Hydrologists Salary
In Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, hydrologists earn $78,120 at the median, or about $37.56 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $169K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $80,586 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,338/month, or 26.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $78K actually covers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Pay for hydrologists in Milwaukee-Waukesha runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $97K. Rent runs $1,338/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | $81K | $84K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $95K | $90K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level hydrologists (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $169K or more, a $102K 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 with published data
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 Milwaukee-Waukesha numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a hydrologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 26.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for hydrologists in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hydrologists typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,395/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is hydrologist a high-paying job in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $78K here vs. $97K nationally.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for hydrologists?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — below the national median.
How much do hydrologists make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $78,120 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,580, and experienced hydrologists can clear $168,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,021/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 26.6% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 $80,586 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.