Water Resource Specialists
Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.
Also called: Community Resource Consultant, Environmental Resource Specialist, Hydrotechnical Specialist, Hydrotechnician, Power Supply Engineer, Resource Specialist
Median pay
$167,220
Pay for the broader BLS group “Natural Sciences Managers”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$79,710 – $316,850
People employed
108,690
Whole BLS group
Holland code
IRC
Investigative · Realistic · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 2.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 3.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Water Resource Specialists pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (47 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Natural Sciences Managers”.
What water resource specialists do
- 01Perform hydrologic, hydraulic, or water quality modeling.
- 02Analyze storm water systems to identify opportunities for water resource improvements.
- 03Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, investigations on matters such as water storage, wastewater discharge, pollutants, permits, or other compliance and regulatory issues.
- 04Develop strategies for watershed operations to meet water supply and conservation goals or to ensure regulatory compliance with clean water laws or regulations.
- 05Conduct technical studies for water resources on topics such as pollutants and water treatment options.
- 06Review or evaluate designs for water detention facilities, storm drains, flood control facilities, or other hydraulic structures.
Skills that matter most
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Design
- Physics
- Computers and Electronics
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from water resource specialists
- Environmental Engineers96% · —
- Water/Wastewater Engineers93% · group pay
- Hydrologists90% · —
- Conservation Scientists90% · —
- Industrial Ecologists85% · group pay
Change into water resource specialists
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Environmental Engineers93% · $107,110
- Water/Wastewater Engineers93% · $100,840
- Hydrologists90% · $96,600
- Conservation Scientists87% · $73,010
- Industrial Ecologists87% · $82,220
Majors that lead here
- Engineering Physics/Applied Physics
- Operations Research
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
- Molecular Biology
- Molecular Biochemistry
- Molecular Biophysics
- Structural Biology
- Photobiology
- Radiation Biology/Radiobiology
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.