The average salary for a hydrologist in California is around $122,110 per year.
Avg Salary
Hydrologists earn an average yearly salary of $122,110.
Wages typically start from $76,110 and go up to $181,360.
52% above national average Updated in 2025
Hydrologist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$87.19 per hour
$181,360 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$68.51 per hour
$142,500 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$58.71 per hour
$122,110 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$45.02 per hour
$93,640 per year
10th percentile
Starting level hydrologist earnings begin at:
$36.59 per hour
$76,110 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Hydrologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Ohio | $98,200 |
| New Mexico | $97,470 |
| Oklahoma | $97,470 |
| Minnesota | $94,580 |
| Wyoming | $94,520 |
| Utah | $94,190 |
| Connecticut | $94,060 |
| Oregon | $93,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $91,730 |
| New Hampshire | $91,370 |
| New York | $88,100 |
| Arizona | $86,700 |
| Vermont | $86,140 |
| Montana | $84,500 |
| Illinois | $83,720 |
| North Carolina | $81,770 |
| Iowa | $81,150 |
| Texas | $81,080 |
| Tennessee | $80,940 |
| Indiana | $80,700 |
| Idaho | $78,850 |
| Wisconsin | $78,770 |
| Florida | $76,850 |
| Maine | $75,180 |
| South Carolina | $65,770 |
| North Dakota | $64,120 |
| Nebraska | $61,510 |
| Maryland | $143,010 |
| Virginia | $132,080 |
| New Jersey | $126,680 |
| California | $122,110 |
| Georgia | $121,830 |
| Massachusetts | $119,350 |
| Missouri | $116,100 |
| Alaska | $108,660 |
| Nevada | $107,930 |
| Washington | $105,600 |
| Louisiana | $104,520 |
| Michigan | $101,060 |
| Colorado | $100,840 |
How do hydrologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Hydrologists earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than astronomers but more than industrial ecologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Astronomer salary | $124K |
| Atmospheric scientist salary | $125K |
| Scientist salary | $120K |
| Molecular biologist salary | $114K |
| Bioinformatics scientist salary | $114K |
| Hydrologist salary | $122K |
| Geographer salary | $114K |
| Climate change analyst salary | $107K |
| Environmental restoration planner salary | $107K |
| Industrial ecologist salary | $107K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)