Hydrologists Salary
In Columbus, OH, hydrologists earn $98,200 at the median, or about $47.21 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $102,860 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,430/month, or 23% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $98K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). 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 hydrologists
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What this looks like in Columbus
Hydrologists pay in Columbus tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $97K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,430/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.47) 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 hydrologists in metros near Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Akron | $99K | $107K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $86K | $83K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $81K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, OH
Entry-level hydrologists (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Hydrologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Hydrologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $143K | +48% | 90 |
| Virginia | $132K | +37% | 40 |
| New Jersey | $127K | +31% | N/A |
| California | $122K | +26% | 540 |
| Georgia | $122K | +26% | 30 |
| Massachusetts | $119K | +24% | 50 |
| Missouri | $116K | +20% | 50 |
| Alaska | $109K | +12% | 60 |
| Nevada | $108K | +12% | 170 |
| Washington | $106K | +9% | 350 |
| Louisiana | $105K | +8% | N/A |
| Michigan | $101K | +5% | 40 |
| Colorado | $101K | +4% | 360 |
| Ohio | $98K | +2% | 390 |
| New Mexico | $97K | +1% | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $97K | +1% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $95K | -2% | 300 |
| Wyoming | $95K | -2% | 40 |
| Utah | $94K | -2% | 80 |
| Oregon | $94K | -3% | 300 |
| Pennsylvania | $92K | -5% | 160 |
| New York | $88K | -9% | 160 |
| Arizona | $87K | -10% | 400 |
| Vermont | $86K | -11% | 50 |
| Montana | $85K | -13% | 190 |
| Illinois | $84K | -13% | 100 |
| North Carolina | $82K | -15% | 150 |
| Iowa | $81K | -16% | 50 |
| Texas | $81K | -16% | 220 |
| Indiana | $81K | -16% | 50 |
| Idaho | $79K | -18% | 160 |
| Wisconsin | $79K | -18% | 150 |
| Florida | $77K | -20% | 280 |
| South Carolina | $66K | -32% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 34 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track hydrologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbus numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hydrologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbus?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,430/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for hydrologists in Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hydrologists typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,780/month. At HUD’s $1,430/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is hydrologist a high-paying job in Columbus?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $97K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for hydrologists?
Columbus pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.47), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do hydrologists make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $98,200 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,000, and experienced hydrologists can clear $131,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,288/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 22.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a hydrologists salary go in Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (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 hydrologists salary is worth about $102,860 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hydrologists 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.