SOC 19-2043 · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro

Hydrologists Salary in Riverside, CA

The average salary for hydrologists in Riverside, California is $112,990 a year ($54.32 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $126,820: half of the 40 people in this job in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 8% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($104,261).

$112,990average per year

$54.32 / hourMedian $126,820Take-home ≈ $81,902

  • $80K10th
  • $90K25th
  • $127KMedian
  • $127K75th
  • $133K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

40people in this job
+8%vs U.S. metro average
#4 of 5California metros
106cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Hydrologists pay range in Riverside

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,460 a year or less, while the top 10% make $133,460 or more. The middle half of hydrologists in Riverside earn between $90,100 and $126,940.

  • $80K10th
  • $90K25th
  • $127KMedian
  • $127K75th
  • $133K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$112,990$9,416$54.32
Median$126,820$10,568$60.97
Entry level (25th percentile)$90,100$7,508$43.32
Experienced (75th percentile)$126,940$10,578$61.03

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Hydrologists salary after taxes in Riverside

On the average salary of $112,990, a single filer in Riverside takes home about $81,902 a year, or $6,825 a month and $3,150 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% 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.

Advertisement

Is Riverside a good place for hydrologists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Riverside area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 106.4), so the average $112,990 buys what about $106,152 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Riverside ($48,400). A typical home costs $585,378, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $112,990 is worth in another city

Hydrologists salary in other California cities

Riverside ranks 4th of 5 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($149,180).

All Hydrologists salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for hydrologists

Washington, DC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($153,030).

Hydrologists salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Hydrologists in Riverside, CA.

Hydrologists salary in Riverside: questions

How much do hydrologists make an hour in Riverside?

$54.32 an hour on average, and $60.97 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level hydrologists salary in Riverside?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,460 a year and the 25th percentile is $90,100, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the hydrologists take-home pay in Riverside?

About $81,902 a year ($6,825 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $112,990. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do hydrologists earn more in Riverside than elsewhere?

The average here is 8% 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (40140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
  • 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 0.55, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.55).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.