Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

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