Careers / Water Resource Specialists
Water Resource Specialists — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$167,220
United States, 2025
Employment
108,690
United States, 2025
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Job Zone 4
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.
- O*NET code
- 11-9121.02
- Job zone
- 4
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$79,710
25th percentile
$119,430
75th percentile
$221,540
90th percentile
$316,850
Most important skills
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Writing4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Time Management3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Systems Analysis3.6
- Systems Evaluation3.6
- Coordination3.3
- Mathematics3.3
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 22 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
22
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Writing | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Time Management | 3.9 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.6 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.6 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Mathematics | 3.3 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Coordination | 3.3 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Science | 3.0 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Instructing | 3.0 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Negotiation | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
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Compare with Water Resource SpecialistsSupplemental
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Compare with Water Resource SpecialistsSupplemental
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Compare with Water Resource SpecialistsSupplemental
National median $55,090
Compare with Water Resource SpecialistsHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | $291,000 | 9,570 | 2025 |
| MA | $267,290 | 10,590 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $263,810 | 1,160 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $225,230 | 5,530 | 2025 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $220,120 | 100 | 2025 |
| Norwich, CT | $217,480 | 300 | 2025 |
| Kennewick, WA | $215,860 | 110 | 2025 |
| Worcester, MA | $212,600 | 490 | 2025 |
| Midland, MI | $212,130 | 60 | 2025 |
| CT | $210,670 | 1,190 | 2025 |
| New Haven, CT | $210,670 | 350 | 2025 |
| Boulder, CO | $210,340 | 310 | 2025 |
| CA | $210,230 | 14,950 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $207,200 | 2,890 | 2025 |
| NJ | $207,030 | 10,040 | 2025 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $204,250 | 220 | 2025 |
| Bay City, MI | $204,120 | 50 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $203,150 | 1,730 | 2025 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $202,380 | 80 | 2025 |
| Hartford, CT | $196,930 | 220 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Water Resource Specialists to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.