AI Career Radar

Hydrologists

Research the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of underground and surface waters; and study the form and intensity of precipitation and its rate of infiltration into the soil, movement through the earth, and return to the ocean and atmosphere.

AI exposure29 / 100Low exposure

Based on O*NET work context for this occupation. This score does not predict individual job losses.

What drives the score

Automation and repetition raise exposure; freedom to set tasks lowers it. Each measure uses a 0–100 scale.

Degree of automation24
Freedom to set tasks80
Repeating the same tasks43
$96,600Median annual wage, U.S.BLS OEWS
+1.5%Jobs, 2025 to 2035 (below average)BLS Employment Projections
68Skill durability (moderate)Transferability, out of 100

How well your skills transfer

Each skill is scored on how well it transfers into occupations that are growing and less exposed. The ones high on both importance and transfer are worth deepening.

Highest transferability first

Both scores out of 100

Skills ranked by transferability. Both scores use a 0–100 scale.
SkillTransferabilityImportance in current role
Critical Thinking
63
78
Active Listening
63
72
Speaking
63
69
Judgment and Decision Making
63
69
Monitoring
63
56
Complex Problem Solving
62
72
Active Learning
62
69
Coordination
62
50
Reading Comprehension
61
72
Time Management
61
50
Show 25 more skills
Skills ranked by transferability. Both scores use a 0–100 scale.
SkillTransferabilityImportance in current role
Writing
60
69
Social Perceptiveness
60
50
Learning Strategies
58
50
Instructing
58
50
Systems Analysis
57
63
Systems Evaluation
56
53
Service Orientation
56
38
Persuasion
54
50
Mathematics
53
72
Science
52
72
Negotiation
52
41
Management of Personnel Resources
50
41
Operations Analysis
49
38
Installation
48
19
Quality Control Analysis
47
44
Equipment Selection
47
25
Equipment Maintenance
47
25
Troubleshooting
47
25
Management of Financial Resources
47
25
Management of Material Resources
47
25
Technology Design
47
22
Operations Monitoring
46
47
Repairing
46
22
Programming
45
31
Operation and Control
43
28

Compare how well you can use each skill in growing, low-exposure occupations with its importance in your current role. How we score skills.

Jobs you could move to

Compare related occupations by skill overlap, retraining effort, pay and projected growth. Choose a priority to adjust the ranking. Licensing requirements may limit some routes.

92/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$132,300
10-yr growth
+41%
Skill gap
12%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Monitoring, Coordination

91/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$120,230
10-yr growth
+34.6%
Skill gap
2%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Active Learning, Time Management

86/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$129,180
10-yr growth
+21%
Skill gap
4%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Quality Control Analysis, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Operations Monitoring

86/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$135,880
10-yr growth
+21.1%
Skill gap
6%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Monitoring, Service Orientation, Operations Monitoring, Reading Comprehension

84/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$135,880
10-yr growth
+21.1%
Skill gap
10%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Monitoring, Negotiation

83/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$166,570
10-yr growth
+9.7%
Skill gap
6%
Retraining
Low

Skills to build: Negotiation, Monitoring, Time Management, Reading Comprehension

A second source of income, before you need it

This page can tell you where Hydrologists could go and what the move costs. The other route is not a move at all: something small of your own, running alongside the job, started while there is no pressure on it.

Where to learn the missing half: Google Career Certificates for systems analysis · active learning, LinkedIn Learning for writing · speaking, edX for mathematics · reading and PlanetNoCode for complex problem solving. Some of those are affiliate links. It never changes what we list.

Snapshot: O*NET 31.0, BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025-2035. Scoring v2.1.0-onet-31.0. Method on the how it works page.