Cost Estimators Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for cost estimatorss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $85,390 ≈ $41/hr
National median salary $78,740
Total employment 224,220 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -4.2%
Decline
Annual openings 16,900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 221,400 → 212,100 (-9,300)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Massachusetts$104,770
- Alaska$101,890
- Colorado$95,040
- California$94,780
- Washington$94,250
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$69,300
- New Mexico$71,890
- Oklahoma$72,680
- Mississippi$74,850
- Nebraska$75,840
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $104,770 | $100,840 | $50 | +22.7% | 4,520 |
| 2 | Alaska | $101,890 | $97,020 | $49 | +19.3% | 220 |
| 3 | Colorado | $95,040 | $86,940 | $46 | +11.3% | 6,100 |
| 4 | California | $94,780 | $85,460 | $46 | +11% | 26,020 |
| 5 | Washington | $94,250 | $86,070 | $45 | +10.4% | 7,470 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $92,030 | $82,730 | $44 | +7.8% | 270 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $89,600 | $80,570 | $43 | +4.9% | 5,240 |
| 8 | New York | $89,450 | $80,430 | $43 | +4.8% | 11,980 |
| 9 | Nevada | $88,930 | $82,200 | $43 | +4.1% | 2,240 |
| 10 | Illinois | $88,880 | $82,750 | $43 | +4.1% | 5,990 |
| 11 | Oregon | $88,810 | $80,460 | $43 | +4% | 2,940 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $88,260 | $81,990 | $42 | +3.4% | 590 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $88,240 | $90,790 | $42 | +3.3% | 440 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $88,170 | $81,030 | $42 | +3.3% | 2,350 |
| 15 | Idaho | $87,770 | $79,700 | $42 | +2.8% | 1,600 |
| 16 | Maryland | $87,770 | $81,190 | $42 | +2.8% | 4,580 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $87,120 | $80,360 | $42 | +2% | 1,040 |
| 18 | Virginia | $86,110 | $80,530 | $41 | +0.8% | 5,840 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $85,650 | $79,560 | $41 | +0.3% | 980 |
| 20 | Utah | $85,510 | $79,610 | $41 | +0.1% | 2,800 |
| 21 | Vermont | $85,430 | $81,390 | $41 | +0% | 320 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $85,290 | $80,810 | $41 | -0.1% | 4,310 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $83,890 | $78,480 | $40 | -1.8% | 9,420 |
| 24 | Texas | $83,780 | $76,980 | $40 | -1.9% | 20,760 |
| 25 | Ohio | $82,740 | $77,730 | $40 | -3.1% | 8,100 |
| 26 | Michigan | $82,600 | $77,990 | $40 | -3.3% | 6,960 |
| 27 | Arizona | $81,990 | $77,010 | $39 | -4% | 5,760 |
| 28 | Georgia | $81,220 | $76,800 | $39 | -4.9% | 6,010 |
| 29 | Missouri | $81,220 | $76,020 | $39 | -4.9% | 6,580 |
| 30 | Florida | $81,130 | $74,990 | $39 | -5% | 13,720 |
| 31 | Kansas | $80,750 | $76,250 | $39 | -5.4% | 2,250 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $80,280 | $77,030 | $39 | -6% | 2,680 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $79,960 | $75,650 | $38 | -6.4% | 4,340 |
| 34 | Delaware | $79,200 | $79,290 | $38 | -7.2% | 730 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $79,200 | $74,950 | $38 | -7.2% | 1,030 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $78,920 | $74,880 | $38 | -7.6% | 1,960 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $78,830 | $76,270 | $38 | -7.7% | 5,150 |
| 38 | Montana | $78,490 | $77,320 | $38 | -8.1% | 1,230 |
| 39 | Iowa | $78,310 | $76,040 | $38 | -8.3% | 1,870 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $78,060 | $74,730 | $38 | -8.6% | 8,030 |
| 41 | North Dakota | $77,540 | $73,280 | $37 | -9.2% | 730 |
| 42 | Alabama | $77,050 | $74,990 | $37 | -9.8% | 3,000 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $77,050 | $70,260 | $37 | -9.8% | 2,880 |
| 44 | Maine | $77,020 | $74,080 | $37 | -9.8% | 760 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $76,980 | $77,480 | $37 | -9.8% | 830 |
| 46 | Indiana | $76,200 | $73,430 | $37 | -10.8% | 4,810 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $75,840 | $73,100 | $36 | -11.2% | 1,330 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $74,850 | $71,230 | $36 | -12.3% | 1,280 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $72,680 | $67,800 | $35 | -14.9% | 1,860 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $71,890 | $67,590 | $35 | -15.8% | 900 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $69,300 | $61,470 | $33 | -18.8% | 1,400 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 508 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $102,640 | $108,390 | 3,110 |
| 2 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $101,780 | $89,060 | 130 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $101,630 | $109,520 | 3,300 |
| 4 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $100,410 | $102,520 | 90 |
| 5 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $99,370 | $109,520 | 110 |
| 6 | Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $98,330 | $103,940 | 60 |
| 7 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,580 | $108,990 | 1,680 |
| 8 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $95,650 | $101,290 | 490 |
| 9 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $95,060 | $89,520 | 140 |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $94,490 | $99,570 | 4,340 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing cost estimatorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $129,670 | $117,600 | 40 |
| 2 | Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $125,000 | $120,450 | 90 |
| 3 | Utilities | $123,170 | $116,920 | 1,600 |
| 4 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $123,170 | $116,920 | 1,600 |
| 5 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $119,490 | $121,160 | 460 |
| 6 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $119,490 | $121,360 | 450 |
| 7 | Support Activities for Mining | $116,560 | $107,720 | 180 |
| 8 | Support Activities for Mining | $116,560 | $107,720 | 180 |
| 9 | Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities | $115,990 | $110,180 | — |
| 10 | Solar Electric Power Generation | $113,580 | $109,970 | 50 |
| 11 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $109,800 | $109,500 | 680 |
| 12 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | $107,510 | $107,640 | 60 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cost estimators make in the U.S.?
The median cost estimators salary in the United States is $78,740 per year (mean $85,390), and about 80% earn between $48,530 and $130,820.
How much do cost estimators make per hour?
Roughly $41 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $85,390 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays cost estimators the most?
Massachusetts has the highest average pay for cost estimators at $104,770 per year (median $100,840).
What is the job outlook for cost estimators?
Employment is projected to change -4.2% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 16,900 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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