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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

13-1051 Cost Estimators

Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.


National estimates for Cost Estimators
Industry profile for Cost Estimators
Geographic profile for Cost Estimators

National estimates for Cost Estimators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Cost Estimators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
208,950 1.1 % $ 35.45 $ 73,740 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Cost Estimators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.69 $ 23.85 $ 31.33 $ 42.89 $ 55.62
Annual Wage (2) $ 38,880 $ 49,600 $ 65,170 $ 89,210 $ 115,690


Industry profile for Cost Estimators:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Cost Estimators are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Cost Estimators, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Cost Estimators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 30,870 1.38 $ 37.50 $ 78,010
Nonresidential Building Construction 19,290 2.48 $ 41.47 $ 86,250
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 17,960 1.92 $ 34.85 $ 72,490
Residential Building Construction 15,970 1.90 $ 34.75 $ 72,290
Building Finishing Contractors 15,860 1.96 $ 33.27 $ 69,200

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Cost Estimators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nonresidential Building Construction 19,290 2.48 $ 41.47 $ 86,250
Building Finishing Contractors 15,860 1.96 $ 33.27 $ 69,200
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 17,960 1.92 $ 34.85 $ 72,490
Residential Building Construction 15,970 1.90 $ 34.75 $ 72,290
Automotive Repair and Maintenance 15,200 1.66 $ 30.03 $ 62,470

Top paying industries for Cost Estimators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 340 0.04 $ 50.13 $ 104,260
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 100 0.10 $ 48.54 $ 100,970
Software Publishers (8) (8) $ 47.99 $ 99,820
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 30 0.01 $ 47.49 $ 98,780
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 750 0.03 $ 47.39 $ 98,570


Geographic profile for Cost Estimators:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Cost Estimators are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Cost Estimators, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of cost estimators by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Cost Estimators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 26,900 1.63 1.10 $ 39.19 $ 81,510
Texas 17,140 1.40 0.95 $ 33.62 $ 69,930
Florida 13,030 1.51 1.02 $ 31.18 $ 64,860
New York 10,340 1.19 0.80 $ 40.17 $ 83,550
Pennsylvania 9,810 1.76 1.19 $ 35.50 $ 73,840


Map of location quotient of cost estimators by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cost Estimators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Delaware 1,220 2.80 1.89 $ 33.64 $ 69,980
South Dakota 940 2.23 1.51 $ 30.42 $ 63,280
Missouri 5,890 2.16 1.46 $ 34.87 $ 72,530
Virginia 8,020 2.14 1.44 $ 34.36 $ 71,470
Colorado 5,440 2.08 1.40 $ 36.75 $ 76,440


Map of annual mean wages of cost estimators by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Cost Estimators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts 5,140 1.51 1.02 $ 48.92 $ 101,750
District of Columbia 360 0.55 0.37 $ 45.99 $ 95,670
Hawaii 1,000 1.82 1.23 $ 41.66 $ 86,650
Alaska 200 0.67 0.45 $ 40.82 $ 84,910
New York 10,340 1.19 0.80 $ 40.17 $ 83,550



Map of employment of cost estimators by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Cost Estimators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 10,430 1.20 0.81 $ 42.21 $ 87,790
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 9,200 1.61 1.08 $ 35.87 $ 74,610
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 5,470 1.52 1.03 $ 34.01 $ 70,750
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 4,640 1.60 1.08 $ 36.08 $ 75,050
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 4,610 1.74 1.17 $ 38.14 $ 79,330
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 4,350 1.03 0.69 $ 39.26 $ 81,660
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,280 1.46 0.98 $ 40.10 $ 83,400
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,050 1.57 1.06 $ 50.32 $ 104,660
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,580 1.60 1.08 $ 47.38 $ 98,550
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 3,530 1.67 1.13 $ 34.59 $ 71,960


Map of location quotient of cost estimators by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cost Estimators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Lancaster, PA 810 3.45 2.32 $ 31.91 $ 66,360
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 2,360 3.32 2.24 $ 32.84 $ 68,300
Sheboygan, WI 170 2.88 1.94 $ 32.56 $ 67,730
Greeley, CO 290 2.86 1.93 $ 35.41 $ 73,660
Rapid City, SD 190 2.82 1.90 $ 29.94 $ 62,280
Harrisonburg, VA 170 2.80 1.89 $ 30.86 $ 64,180
Missoula, MT 160 2.71 1.83 $ 26.80 $ 55,730
Asheville, NC 510 2.70 1.82 $ 34.85 $ 72,480
Santa Rosa, CA 510 2.67 1.80 $ 41.98 $ 87,310
Manhattan, KS 100 2.64 1.78 $ 32.95 $ 68,530


Map of annual mean wages of cost estimators by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Cost Estimators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,050 1.57 1.06 $ 50.32 $ 104,660
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,500 1.40 0.94 $ 47.81 $ 99,450
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,580 1.60 1.08 $ 47.38 $ 98,550
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 100 1.56 1.05 $ 44.53 $ 92,630
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 470 1.25 0.84 $ 43.41 $ 90,300
Pittsfield, MA 70 1.99 1.34 $ 43.04 $ 89,520
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 10,430 1.20 0.81 $ 42.21 $ 87,790
Santa Rosa, CA 510 2.67 1.80 $ 41.98 $ 87,310
California-Lexington Park, MD 80 1.77 1.19 $ 41.58 $ 86,480
Urban Honolulu, HI 770 1.95 1.31 $ 41.52 $ 86,370

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Cost Estimators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 570 1.50 1.01 $ 30.28 $ 62,990
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 550 1.75 1.18 $ 31.49 $ 65,490
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 370 1.53 1.03 $ 31.12 $ 64,730
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 350 1.40 0.94 $ 29.89 $ 62,180
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 340 1.40 0.94 $ 29.20 $ 60,730

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Cost Estimators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 120 2.16 1.46 $ 47.13 $ 98,020
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 280 2.04 1.38 $ 28.48 $ 59,230
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 250 1.97 1.33 $ 29.06 $ 60,440
Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 120 1.91 1.28 $ 30.62 $ 63,680
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 220 1.89 1.28 $ 33.84 $ 70,380

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Cost Estimators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 120 2.16 1.46 $ 47.13 $ 98,020
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 130 1.42 0.96 $ 40.21 $ 83,650
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 50 0.90 0.61 $ 39.31 $ 81,760
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 110 1.18 0.79 $ 37.70 $ 78,420
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 40 1.22 0.82 $ 37.65 $ 78,310


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022