Hydrologic Technicians Salary
In Raleigh-Cary, NC, hydrologic technicians earn $70,750 at the median, or about $34.01 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $72,076 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,750/month, about 36.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $71K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About hydrologic technicians
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What this looks like in Raleigh-Cary
Hydrologic technicians pay in Raleigh-Cary tracks closely to the national median, $71K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,750/month, which is 38.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level hydrologic technicians (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Hydrologic Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Hydrologic Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $88K | +36% | 270 |
| Washington | $85K | +32% | 70 |
| New Mexico | $80K | +23% | 50 |
| Missouri | $79K | +23% | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $74K | +14% | 60 |
| California | $71K | +9% | 300 |
| Nevada | $69K | +6% | 30 |
| Maryland | $68K | +4% | 50 |
| Georgia | $67K | +3% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $65K | +1% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $65K | +1% | 40 |
| New York | $65K | +1% | 50 |
| Arizona | $65K | +1% | 50 |
| Kentucky | $65K | +1% | 30 |
| Louisiana | $65K | +1% | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | +0% | 50 |
| Oregon | $63K | -4% | 80 |
| Florida | $62K | -5% | 240 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -7% | 50 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -8% | 110 |
| Colorado | $57K | -12% | N/A |
| Idaho | $55K | -15% | 50 |
| Montana | $54K | -17% | 70 |
| Illinois | $53K | -18% | N/A |
| Virginia | $52K | -19% | 40 |
| Ohio | $52K | -20% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -26% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $31K | -52% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 28 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track hydrologic technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Raleigh-Cary numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hydrologic technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 38.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for hydrologic technicians in Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hydrologic technicians typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,968/month. At HUD’s $1,750/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is hydrologic technician a high-paying job in Raleigh-Cary?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $71K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for hydrologic technicians?
Raleigh-Cary pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do hydrologic technicians make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $70,750 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,470, and experienced hydrologic technicians can clear $100,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,581/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 38.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a hydrologic technicians salary go in Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median hydrologic technicians salary is worth about $72,076 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hydrologic technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.