Section 7: Outreach and Education Activities - NOAA

Career and Job Resources
Careers
The Meteorologists and Hydrologists employed by the NWS have a bachelors or higher degree in:
� Meteorology,
� Atmospheric Science, or
� Hydrology (Physical Science or Engineering).
Meteorologist/Forecaster: A degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science or other natural science major that included
at least 24 semester hours in meteorology/atmospheric science courses, 6 semester hours of physics, 3 semester hours
of differential equations, and 9 semester hours of course work for a physical science major.
The NWS is this nation’s largest employer of meteorologists. However, the NWS hires only about 50-75 new meteorologists
annually, while universities graduate hundreds.
Hydrologist: For employment as a hydrologist the minimum is a degree in physical or natural science or engineering
that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics,
chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography
or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester
hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus) and at least 6 semester hours in physics.
Because of the intensive requirements at the college level, one must generally have an interest in both math and science.
Students interested in meteorology and hydrology should concentrate in the high levels of math, physics and chemistry.
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