Hydrologists
Life, Physical, and Social Science · SOC 19-2043
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 19-2043 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 7.5%
- Medium · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 53/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $96,600
- H-1B offered wage $80,000; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 800
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -0.1%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 107
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 1,364 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
Best transitions from here
Explore all pathways→Lower AI-exposure roles that reuse your skills, ranked by a transition score (skills that transfer, safety gain, pay and retraining effort).
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~50% of this role but only ~7.5% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Research the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of underground and surface waters; and study the form and intensity of precipitation and its rate of infiltration into the soil, movement through the earth, and return to the ocean and atmosphere.
Common titles: Groundwater Consultant, Hydrogeologist, Hydrologist, Physical Scientist, Research Hydrologist, Scientist
Representative Tasks
- •Prepare written and oral reports describing research results, using illustrations, maps, appendices, and other information.
- •Design and conduct scientific hydrogeological investigations to ensure that accurate and appropriate information is available for use in water resource management decisions.
- •Measure and graph phenomena such as lake levels, stream flows, and changes in water volumes.
- •Conduct research and communicate information to promote the conservation and preservation of water resources.
- •Coordinate and supervise the work of professional and technical staff, including research assistants, technologists, and technicians.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
- •Research hydrologic features or processes.
- •Plan environmental research.
- •Record research or operational data.
- •Measure environmental characteristics.
Tools & Technologies
Related Occupations
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 7.5% | 9.7% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 37% Bright |
| Median Salary | $96,600 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 93/100 | N/A |