13 Series · SOC 13-1051

Cost Estimators Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$78,740
Median / year
+2.2%
2024→2025
$130,820
Top 10% earn
-4.2%
Growth '24–'34
224,220
Estimated US jobs

Cost Estimators earn a median of $78,740 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $78,740, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $48,530 (10th percentile) to $130,820 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 224,220 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Massachusetts ($100,840).

13 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Cost Estimators earn a median of $78,740, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 72% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Business and Financial Operations, it ranks #18 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 4.2% by 2034.

$78,740
Median annual wage
Top 28%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#18 of 32
in Business and Financial Operations
2.7×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $100,840. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Cost Estimators moved from $65,250 in May 2019 to $78,740 in May 2025 (+20.7%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Cost Estimators sits -3.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051) has a national median of $78,740 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $48,530 to $130,820, and the published mean is $85,390. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 224,220 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 53 state or territory areas and 509 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $77,070 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $78,740 in May 2025, a rise of $1,670 (+2.2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -4.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 16,900 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Business and Financial Operations Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $100,840, which is +28% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $102,640. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 224,220 jobs Median $78,740/yr

Median Salary

$78,740

per year

Median Hourly

$37.86/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$85,390

average

Employment

224,220

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Cost Estimators pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$78,740 Top 28% higher than 72% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$78,740 · 72nd percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 13-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Cost Estimators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 13-series occupations with growth data, Cost Estimators sits on the slower-growing side at -4.2% growth and $78,740 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -10%0%10%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Accountants and Audi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $83680Business Operations … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $83050Project Management S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $102320Human Resources Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.2% · Median annual wage: $75940Market Research Anal… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.7% · Median annual wage: $78760Management Analysts - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.8% · Median annual wage: $101860Buyers and Purchasin… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.8% · Median annual wage: $77710Training and Develop… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10.8% · Median annual wage: $69280Compliance Officers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3% · Median annual wage: $80730Financial and Invest… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.7% · Median annual wage: $102740Claims Adjusters, Ex… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -5.1% · Median annual wage: $78000Loan Officers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $76690Personal Financial A… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.6% · Median annual wage: $105070Logisticians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 16.7% · Median annual wage: $82320Cost Estimators - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -4.2% · Median annual wage: $78740Meeting, Convention,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.8% · Median annual wage: $61160Financial Specialist… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $81100Compensation, Benefi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.3% · Median annual wage: $78210Fundraisers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $72550Insurance Underwriters - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.6% · Median annual wage: $81370Tax Preparers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $54920Financial Examiners - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 18.5% · Median annual wage: $94160Labor Relations Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $95420Credit Analysts - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -4.4% · Median annual wage: $83510
Among 24 13-series occupations with growth data, Cost Estimators sits on the slower-growing side at -4.2% growth and $78,740 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Accountants and Audi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $83680
  • Business Operations …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $83050
  • Project Management S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $102320
  • Human Resources Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.2%, Median annual wage $75940
  • Market Research Anal…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.7%, Median annual wage $78760
  • Management Analysts: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.8%, Median annual wage $101860
  • Buyers and Purchasin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $77710
  • Training and Develop…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.8%, Median annual wage $69280
  • Compliance Officers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $80730
  • Financial and Invest…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.7%, Median annual wage $102740
  • Claims Adjusters, Ex…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.1%, Median annual wage $78000
  • Loan Officers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $76690
  • Personal Financial A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.6%, Median annual wage $105070
  • Logisticians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.7%, Median annual wage $82320
  • Cost Estimators: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.2%, Median annual wage $78740
  • Meeting, Convention,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.8%, Median annual wage $61160
  • Financial Specialist…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $81100
  • Compensation, Benefi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.3%, Median annual wage $78210
  • Fundraisers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $72550
  • Insurance Underwriters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.6%, Median annual wage $81370
  • Tax Preparers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $54920
  • Financial Examiners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 18.5%, Median annual wage $94160
  • Labor Relations Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $95420
  • Credit Analysts: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.4%, Median annual wage $83510

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-4.2%

Declining

Annual Openings

16,900

per year (projected)

Employment Change

-9,300

221,400 (2024) → 212,100 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Business and Financial Operations Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.3/100

Danger Index

1.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Cost Estimators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.0
Mathematics 4.0
Speaking 3.9
Active Listening 3.8
Critical Thinking 3.8
Judgment and Decision Making 3.6
Writing 3.5
Complex Problem Solving 3.4
Active Learning 3.3
Social Perceptiveness 3.1

Knowledge Areas

Mathematics 4.4
Economics and Accounting 4.0
Computers and Electronics 3.5
Engineering and Technology 3.4
Building and Construction 3.3
Administration and Management 3.2
English Language 3.2
Design 3.1
Customer and Personal Service 3.0
Mechanical 2.9

Key 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.
  • Set up cost monitoring and reporting systems and procedures.
  • Review material and labor requirements to decide whether it is more cost-effective to produce or purchase components.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$48,530
25th$61,150
Median$78,740
75th$101,850
90th$130,820

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$23.33
25th$29.40
Median$37.86
75th$48.97
90th$62.90

Cost Estimators pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$55,000$60,000$65,000$70,000$75,000$80,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $60,390National median - 2016: $61,790National median - 2017: $63,110National median - 2018: $64,040National median - 2019: $65,250National median - 2020: $66,610National median - 2021: $65,170National median - 2022: $71,200National median - 2023: $74,740National median - 2024: $77,070National median - 2025: $78,740$78,740
National median annual wage for Cost Estimators, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $60,390
2016 $61,790
2017 $63,110
2018 $64,040
2019 $65,250
2020 $66,610
2021 $65,170
2022 $71,200
2023 $74,740
2024 $77,070
2025 $78,740

2015 median

$60,390

2025 median

$78,740

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$13,490 (+20.7%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.2%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Cost Estimators by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $60,390 First banked release 216,270
May 2016 $61,790 +2.3% 214,610
May 2017 $63,110 +2.1% 210,900
May 2018 $64,040 +1.5% 211,600
May 2019 $65,250 Classification break 210,000
May 2020 $66,610 +2.1% 199,360
May 2021 $65,170 -2.2% 208,950
May 2022 $71,200 +9.3% 225,310
May 2023 $74,740 +5.0% 220,970
May 2024 $77,070 +3.1% 219,530
May 2025 $78,740 +2.2% 224,220

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $60,390 in May 2015 to $78,740 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 210,000 in May 2019 to 224,220 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 53 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Massachusetts $100,840 +28% above national
2 Alaska $97,020 +23% above national
3 Wyoming $90,790 +15% above national
4 Colorado $86,940 +10% above national
5 Washington $86,070 +9% above national
6 California $85,460 +9% above national
7 Illinois $82,750 +5% above national
8 District of Columbia $82,730 +5% above national
9 Nevada $82,200 +4% above national
10 Rhode Island $81,990 +4% above national
11 Vermont $81,390 +3% above national
12 Maryland $81,190 +3% above national
13 Connecticut $81,030 +3% above national
14 Minnesota $80,810 +3% above national
15 New Jersey $80,570 +2% above national
16 Virginia $80,530 +2% above national
17 Oregon $80,460 +2% above national
18 New York $80,430 +2% above national
19 Hawaii $80,360 +2% above national
20 Idaho $79,700 +1% above national
21 Utah $79,610 +1% above national
22 New Hampshire $79,560 +1% above national
23 Delaware $79,290 +1% above national
24 Pennsylvania $78,480 same as national
25 Michigan $77,990 1% below national
26 Ohio $77,730 1% below national
27 West Virginia $77,480 2% below national
28 Montana $77,320 2% below national
29 Louisiana $77,030 2% below national
30 Arizona $77,010 2% below national
31 Texas $76,980 2% below national
32 Georgia $76,800 2% below national
33 Wisconsin $76,270 3% below national
34 Kansas $76,250 3% below national
35 Iowa $76,040 3% below national
36 Missouri $76,020 3% below national
37 Tennessee $75,650 4% below national
38 Alabama $74,990 5% below national
39 Florida $74,990 5% below national
40 South Dakota $74,950 5% below national
41 Kentucky $74,880 5% below national
42 North Carolina $74,730 5% below national
43 Maine $74,080 6% below national
44 Indiana $73,430 7% below national
45 North Dakota $73,280 7% below national
46 Nebraska $73,100 7% below national
47 Mississippi $71,230 10% below national
48 South Carolina $70,260 11% below national
49 Oklahoma $67,800 14% below national
50 New Mexico $67,590 14% below national
51 Guam $63,350 20% below national
52 Arkansas $61,470 22% below national
53 Puerto Rico $47,130 40% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 379 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $102,640 +30% above national
2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $101,630 +29% above national
3 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $100,410 +28% above national
4 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $97,580 +24% above national
5 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $95,650 +21% above national
6 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $94,490 +20% above national
7 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $92,600 +18% above national
8 Worcester, MA $92,570 +18% above national
9 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $89,820 +14% above national
10 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $89,540 +14% above national
11 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $89,330 +13% above national
12 Pittsfield, MA $88,080 +12% above national
13 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $87,720 +11% above national
14 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $87,670 +11% above national
15 Greeley, CO $87,350 +11% above national
16 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $87,170 +11% above national
17 Kennewick-Richland, WA $87,150 +11% above national
18 Springfield, MA $86,730 +10% above national
19 Napa, CA $86,240 +10% above national
20 Bozeman, MT $85,820 +9% above national
21 Casper, WY $84,990 +8% above national
22 Colorado Springs, CO $84,990 +8% above national
23 Vallejo, CA $84,830 +8% above national
24 Baton Rouge, LA $84,710 +8% above national
25 Pueblo, CO $84,580 +7% above national
26 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $84,430 +7% above national
27 Fresno, CA $84,140 +7% above national
28 Cheyenne, WY $83,870 +7% above national
29 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $83,800 +6% above national
30 Helena, MT $83,760 +6% above national
31 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $83,640 +6% above national
32 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $83,560 +6% above national
33 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $83,190 +6% above national
34 Bellingham, WA $83,130 +6% above national
35 Coeur d'Alene, ID $83,010 +5% above national
36 Dubuque, IA $82,940 +5% above national
37 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $82,870 +5% above national
38 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $82,800 +5% above national
39 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $82,730 +5% above national
40 Paducah, KY-IL $82,610 +5% above national
41 Midland, TX $82,540 +5% above national
42 Vineland, NJ $82,540 +5% above national
43 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $82,440 +5% above national
44 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $82,390 +5% above national
45 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $82,380 +5% above national
46 Reno, NV $82,270 +4% above national
47 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $82,260 +4% above national
48 Springfield, IL $82,230 +4% above national
49 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $82,110 +4% above national
50 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $82,110 +4% above national
51 Athens-Clarke County, GA $81,540 +4% above national
52 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $81,540 +4% above national
53 Stockton-Lodi, CA $81,380 +3% above national
54 Modesto, CA $81,330 +3% above national
55 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $81,300 +3% above national
56 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $81,290 +3% above national
57 Lexington Park, MD $81,210 +3% above national
58 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $81,170 +3% above national
59 Chico, CA $81,140 +3% above national
60 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $80,850 +3% above national
61 Columbus, IN $80,800 +3% above national
62 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $80,800 +3% above national
63 Ogden, UT $80,760 +3% above national
64 Bloomington, IL $80,590 +2% above national
65 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $80,560 +2% above national
66 Ann Arbor, MI $80,550 +2% above national
67 Salinas, CA $80,210 +2% above national
68 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $80,200 +2% above national
69 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $80,170 +2% above national
70 York-Hanover, PA $80,170 +2% above national
71 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $80,130 +2% above national
72 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $80,100 +2% above national
73 Urban Honolulu, HI $80,090 +2% above national
74 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $80,020 +2% above national
75 Columbus, OH $79,990 +2% above national
76 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $79,880 +1% above national
77 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $79,850 +1% above national
78 Manchester-Nashua, NH $79,850 +1% above national
79 Odessa, TX $79,760 +1% above national
80 Boise City, ID $79,700 +1% above national
81 Corpus Christi, TX $79,550 +1% above national
82 Birmingham, AL $79,330 +1% above national
83 Charleston, WV $79,300 +1% above national
84 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $79,290 +1% above national
85 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $79,270 +1% above national
86 Decatur, IL $79,230 +1% above national
87 Duluth, MN-WI $79,230 +1% above national
88 Raleigh-Cary, NC $79,230 +1% above national
89 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $79,130 same as national
90 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $79,030 same as national
91 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $79,020 same as national
92 New Haven, CT $78,960 same as national
93 Kansas City, MO-KS $78,940 same as national
94 Rochester, NY $78,890 same as national
95 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $78,740 same as national
96 St. Louis, MO-IL $78,730 same as national
97 Huntsville, AL $78,670 same as national
98 Barnstable Town, MA $78,660 same as national
99 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $78,650 same as national
100 Grand Junction, CO $78,650 same as national
101 Longview-Kelso, WA $78,610 same as national
102 Glens Falls, NY $78,590 same as national
103 Manhattan, KS $78,560 same as national
104 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $78,530 same as national
105 St. Joseph, MO-KS $78,530 same as national
106 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $78,500 same as national
107 Springfield, OH $78,440 same as national
108 Reading, PA $78,350 same as national
109 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $78,310 1% below national
110 Chambersburg, PA $78,260 1% below national
111 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $78,200 1% below national
112 Cleveland, OH $78,120 1% below national
113 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $78,090 1% below national
114 Topeka, KS $78,070 1% below national
115 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $78,060 1% below national
116 Charlottesville, VA $78,040 1% below national
117 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $77,990 1% below national
118 Pittsburgh, PA $77,980 1% below national
119 Syracuse, NY $77,970 1% below national
120 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $77,780 1% below national
121 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $77,770 1% below national
122 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $77,730 1% below national
123 Janesville-Beloit, WI $77,710 1% below national
124 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $77,710 1% below national
125 Missoula, MT $77,640 1% below national
126 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $77,590 1% below national
127 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $77,570 1% below national
128 Richmond, VA $77,540 2% below national
129 Akron, OH $77,490 2% below national
130 Sandusky, OH $77,490 2% below national
131 Lancaster, PA $77,450 2% below national
132 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $77,420 2% below national
133 Elmira, NY $77,400 2% below national
134 Redding, CA $77,360 2% below national
135 Eau Claire, WI $77,330 2% below national
136 Evansville, IN $77,290 2% below national
137 Toledo, OH $77,230 2% below national
138 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $77,070 2% below national
139 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $77,070 2% below national
140 Kingston, NY $77,020 2% below national
141 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $77,000 2% below national
142 Mobile, AL $76,980 2% below national
143 St. Cloud, MN $76,980 2% below national
144 Ames, IA $76,920 2% below national
145 Rochester, MN $76,910 2% below national
146 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $76,900 2% below national
147 Bend, OR $76,890 2% below national
148 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $76,810 2% below national
149 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $76,800 2% below national
150 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $76,730 3% below national
151 Morgantown, WV $76,690 3% below national
152 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $76,660 3% below national
153 Rockford, IL $76,630 3% below national
154 Kokomo, IN $76,490 3% below national
155 Bloomington, IN $76,450 3% below national
156 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $76,430 3% below national
157 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $76,390 3% below national
158 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $76,390 3% below national
159 Omaha, NE-IA $76,350 3% below national
160 Flint, MI $76,250 3% below national
161 Appleton, WI $76,230 3% below national
162 Albany, OR $76,200 3% below national
163 Salem, OR $76,190 3% below national
164 Warner Robins, GA $76,160 3% below national
165 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $76,130 3% below national
166 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $76,040 3% below national
167 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $76,030 3% below national
168 Saginaw, MI $75,940 4% below national
169 Peoria, IL $75,870 4% below national
170 Carson City, NV $75,860 4% below national
171 Lincoln, NE $75,740 4% below national
172 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $75,740 4% below national
173 Binghamton, NY $75,730 4% below national
174 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $75,720 4% below national
175 Winchester, VA-WV $75,720 4% below national
176 Utica-Rome, NY $75,700 4% below national
177 Billings, MT $75,600 4% below national
178 College Station-Bryan, TX $75,590 4% below national
179 Anchorage, AK $75,460 4% below national
180 Waco, TX $75,450 4% below national
181 Yakima, WA $75,450 4% below national
182 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $75,350 4% below national
183 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $75,300 4% below national
184 Sheboygan, WI $75,250 4% below national
185 Kankakee, IL $75,230 4% below national
186 Naples-Marco Island, FL $75,220 4% below national
187 Jackson, MS $75,170 5% below national
188 Fond du Lac, WI $75,150 5% below national
189 Lafayette, LA $75,110 5% below national
190 Wichita, KS $75,090 5% below national
191 Iowa City, IA $75,070 5% below national
192 Asheville, NC $75,000 5% below national
193 Canton-Massillon, OH $74,990 5% below national
194 Minot, ND $74,990 5% below national
195 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $74,990 5% below national
196 Idaho Falls, ID $74,910 5% below national
197 Alexandria, LA $74,890 5% below national
198 Dalton, GA $74,840 5% below national
199 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $74,830 5% below national
200 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $74,820 5% below national
201 Tuscaloosa, AL $74,800 5% below national
202 Montgomery, AL $74,790 5% below national
203 Gettysburg, PA $74,730 5% below national
204 Battle Creek, MI $74,720 5% below national
205 Mankato, MN $74,660 5% below national
206 Lake Charles, LA $74,570 5% below national
207 Lynchburg, VA $74,570 5% below national
208 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $74,570 5% below national
209 Lima, OH $74,460 5% below national
210 Visalia, CA $74,430 5% below national
211 Yuba City, CA $74,430 5% below national
212 Killeen-Temple, TX $74,420 5% below national
213 Salisbury, MD $74,420 5% below national
214 Punta Gorda, FL $74,380 6% below national
215 Cleveland, TN $74,350 6% below national
216 Green Bay, WI $74,120 6% below national
217 Walla Walla, WA $74,050 6% below national
218 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $74,010 6% below national
219 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $73,940 6% below national
220 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $73,800 6% below national
221 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $73,760 6% below national
222 Fargo, ND-MN $73,760 6% below national
223 Harrisonburg, VA $73,730 6% below national
224 Decatur, AL $73,650 6% below national
225 Jackson, MI $73,650 6% below national
226 Lebanon, PA $73,640 6% below national
227 Tucson, AZ $73,590 7% below national
228 Madison, WI $73,420 7% below national
229 Greensboro-High Point, NC $73,410 7% below national
230 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $73,320 7% below national
231 Grand Forks, ND-MN $73,310 7% below national
232 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $73,310 7% below national
233 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $73,130 7% below national
234 Albuquerque, NM $73,090 7% below national
235 Oklahoma City, OK $73,030 7% below national
236 Monroe, MI $72,970 7% below national
237 Dover, DE $72,930 7% below national
238 Knoxville, TN $72,900 7% below national
239 Wilmington, NC $72,900 7% below national
240 Altoona, PA $72,880 7% below national
241 Merced, CA $72,880 7% below national
242 State College, PA $72,880 7% below national
243 Tulsa, OK $72,880 7% below national
244 Bangor, ME $72,850 7% below national
245 Fayetteville, NC $72,840 7% below national
246 Lewiston, ID-WA $72,800 8% below national
247 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $72,710 8% below national
248 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $72,480 8% below national
249 Burlington, NC $72,330 8% below national
250 Mansfield, OH $72,290 8% below national
251 Port St. Lucie, FL $72,270 8% below national
252 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $72,210 8% below national
253 Rapid City, SD $72,210 8% below national
254 Amarillo, TX $72,140 8% below national
255 Greenville, NC $72,050 8% below national
256 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $72,050 8% below national
257 Auburn-Opelika, AL $72,030 9% below national
258 Gainesville, GA $71,960 9% below national
259 Wausau, WI $71,850 9% below national
260 Bowling Green, KY $71,720 9% below national
261 Bay City, MI $71,660 9% below national
262 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $71,640 9% below national
263 Lexington-Fayette, KY $71,630 9% below national
264 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $71,580 9% below national
265 Portland-South Portland, ME $71,580 9% below national
266 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $71,550 9% below national
267 Macon-Bibb County, GA $71,480 9% below national
268 Morristown, TN $71,400 9% below national
269 Medford, OR $71,360 9% below national
270 Clarksville, TN-KY $71,340 9% below national
271 Roanoke, VA $71,320 9% below national
272 Winston-Salem, NC $71,220 10% below national
273 Fort Wayne, IN $71,200 10% below national
274 Bismarck, ND $71,020 10% below national
275 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $70,810 10% below national
276 Niles, MI $70,720 10% below national
277 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $70,690 10% below national
278 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $70,690 10% below national
279 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $70,640 10% below national
280 Lawrence, KS $70,630 10% below national
281 Youngstown-Warren, OH $70,560 10% below national
282 Rocky Mount, NC $70,510 10% below national
283 Owensboro, KY $70,460 11% below national
284 Chattanooga, TN-GA $70,450 11% below national
285 Goldsboro, NC $70,360 11% below national
286 Flagstaff, AZ $70,350 11% below national
287 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $70,260 11% below national
288 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $70,260 11% below national
289 Midland, MI $69,990 11% below national
290 Twin Falls, ID $69,740 11% below national
291 Spartanburg, SC $69,490 12% below national
292 Longview, TX $69,450 12% below national
293 Gadsden, AL $69,430 12% below national
294 Jefferson City, MO $69,430 12% below national
295 Jackson, TN $69,380 12% below national
296 Erie, PA $69,370 12% below national
297 Elizabethtown, KY $69,300 12% below national
298 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $69,210 12% below national
299 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $69,200 12% below national
300 Jacksonville, FL $69,090 12% below national
301 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $69,080 12% below national
302 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $69,000 12% below national
303 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $68,890 13% below national
304 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $68,820 13% below national
305 Great Falls, MT $68,740 13% below national
306 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $68,720 13% below national
307 Columbia, MO $68,610 13% below national
308 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $68,550 13% below national
309 St. George, UT $68,550 13% below national
310 El Centro, CA $68,430 13% below national
311 Kenosha, WI $68,370 13% below national
312 Savannah, GA $68,120 13% below national
313 Anniston-Oxford, AL $68,080 14% below national
314 Monroe, LA $68,030 14% below national
315 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $67,720 14% below national
316 Tallahassee, FL $67,700 14% below national
317 Gainesville, FL $67,690 14% below national
318 Jacksonville, NC $67,530 14% below national
319 Sherman-Denison, TX $67,220 15% below national
320 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $67,040 15% below national
321 Valdosta, GA $66,880 15% below national
322 Albany, GA $66,720 15% below national
323 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $66,420 16% below national
324 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $66,290 16% below national
325 Hattiesburg, MS $66,060 16% below national
326 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $65,970 16% below national
327 San Angelo, TX $65,880 16% below national
328 Columbia, SC $65,850 16% below national
329 Williamsport, PA $65,740 17% below national
330 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $65,670 17% below national
331 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $65,480 17% below national
332 Joplin, MO-KS $65,360 17% below national
333 Yuma, AZ $65,330 17% below national
334 Texarkana, TX-AR $65,320 17% below national
335 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $65,250 17% below national
336 Cedar Rapids, IA $65,000 17% below national
337 Grants Pass, OR $64,870 18% below national
338 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $64,420 18% below national
339 Eugene-Springfield, OR $64,360 18% below national
340 Pocatello, ID $64,320 18% below national
341 Wheeling, WV-OH $64,240 18% below national
342 Grand Island, NE $64,200 18% below national
343 Springfield, MO $64,160 19% below national
344 Muncie, IN $63,870 19% below national
345 Johnstown, PA $63,860 19% below national
346 Victoria, TX $63,840 19% below national
347 Wichita Falls, TX $63,680 19% below national
348 Ocala, FL $63,660 19% below national
349 Abilene, TX $63,630 19% below national
350 Champaign-Urbana, IL $63,630 19% below national
351 Sumter, SC $63,450 19% below national
352 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $63,240 20% below national
353 Lubbock, TX $63,120 20% below national
354 Traverse City, MI $63,070 20% below national
355 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $62,950 20% below national
356 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $62,920 20% below national
357 Tyler, TX $62,910 20% below national
358 Farmington, NM $62,530 21% below national
359 Johnson City, TN $62,270 21% below national
360 Logan, UT-ID $62,180 21% below national
361 Columbus, GA-AL $62,100 21% below national
362 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $61,990 21% below national
363 Santa Fe, NM $61,570 22% below national
364 Florence, SC $61,520 22% below national
365 Dothan, AL $61,400 22% below national
366 Terre Haute, IN $61,310 22% below national
367 El Paso, TX $60,880 23% below national
368 Homosassa Springs, FL $60,610 23% below national
369 Aguadilla, PR $60,200 24% below national
370 Hammond, LA $59,760 24% below national
371 Laredo, TX $58,360 26% below national
372 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $57,820 27% below national
373 Enid, OK $57,810 27% below national
374 Hot Springs, AR $56,760 28% below national
375 Jonesboro, AR $56,160 29% below national
376 Las Cruces, NM $56,010 29% below national
377 Fort Smith, AR-OK $53,800 32% below national
378 Beckley, WV $53,470 32% below national
379 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $47,430 40% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 13 (Business and Financial Operations Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 31 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Business and Financial Operations Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($78,740 here) and reported employment (224,220 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Cost Estimators make?
The median annual salary for Cost Estimators is $78,740 ($37.86/hour). The salary range spans from $48,530 at the 10th percentile to $130,820 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Cost Estimators pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $78,740, Cost Estimators pay is higher than 72% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Cost Estimators the most?
Massachusetts pays the highest median salary for Cost Estimators at $100,840/year, which is +28% above the national median.
What education do Cost Estimators need?
BLS assigns Cost Estimators to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Cost Estimators?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Cost Estimators in this release. WageDex shows the Business and Financial Operations Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Cost Estimators a good career?
Employment for Cost Estimators is projected to decline 4.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 16,900 openings are projected each year.
How does Cost Estimators pay vary by state?
Cost Estimators salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Massachusetts at $100,840/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $47,130/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Cost Estimators?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $102,640/year. BLS reports a median for 379 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Cost Estimators pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $101,850/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Massachusetts leads at $100,840/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.