Jobs Similar to Water Resource Specialists
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to water resource specialists, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Environmental Engineers, Water/Wastewater Engineers and Environmental Restoration Planners.
Water Resource Specialists: $167,220 (broader BLS group) · usual preparation: Bachelor's degree.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Water Resource Specialists) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Environmental Engineers | 86% | $107,110 | Bachelor's degree |
| 2 | Water/Wastewater Engineers | 83% | $100,840Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 3 | Environmental Restoration Planners | 82% | $82,220Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 4 | Petroleum Engineers | 81% | $144,910 | Bachelor's degree |
| 5 | Transportation Engineers | 81% | $100,840Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 6 | Industrial Ecologists | 80% | $82,220Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 7 | Nuclear Engineers | 80% | $133,970 | Bachelor's degree |
| 8 | Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar | 80% | $122,930Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 9 | Wind Energy Engineers | 80% | $122,930Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Hydrologists | 80% | $96,600 | Bachelor's degree |
| 11 | Conservation Scientists | 80% | $73,010 | Bachelor's degree |
| 12 | Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | 80% | $106,220 | Bachelor's degree |
| 13 | Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers | 79% | $115,160Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 14 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | 79% | $101,920 | Bachelor's degree |
| 15 | Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site ManagersSame group | 78% | $141,900Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 16 | Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development ManagersSame group | 78% | $171,270Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 17 | Materials Scientists | 78% | $117,790 | Bachelor's degree |
| 18 | Soil and Plant Scientists | 78% | $78,850 | Graduate degree |
| 19 | Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists | 77% | $122,570Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 20 | Civil Engineers | 77% | $100,840 | Bachelor's degree |
- 1Environmental Engineers
86% similar · $107,110 · Bachelor's degree
- 2Water/Wastewater Engineers
83% similar · $100,840 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 3Environmental Restoration Planners
82% similar · $82,220 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 4Petroleum Engineers
81% similar · $144,910 · Bachelor's degree
- 5Transportation Engineers
81% similar · $100,840 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 6Industrial Ecologists
80% similar · $82,220 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 7Nuclear Engineers
80% similar · $133,970 · Bachelor's degree
- 8Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
80% similar · $122,930 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 9Wind Energy Engineers
80% similar · $122,930 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 10Hydrologists
80% similar · $96,600 · Bachelor's degree
- 11Conservation Scientists
80% similar · $73,010 · Bachelor's degree
- 12Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
80% similar · $106,220 · Bachelor's degree
- 13Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers
79% similar · $115,160 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 14Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
79% similar · $101,920 · Bachelor's degree
- 15Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
78% similar · $141,900 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 16Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
78% similar · $171,270 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 17Materials Scientists
78% similar · $117,790 · Bachelor's degree
- 18Soil and Plant Scientists
78% similar · $78,850 · Graduate degree
- 19Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists
77% similar · $122,570 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 20Civil Engineers
77% similar · $100,840 · Bachelor's degree
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for water resource specialists also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where water resource specialists is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Environmental Engineers (93)
- Water/Wastewater Engineers (93)
- Hydrologists (90)
- Conservation Scientists (87)
- Industrial Ecologists (87)
- Environmental Restoration Planners (86)
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers (83)
- Agricultural Engineers (81)
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health (81)
- Petroleum Engineers (81)
Questions about jobs like water resource specialists
What jobs are most similar to water resource specialists?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Environmental Engineers (86% similar), Water/Wastewater Engineers (83% similar), Environmental Restoration Planners (82% similar), Petroleum Engineers (81% similar) and Transportation Engineers (81% similar).
Do jobs like water resource specialists pay more?
None of the 20 most similar careers has a higher BLS median pay than water resource specialists where a direct comparison is possible.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.