher
• Hydrometeorology Teacher
• Adjunct Instructor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	30.8%
Master’s degree	27.9%
Doctoral degree	14.1%
Post-doctoral training	10.2%
Postsecondary certificate	4.2%
Some college courses	3.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.5%
Post-master’s certificate	1.4%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Hydrology & Water Resources Science?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 48.6% women and 51.4% men among Hydrology & Water Resources Science graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	107	48.6%
Men	113	51.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	142	64.5%
Asian	3	1.4%
Hispanic or Latino	23	10.5%
Black or African American	5	2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3	1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.5%
Two or More Races	8	3.6%
Race Unknown	8	3.6%
International Students	27	12.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Hydrology & Water Resources Science Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Hydrology & Water Resources Science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$42,682
4 years	$54,219
5 years	$61,701

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $61,701 — roughly 45% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Hydrology & Water Resources Science Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Hydrology & Water Resources Science. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Hydrology & Water Resources Science Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Hydrology & Water Resources Science graduates earn a median of $54,219 four years after completion — roughly 43% 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
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences	40.06
Geochemistry and Petrology	40.0606
Geochemistry	40.0602
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other	40.0699
Geology/Earth Science, General	40.0601
Geophysics and Seismology	40.0603
Oceanography, Chemical and Physical	40.0607
Paleontology	40.0604
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other	40.0299
Astronomy	40.0201
Astrophysics	40.0202
Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology	40.0402

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.