Water Resource Specialists: Job Description
Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Water Resource Specialists Perform?
The core tasks performed by water resource specialists cover:
- Perform hydrologic, hydraulic, or water quality modeling.
- Analyze storm water systems to identify opportunities for water resource improvements.
- Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, investigations on matters such as water storage, wastewater discharge, pollutants, permits, or other compliance and regulatory issues.
- Develop strategies for watershed operations to meet water supply and conservation goals or to ensure regulatory compliance with clean water laws or regulations.
- Conduct technical studies for water resources on topics such as pollutants and water treatment options.
- Review or evaluate designs for water detention facilities, storm drains, flood control facilities, or other hydraulic structures.
- Present water resource proposals to government, public interest groups, or community groups.
- Develop plans to protect watershed health or rehabilitate watersheds.
Skills and Knowledge
Top water resource specialists combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Water Resource Specialists Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Community Resource Consultant
- Environmental Resource Specialist
- Hydrotechnical Specialist
- Hydrotechnician
- Power Supply Engineer
- Resource Specialist
- Water Quality Specialist
- Water Resource Agent
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 79,327 water resource specialists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -0.4% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Water Resource Specialists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $179,716 |
| Hourly median | $86.40 |
| 10th percentile | $114,710 |
| 25th percentile | $147,213 |
| 75th percentile | $212,219 |
| 90th percentile | $244,723 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Water Resource Specialists Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $218,800 |
| California | $204,100 |
| New Jersey | $202,310 |
| Connecticut | $179,170 |
| Washington | $178,270 |
| North Carolina | $167,430 |
| District of Columbia | $164,650 |
| Maryland | $162,610 |
| Illinois | $158,690 |
| Kansas | $158,100 |
| Missouri | $143,730 |
| Colorado | $143,150 |
| South Carolina | $143,150 |
| Rhode Island | $141,380 |
| Tennessee | $140,430 |
| Virginia | $139,220 |
| Oregon | $136,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $136,700 |
| New Hampshire | $136,200 |
| Ohio | $135,990 |
| Maine | $135,900 |
| Michigan | $135,180 |
| Arkansas | $134,430 |
| West Virginia | $134,410 |
| North Dakota | $133,540 |
| Kentucky | $131,780 |
| Minnesota | $131,410 |
| New York | $131,180 |
| Texas | $130,140 |
| Alaska | $128,480 |
| Alabama | $127,210 |
| Arizona | $126,320 |
| Wisconsin | $125,050 |
| Idaho | $120,640 |
| South Dakota | $120,310 |
| New Mexico | $118,600 |
| Utah | $117,190 |
| Montana | $117,140 |
| Georgia | $116,560 |
| Puerto Rico | $115,270 |
| Mississippi | $113,730 |
| Nebraska | $113,730 |
| Guam | $111,270 |
| Wyoming | $109,600 |
| Hawaii | $106,580 |
| Nevada | $103,500 |
| Iowa | $102,880 |
| Oklahoma | $100,990 |
| Florida | $100,640 |
| Indiana | $88,610 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for water resource specialists shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $204,301 | 10.9% | 3.20 |
| Far Western US | $188,481 | 20.3% | 1.26 |
| Middle Atlantic | $161,559 | 27.6% | 2.36 |
| Great Lakes | $135,087 | 8.2% | 0.63 |
| Southeast | $134,493 | 16.7% | 1.18 |
| Plains States | $134,244 | 3.4% | 0.62 |
| Southwest | $128,246 | 9.0% | 0.77 |
| Rocky Mountains | $127,754 | 3.7% | 0.92 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $222,840 | 5,160 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $221,480 | 1,100 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $219,380 | 7,670 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | AR | $211,880 | 100 |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $211,400 | 340 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | CT | $210,890 | 140 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $209,260 | 110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $208,230 | 2,260 |
Which Industries Hire Water Resource Specialists
The largest employers of water resource specialists are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 49,690 | $180,800 |
| Manufacturing | 8,090 | $176,600 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 6,670 | $101,730 |
| Educational Services | 5,200 | $84,360 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 4,340 | $178,300 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3,930 | $207,590 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,200 | $120,890 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 900 | $139,840 |
Water Resource Specialists work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: Geographic information system GIS systems (in demand)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for water resource specialists reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How to Become Water Resource Specialists
Most water resource specialists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Geothermal Production Managers (Supplemental)
- Natural Sciences Managers (Primary-Long)
- Wind Energy Development Managers (Supplemental)
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers (Primary-Long)
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Engineers (Supplemental)
- Civil Engineers (Supplemental)
- Water/Wastewater Engineers (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Aspiring water resource specialists commonly pursue programs in:
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
22 programs across 20 majors
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
3 programs across 1 majors
Philosophy and Religious Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-9121.02 (Natural Sciences Managers).
BusinessDegreeCentral.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© BusinessDegreeCentral.com – All Rights Reserved.