Hawaii Hydropower jobs: 37 employed (2024)
As of the 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report, Hawaii employs 37 people in the hydropower sector — about 0.1% of the U.S. total. That makes Hawaii the 51st-largest state for hydropower jobs nationwide.
Hydropower Jobs in Hawaii (2024)
National share: 0.06% of all U.S. hydropower jobs.
Typical Median Wage
1. Employment Landscape
Hawaii ranks 51st out of 51 U.S. states in hydropower employment. At 37 workers, the state sits below the 25th-ranked New Jersey’s tally by 284 jobs, and trails the national leader California by 10,596 hydropower workers.
1.1 Hawaii’s position vs. the top 10 and median states
1.2 Share of U.S. total
The hydropower sector nationwide employs roughly 58,089 workers; Hawaii accounts for 37 of them.
1.3 Where Hawaii sits in its own mix
| Sector | Jobs (2024) | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency | 6,095 | #49 |
| Solar | 4,083 | #26 |
| Storage & Grid | 426 | #39 |
| Wind | 309 | #44 |
| Electric Vehicles | 140 | #48 |
| Clean Fuels | 96 | #41 |
| Hydropower | 37 | #51 |
1.4 Sub-sector breakdown in Hawaii
Every hydropower-related sub-category reported for Hawaii in the USEER workbook, ranked by employment.
2. Pay & Career Roles in Hawaii
Hawaii contributes 0.06% of the nation’s hydropower workforce. Within Hawaii’s own clean-energy economy, hydropower accounts for 0.3% of total clean-energy jobs (37 of 11,186 workers).
Cost-of-living in Hawaii is roughly 12.5% higher the U.S. average, so the state-adjusted median wage for hydropower roles in Hawaii is shown alongside the national BLS figure.
| Role | National median | Hawaii-adjusted | Job Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrologic / Civil Engineer | $95,890 | $107,876 | 4 |
| Water Treatment Plant Operator (Hydro) | $54,460 | $61,268 | 3 |
See all 2 hydropower occupations with national wages and skills →
4. Hiring Difficulty & Industry Mix
Hawaii employers rate 21.8% of clean-energy hires as “very difficult” (plus 28.0% as “somewhat difficult”) — on par with the ~22% national baseline. Combined, 49.8% of Hawaii’s clean-energy roles see some level of hiring friction.
4.1 Employer hiring difficulty
4.2 Jobs by NAICS industry group
| Industry (NAICS group) | Jobs (2024) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 9,659 |
| Professional Services | 4,507 |
| Utilities | 3,377 |
| Other Services | 3,224 |
| Trade | 2,097 |
| Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows | 1,403 |
| Manufacturing | 1,298 |
| Agriculture and Forestry | 499 |
| Mining and Extraction | 7 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Data source: U.S. Department of Energy — 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report (reflecting 2024 employment); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics; O*NET Occupation Database 29.1.
Last updated: April 2026.