Hydrologic technicians
SOC Code: 19-4044
Hydrologic technicians carries a 37% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $58,570 and -2.1% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 3,100 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 37% AI exposure, Hydrologic technicians sits 0 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 59% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
37/100
Hydrologic technicians, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage D $58,570
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F -2.1%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) D 37% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Hydrologic technicians in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Associate / award entry with a named growth shelf
Entry credential Associate / award covers 99 of 832 occupations; BLS places this one in Slow growth (245/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Hydrologic technicians sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Hydrologic technicians sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
37% Around the middle lower than 41% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Hydrologic technicians vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Hydrologic technicians is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Hydrologic technicians's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 19-4044) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Hydrologic technicians be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Hydrologic technicians. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Analyze ecological data about the impact of pollution, erosion, floods, and other environmental problems on bodies of water.
- 2. Answer technical questions from hydrologists, policymakers, or other customers developing water conservation plans.
- 3. Apply research findings to minimize the environmental impacts of pollution, waterborne diseases, erosion, or sedimentation.
- 4. Assist in designing programs to ensure the proper sealing of abandoned wells.
- 5. Collect water and soil samples to test for physical, chemical, or biological properties, such as pH, oxygen level, temperature, and pollution.
- 6. Develop computer models for hydrologic predictions.
- 7. Estimate the costs and benefits of municipal projects, such as hydroelectric power plants, irrigation systems, and wastewater treatment facilities.
- 8. Investigate complaints or conflicts related to the alteration of public waters by gathering information, recommending alternatives, or preparing legal documents.
- 9. Investigate the properties, origins, or activities of glaciers, ice, snow, or permafrost.
- 10. Locate and deliver information or data as requested by customers, such as contractors, government entities, and members of the public.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Hydrologic technicians?
Hydrologic technicians has an AI exposure score of 37%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Hydrologic technicians?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Hydrologic technicians is projected to decline by 2.1% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 3,100 workers.
What skills are needed for Hydrologic technicians?
Hydrologic technicians requires a combination of technical knowledge and interpersonal skills. Typical education requirement: Associate's degree.
How much do Hydrologic technicians earn?
The median annual wage for Hydrologic technicians is $58,570, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Hydrologic technicians?
The typical entry-level education for Hydrologic technicians is Associate's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Hydrologic technicians?
Hydrologic technicians roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Hydrologic technicians: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (37% here).
- Aircraft cargo handling supervisors · AI exposure 37%
- Bakers · AI exposure 37%
- Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders · AI exposure 37%
- Construction and building inspectors · AI exposure 37%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (-2.1% here).
- Advertising and promotions managers · growth -2.2%
- Bailiffs · growth -2.2%
- Career/technical education teachers, middle school · growth -2.0%
- Elementary school teachers, except special education · growth -2.0%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 30 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Hydrologic technicians' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Hydrologic technicians side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).