Cost Estimators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for cost estimators in the U.S. is $78,740 ($37.86 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $78,740
- Mean annual wage
- $85,390
- Median hourly wage
- $37.86
- Employment
- 224,220
224,220 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,530 | $23.33 |
| 25th percentile | $61,150 | $29.40 |
| Median (50th) | $78,740 | $37.86 |
| 75th percentile | $101,850 | $48.97 |
| 90th percentile | $130,820 | $62.90 |
Highest-paying states for cost estimators
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $100,840 | 4,520 |
| Alaska | $97,020 | 220 |
| Wyoming | $90,790 | 440 |
| Colorado | $86,940 | 6,100 |
| Washington | $86,070 | 7,470 |
| California | $85,460 | 26,020 |
| Illinois | $82,750 | 5,990 |
| District of Columbia | $82,730 | 270 |
| Nevada | $82,200 | 2,240 |
| Rhode Island | $81,990 | 590 |
Lowest-paying states
- Arkansas: $61,470 median annual wage
- New Mexico: $67,590 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $67,800 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $70,260 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $71,230 median annual wage
Related occupations
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other$83,050
- Project Management Specialists$102,320
- Human Resources Specialists$75,940
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$78,760
- Management Analysts$101,860
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents$77,710
- Training and Development Specialists$69,280
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.