← All 785 jobsFile 19-2043
Hydrologists
Mostly untouched
AI barely touches this work so far. The BLS expects 1.5% more of these jobs by 2035, slower than the 3.5% average.
- Rank
- Joint #359 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +1.5% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $96,600 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 6,300 in the US, with about 400 openings a year
The work, 20 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
AI helps with this: Research issues related to earth sciences17%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 541 conversations, and it got them there 87% of the time.
Still yours: Maintain operational records8%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Investigate the environmental impact of industrial or development activities8%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Develop research plans or methodologies8%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Present research or technical information6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 30 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
Still yours: Analyze environmental or geospatial data6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Monitor environmental conditions5%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Communicate environmental or sustainability information4%
AI performed this in about 1 in 392 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
Still yours: Supervise personnel activities4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Develop systems or practices to mitigate or resolve environmental problems4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance4%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 510 conversations, and it got them there 94% of the time.
AI helps with this: Maintain electronic, computer, or other technical equipment4%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,196 conversations, and it got them there 94% of the time.
Still yours: Direct construction or extraction activities4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Develop scientific or mathematical theories or models4%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,980 conversations, and it got them there 66% of the time.
Still yours: Collect environmental or biological samples3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Assess compliance with environmental standards or regulations3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Evaluate programs, practices, or processes3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 1,764 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
AI does this: Provide information or assistance to the public2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 7 Copilot conversations and completed it 86% of the time.
AI does this: Examine materials or documentation for accuracy or compliance2%
AI performed this in about 1 in 824 Copilot conversations and completed it 86% of the time.
AI does this: Compile records, documentation, or other data1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 301 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 101 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 400 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
BLS on AIAutomated processes replace some analysis work in consulting services. Source ↗
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 22% of the workMicrobiologists7% AI does, against 19% here+6.2% by 2035 · $87,990 · Bachelor’s degree
- Shares 35% of the workAgricultural Technicians11% AI does, against 19% here+5.4% by 2035 · $49,630 · Associate’s degree
- Shares 34% of the workGeological Technicians11% AI does, against 19% here+3.6% by 2035 · $53,350 · Associate’s degree
The wire
On the wire.
Nothing filed about this job yet. The latest from the Planet front:
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.18, higher than 64% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 19-2043 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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