Salary data is based on the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metropolitan area and applied to Mount Pleasant using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Hydrologists Salaries in Mount Pleasant, SC

Average Base Pay

$94,623/yr

4% below national average

Monthly

$7,885

Hourly

$45

Cost Index

Hydrologists in Mount Pleasant, SC earn an average of $94,623 per year, with most salaries falling between $75,698 and $113,548 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 4% below the national average, Mount Pleasant offers a more modest rate for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 96. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Mount Pleasant.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$71K
Low

$95K
Median

$118K
High

25th percentile: $80K75th percentile: $109K

About Hydrologists

Environmental Scientists study the natural environment and identify how human activity affects ecosystems, air quality, water quality, and soil health. They collect environmental samples, conduct field surveys, analyze data, and prepare reports that inform regulatory compliance, remediation planning, environmental permitting, and natural resource management. In consulting, environmental scientists conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments to identify contamination at properties being acquired or sold. They oversee remediation of contaminated sites, collecting soil and groundwater samples to monitor cleanup progress against regulatory cleanup goals. Wetland scientists identify and delineate wetland boundaries for Clean Water Act permitting and assess impacts of proposed development. Air quality scientists monitor emissions, model pollutant concentrations, and prepare air permit applications. Environmental scientists also work for regulatory agencies, reviewing permit applications, conducting inspections, and enforcing environmental laws. Natural resource agencies employ them to assess habitat quality, manage wildlife populations, and evaluate the ecological impacts of proposed infrastructure projects. A bachelor's degree in environmental science, ecology, geology, or chemistry is the typical entry credential.

What Hydrologists Do

Conduct field investigations including soil, water, and air sampling
Perform Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments
Analyze environmental data and compare against regulatory standards
Prepare technical reports for regulatory submissions and client deliverables
Delineate wetlands and assess ecological impacts of proposed projects
Monitor environmental remediation activities
Interact with regulatory agencies on permitting and compliance matters
Use GIS tools to map and analyze environmental data spatially

Key Skills & Qualifications

Field sampling techniques for soil, groundwater, and surface water
Environmental data analysis and statistical interpretation
Regulatory framework knowledge (Clean Water Act, CERCLA, RCRA)
Phase I and Phase II ESA methodology
GIS for environmental mapping and data analysis
Technical report writing for regulatory audiences
Wetland delineation methodology (USACE, HGM)
Environmental permitting processes

Career Path

Field Technician / Environmental Scientist I
Environmental Scientist
Senior Environmental Scientist
Project Manager / Principal Scientist
Director of Environmental Services

Hydrologists Market in Mount Pleasant, SC

Salary Competitiveness

Mount Pleasant salaries for Hydrologists track closely with the national median, diverging by less than 4%. This alignment suggests a competitive but balanced local market—employers are broadly in step with national pay scales, which can make benchmark comparisons more reliable when negotiating.

Cost of Living Impact

Mount Pleasant sits close to the national cost average. Monthly essential expenses represent about 43% of take-home pay for this role—a midrange ratio that allows for modest savings and discretionary spending, provided housing costs remain stable.

Effective Purchasing Power

After adjusting for local taxes and cost of living, a Hydrologists earning $94,623 in Mount Pleasant reaches a strong purchasing-power position. The effective standard of living this income supports is materially higher than the gross number alone implies—a useful data point for professionals comparing offers across metro areas.

vs. National Avg

-4%

Cost Pressure

43%

Purchasing Power

Strong

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

Annual Salary

Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$69,075

Monthly

$5,756

Weekly

$1,328

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $94,623 for a Hydrologists in Mount Pleasant translates to roughly $5,756 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,489—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $3,267 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Mount Pleasant's current market.

How far does this salary go in Mount Pleasant?

Cost of Living in Mount Pleasant

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Mount Pleasant, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

Below Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$1,431/mo

🍔Food & Groceries$477/mo

🚗Transportation$129/mo

💡Utilities$168/mo

🏥Healthcare$284/mo

Monthly$2,489

Annual$29,868

Disposable Income$3,267

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Mount Pleasant to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$5,756

Living Costs

$2,489

Disposable

$3,267

Cost Index

Lifestyle

Comfortable

With a monthly take-home of $5,756, your estimated living costs in Mount Pleasant are $2,489 ($29,868/yr). This leaves $3,267 per month in disposable income, indicating a comfortable standard of living. Mount Pleasant's cost of living is 4% below the national average.

Overall, a Hydrologists earning $94,623 in Mount Pleasant falls into a comfortable lifestyle tier and has meaningful room to save, invest, and absorb unexpected expenses without financial stress. With a cost index of 96, Mount Pleasant is 4% more affordable than the national average, which extends your purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Mount Pleasant continue to evolve.