Hydrology and Water Resources Science

Types of Degrees Hydrology and Water Resources Science Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many hydrology & water resources science graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	98
Graduate Certificate	25
Doctor’s Degree	22

What Hydrology and Water Resources Science Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to hydrology and water resources science and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Hydrology and Water Resources Science Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
• Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Skills for Hydrology and Water Resources Science Majors

When studying hydrology and water resources science, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Hydrology and Water Resources Science Majors

A major in hydrology and water resources science will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Hydrology and Water Resources Science Major?

People with a hydrology and water resources science degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Professors	9.9%	$90,860
Hydrologists	10.4%	$79,370
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Water Resource Specialists	9.9%	$123,860

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Hydrology and Water Resources Science?

Roughly 51% of the graduates are women, and 49% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of hydrology and water resources science majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	2
Black or African American	2
Hispanic or Latino	9
White	65
International Students	14
Other Races/Ethnicities	6

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Hydrology and Water Resources Science, too. About 14.3% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Hydrology and Water Resources Science

Some degrees associated with hydrology and water resources science may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for hydrology and water resources science careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree	31.6%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	5.2%
Master’s Degree	40.0%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	1.1%
Doctoral Degree	15.4%
Post-Doctoral Training	7.7%

Online Hydrology and Water Resources Science Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	1	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	3	0
Bachelor’s Degree	9	2
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	22	2
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	12	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Hydrology and Water Resources Science

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to hydrology and water resources science.

Major	Number of Grads
Geology & Earth Sciences	5,858
Other Geological & Earth Sciences/Geosciences	873
Chemical & Physical Oceanography	519
Geophysics & Seismology	195
Paleontology	24
Geochemistry	21

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Kelvinsong under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.