Hydrologic Technicians Salary
In Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, hydrologic technicians earn $60,700 at the median, or about $29.19 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $60,165 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,977/month, about 46.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Hydrologic technicians pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,977/month, which is 46.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for hydrologic technicians in metros near Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $65K | $64K |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $65K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level hydrologic technicians (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $43K 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hydrologic technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 46.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for hydrologic technicians in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hydrologic technicians typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,450/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for hydrologic technicians?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do hydrologic technicians make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $60,700 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,830, and experienced hydrologic technicians can clear $83,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,234/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 46.7% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median hydrologic technicians salary is worth about $60,165 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.