A hydrologist is a scientist who focuses on studying the way water interacts with the environment of the Earth – this includes both water above ground as well as any streams or water formations underground. A hydrologist will typically examine some important factors such as the way water makes its way through different types of ground and materials, as well as how it affects the environment as it passes through it. Hydrologists are very frequently tasked with preventing water shortages, and generally engaging in water conservation procedures.
Various types of Bachelor’s degrees are acceptable for becoming a hydrologist, but the field must generally be related to the job in some way. Engineering degrees are a good choice in most cases, and some universities even offer more tightly specialized courses aimed at training hydrologists in particular. Apart from that, the local job market is also an important factor, as the job isn’t suitable for practice everywhere, and some locations have a higher demand for hydrologists while in other places it’s practically impossible to get hired as one.
For a scientist, a hydrologist doesn’t earn as much as one would expect – the average annual salary goes between $48,000 – $76,000, and the job can involve some extra long working hours in many cases, especially when working on critical projects that have to be completed in due time. However, many of those who practice it state that it can be very rewarding and is certainly a job with plenty of potential for developing one’s career further.