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For Educators: Military Resources
For Educators: Military Resources

Water Resource Specialists

Median Salary
157,740
Job Outlook
-3%

Overview

What are the responsibilities of this role?

Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.

What sectors do they work in?

Private for profit

51%

Private not for profit

23%

State and local government

18%

Self-employed

4%

Federal Government

4%

What is the job outlook?

Employment of natural sciences managers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations. About 8,300 openings for natural sciences managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Compensation

What is the typical salary range?

$81,580

10%

$157,740

Median

$208,000+

90%

How does location impact how much salary?

Education

What level of education do professionals in this role have?

Education Level

  • Master's degree

    50%

  • Bachelor's degree

    50%

Which college majors best prepare you for this role?

  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General
  • Mathematics, General
  • Chemistry, General
  • Physics, General
  • Immunology
  • Biostatistics
  • Biotechnology
  • Biological and Physical Sciences
  • Science, Technology and Society
  • Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General
  • Physical Sciences, Other
  • Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
  • Microbiology, General
  • Applied Statistics, General
  • Geography and Environmental Studies
  • Data Science, General
  • Geology/Earth Science, General
  • Science/Technology Management
  • Physical Sciences, General
  • Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
  • Zoology/Animal Biology
  • Applied Mathematics, General
  • Statistics, General
  • Nutrition Sciences
  • Financial Mathematics
  • Biochemistry
  • Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
  • Sustainability Studies
  • Engineering Physics/Applied Physics
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Marine Sciences
  • Meteorology
  • Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other
  • Natural Sciences
  • Earth Systems Science
  • Geophysics and Seismology
  • Oceanography, Chemical and Physical
  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Botany/Plant Biology
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • Biometry/Biometrics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Mathematics, Other
  • Computational Mathematics
  • Computational and Applied Mathematics
  • Applied Mathematics, Other
  • Plant Pathology/Phytopathology
  • Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology
  • Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Other
  • Entomology
  • Pharmacology
  • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Hydrology and Water Resources Science
  • Physics, Other
  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Climate Science
  • Physics and Astronomy
  • Operations Research
  • Computational Science
  • Statistics, Other
  • Human Biology
  • Chemical Physics
  • Chemistry, Other
  • Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Geochemistry
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Toxicology
  • Molecular Biochemistry
  • Pathology/Experimental Pathology
  • Ecology
  • Microbiology and Immunology
  • Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, Other
  • Molecular Genetics
  • Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Other
  • Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other
  • Data Science, Other
  • Computational Biology
  • Epidemiology and Biostatistics
  • Theoretical and Mathematical Physics
  • Environmental Geosciences
  • Atomic/Molecular Physics
  • Research and Development Management
  • Mathematics and Statistics, Other
  • Biopsychology
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Molecular Biophysics
  • Radiation Biology/Radiobiology
  • Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Theoretical Chemistry
  • Botany/Plant Biology, Other
  • Analysis and Functional Analysis
  • Structural Biology
  • Plant Physiology
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Elementary Particle Physics
  • Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
  • Parasitology
  • Mathematical Economics
  • Virology
  • Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics
  • Mathematical Biology
  • Algebra and Number Theory
  • Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics

Skills and Interest

Which skill sets are the most valuable to possess?

Skills

  • Verbal Skills

    High

  • Leadership

    High

  • Math and Science Skills

    High

  • Technology Design and Control

    High

  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

    High

  • Equipment Operation and Maintenance

    Mid

What knowledge should you bring to the table?

  • Engineering and Technology
  • Mathematics
  • Design
  • Geography
  • Computers and Electronics

What challenges will you likely face in the workplace?

Workplace

  • Exposure to Job Hazards

    Mid

  • Responsibility

    Mid

  • Decision Making

    Mid

  • Level Of Competition

    Mid

  • Time Pressure

    Low

  • Repetitiveness

    Low

  • Physical Activity

    Low

What personality traits help people thrive in this role?

Investigative

You love figuring out how things work and researching subjects that interest you.

Realistic

You love hands-on work and solving practical problems — like fixing things and building stuff.

Conventional

You like structure, staying organized, and working with systems to get things done efficiently.

RIASEC represents six broad interest areas—Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional—helping individuals identify careers that match their skills and preferences.

Take the RIASEC Test

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Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.