Cost estimators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,530 | $23.33 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $78,740 | $37.86 |
| Mean (average) | $85,390 | $41.06 |
| 90th percentile | $130,820 | $62.90 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Cost estimators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $74,990 | $42,400 | $118,160 | 3,000 | 0.98 |
| Alaska | $97,020 | $52,020 | $163,740 | 220 | 0.46 |
| Arizona | $77,010 | $37,440 | $127,880 | 5,760 | 1.23 |
| Arkansas | $61,470 | $38,480 | $110,040 | 1,400 | 0.75 |
| California | $85,460 | $51,750 | $150,790 | 26,020 | 0.99 |
| Colorado | $86,940 | $58,890 | $137,520 | 6,100 | 1.47 |
| Connecticut | $81,030 | $50,020 | $136,830 | 2,350 | 0.96 |
| Delaware | $79,290 | $49,580 | $108,280 | 730 | 1.05 |
| District of Columbia | $82,730 | $66,720 | $127,520 | 270 | 0.27 |
| Florida | $74,990 | $44,200 | $128,050 | 13,720 | 0.96 |
| Georgia | $76,800 | $46,600 | $128,420 | 6,010 | 0.85 |
| Guam | $63,350 | $41,450 | $106,650 | 70 | 0.7 |
| Hawaii | $80,360 | $46,030 | $139,380 | 1,040 | 1.15 |
| Idaho | $79,700 | $48,200 | $137,530 | 1,600 | 1.3 |
| Illinois | $82,750 | $49,200 | $136,590 | 5,990 | 0.68 |
| Indiana | $73,430 | $50,630 | $106,640 | 4,810 | 1.04 |
| Iowa | $76,040 | $48,740 | $118,410 | 1,870 | 0.83 |
| Kansas | $76,250 | $48,860 | $118,310 | 2,250 | 1.09 |
| Kentucky | $74,880 | $46,410 | $119,530 | 1,960 | 0.68 |
| Louisiana | $77,030 | $43,840 | $125,050 | 2,680 | 0.96 |
| Maine | $74,080 | $41,450 | $123,040 | 760 | 0.83 |
| Maryland | $81,190 | $50,660 | $130,970 | 4,580 | 1.15 |
| Massachusetts | $100,840 | $58,870 | $151,780 | 4,520 | 0.86 |
| Michigan | $77,990 | $46,660 | $125,520 | 6,960 | 1.1 |
| Minnesota | $80,810 | $56,640 | $125,370 | 4,310 | 1.01 |
| Mississippi | $71,230 | $41,600 | $118,040 | 1,280 | 0.76 |
| Missouri | $76,020 | $44,840 | $128,270 | 6,580 | 1.55 |
| Montana | $77,320 | $50,120 | $106,740 | 1,230 | 1.67 |
| Nebraska | $73,100 | $50,040 | $105,640 | 1,330 | 0.9 |
| Nevada | $82,200 | $49,200 | $132,350 | 2,240 | 1 |
| New Hampshire | $79,560 | $51,640 | $129,030 | 980 | 0.99 |
| New Jersey | $80,570 | $50,390 | $137,080 | 5,240 | 0.85 |
| New Mexico | $67,590 | $38,960 | $109,610 | 900 | 0.72 |
| New York | $80,430 | $52,000 | $139,690 | 11,980 | 0.86 |
| North Carolina | $74,730 | $43,580 | $123,240 | 8,030 | 1.13 |
| North Dakota | $73,280 | $52,730 | $104,050 | 730 | 1.18 |
| Ohio | $77,730 | $48,750 | $124,990 | 8,100 | 1.01 |
| Oklahoma | $67,800 | $42,700 | $104,750 | 1,860 | 0.76 |
| Oregon | $80,460 | $49,970 | $133,460 | 2,940 | 1.04 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,480 | $49,570 | $126,620 | 9,420 | 1.08 |
| Puerto Rico | $47,130 | $29,200 | $79,990 | 560 | 0.41 |
| Rhode Island | $81,990 | $60,180 | $130,740 | 590 | 0.82 |
| South Carolina | $70,260 | $46,970 | $119,590 | 2,880 | 0.87 |
| South Dakota | $74,950 | $57,110 | $129,560 | 1,030 | 1.56 |
| Tennessee | $75,650 | $42,440 | $120,990 | 4,340 | 0.92 |
| Texas | $76,980 | $45,760 | $132,310 | 20,760 | 1.02 |
| Utah | $79,610 | $51,740 | $126,800 | 2,800 | 1.12 |
| Vermont | $81,390 | $56,600 | $113,230 | 320 | 0.73 |
| Virginia | $80,530 | $49,820 | $129,330 | 5,840 | 0.99 |
| Washington | $86,070 | $59,650 | $141,540 | 7,470 | 1.46 |
| West Virginia | $77,480 | $42,730 | $122,450 | 830 | 0.82 |
| Wisconsin | $76,270 | $50,890 | $111,530 | 5,150 | 1.21 |
| Wyoming | $90,790 | $52,680 | $108,490 | 440 | 1.09 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for cost estimators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 17,600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for cost estimators
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Materials Engineering CIP 14.1801
- Mechanical Engineering CIP 14.1901
- Construction Engineering CIP 14.3301
- Manufacturing Engineering CIP 14.3601
- Construction Engineering Technology/Technician CIP 15.1001
- Business/Commerce, General CIP 52.0101
- Business Administration and Management, General CIP 52.0201
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.
- Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates.
- Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products.
- Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.
- Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
- Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.
- Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
- Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- ConstructConnect PlanSwift (in demand)
- On Center On-Screen Takeoff (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Autodesk Revit (hot technology)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management (hot technology)
- Procore software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Management of Financial Resources, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Acquisition Cost Estimator, Analyst, Construction Estimator, Cost Analyst, Cost Consultant, Cost Engineer, Cost Estimating Analyst, Cost Estimator, Estimating Specialist, Estimator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do cost estimators make?
The national median annual wage for cost estimators was $78,740 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $48,530 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $130,820. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do cost estimators need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is cost estimators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of cost estimators to change -3.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 17,600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay cost estimators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Massachusetts ($100,840), Alaska ($97,020), Wyoming ($90,790). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.