Hydrologists pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $72,490 a year or less, while the top 10% make $212,240 or more. The middle half of hydrologists in Los Angeles earn between $88,810 and $154,710.
- $72K10th
- $89K25th
- $123KMedian
- $155K75th
- $212K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $130,070 | $10,839 | $62.53 |
| Median | $123,420 | $10,285 | $59.34 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $88,810 | $7,401 | $42.70 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $154,710 | $12,892 | $74.38 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Hydrologists salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $130,070, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $92,164 a year, or $7,680 a month and $3,545 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for hydrologists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $130,070 buys what about $114,533 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 7.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Hydrologists salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 3rd of 5 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($149,180).
- San Jose$149,180
- San Francisco$142,450
- Los Angeles$130,070
- Riverside$112,990
- Sacramento$112,230
Highest-paying cities for hydrologists
Washington, DC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($153,030).
- Washington, DC$153,030
- San Jose, CA$149,180
- San Francisco, CA$142,450
- Baltimore, MD$139,870
- Los Angeles, CA$130,070
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Hydrologists salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do hydrologists make an hour in Los Angeles?
$62.53 an hour on average, and $59.34 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level hydrologists salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $72,490 a year and the 25th percentile is $88,810, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the hydrologists take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $92,164 a year ($7,680 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $130,070. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do hydrologists earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 25% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($104,261).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-2043; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.4%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.31, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.31).
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