The average salary for a cost estimator in the United States is around $78,740 per year.
Avg Salary
Cost estimators earn an average yearly salary of $78,740.
Wages typically start from $48,530 and go up to $130,820.
22% above national average Updated in 2025
Cost estimator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level cost estimator earnings begin at:
$62.90 per hour
$130,820 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level cost estimator earnings begin at:
$48.97 per hour
$101,850 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level cost estimator earnings begin at:
$37.86 per hour
$78,740 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level cost estimator earnings begin at:
$29.40 per hour
$61,150 per year
10th percentile
Starting level cost estimator earnings begin at:
$23.33 per hour
$48,530 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Cost estimator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $97,020 |
| Wyoming | $90,790 |
| Colorado | $86,940 |
| Washington | $86,070 |
| California | $85,460 |
| Illinois | $82,750 |
| District of Columbia | $82,730 |
| Nevada | $82,200 |
| Rhode Island | $81,990 |
| Vermont | $81,390 |
| Maryland | $81,190 |
| Connecticut | $81,030 |
| Minnesota | $80,810 |
| New Jersey | $80,570 |
| Virginia | $80,530 |
| Oregon | $80,460 |
| New York | $80,430 |
| Hawaii | $80,360 |
| Idaho | $79,700 |
| Utah | $79,610 |
| New Hampshire | $79,560 |
| Delaware | $79,290 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,480 |
| Michigan | $77,990 |
| Ohio | $77,730 |
| West Virginia | $77,480 |
| Montana | $77,320 |
| Louisiana | $77,030 |
| Arizona | $77,010 |
| Texas | $76,980 |
| Georgia | $76,800 |
| Wisconsin | $76,270 |
| Kansas | $76,250 |
| Iowa | $76,040 |
| Missouri | $76,020 |
| Tennessee | $75,650 |
| Alabama | $74,990 |
| Florida | $74,990 |
| South Dakota | $74,950 |
| Kentucky | $74,880 |
| North Carolina | $74,730 |
| Maine | $74,080 |
| Indiana | $73,430 |
| North Dakota | $73,280 |
| Nebraska | $73,100 |
| Mississippi | $71,230 |
| South Carolina | $70,260 |
| Oklahoma | $67,800 |
| New Mexico | $67,590 |
| Guam | $61,820 |
| Arkansas | $61,470 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,090 |
| Massachusetts | $100,840 |
How do cost estimator salaries compare to similar careers?
Cost estimators earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than risk management specialists but more than recruiters.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Risk management specialist salary | $81K |
| Fraud analyst salary | $81K |
| Consultant salary | $82K |
| Market research analyst salary | $79K |
| Loan officer salary | $77K |
| Cost estimator salary | $79K |
| Publicist salary | $75K |
| Public relations specialist salary | $75K |
| Sales representative salary | $72K |
| Recruiter salary | $76K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)