Cost Estimator Salary

Cost Estimators earn a median $78,740 a year nationally. Business and Financial Operations Occupations

U.S. median

$78,740

$37.86 per hour

Range

$48,530 – $130,820

10th to 90th percentile

Employed

224,220

across the U.S.

Cost Estimator take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Your take-home pay

$64,224

per year · effective tax rate 18.4%

$5,352Monthly

$2,676Twice a month

$2,470Every 2 weeks

$30.88Hourly

Federal income tax$8,493
Social Security (6.2%)$4,882
Medicare (1.45%)$1,142
Texas income tax$0
Take-home pay$64,224

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

Percentile	Salary	Hourly	Take-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)	$48,530	$23.33	$41,174
25th percentile	$61,150	$29.40	$51,314
Median (50th)	$78,740	$37.86	$64,224
75th percentile	$101,850	$48.97	$80,481
90th percentile (top earners)	$130,820	$62.89	$100,681

Best cities for cost estimators (after tax & cost of living)

#	Metro area	Median	Take-home	Real value*	Jobs
1	Baton Rouge, LA	$84,710	$66,268	$72,999	940
2	Boston, MA	$102,640	$76,125	$70,313	3,110
3	New Orleans, LA	$81,170	$63,884	$68,992	470
4	Sioux Falls, SD	$76,130	$62,387	$68,837	510
5	Nashville, TN	$81,300	$66,025	$68,534	1,570
6	Memphis, TN	$76,660	$62,760	$68,085	630
7	Dayton, OH	$79,020	$63,030	$67,998	590
8	Worcester, MA	$92,570	$69,544	$67,833	550
9	Seattle, WA	$94,490	$75,304	$67,760	4,340
10	Des Moines, IA	$78,500	$61,724	$67,310	550
11	Columbus, OH	$79,990	$63,686	$66,708	1,570
12	Providence, RI	$87,720	$67,868	$66,686	960
13	Kansas City, MO	$78,940	$61,591	$66,554	2,290
14	Birmingham, AL	$79,330	$60,937	$66,493	810
15	Cleveland, OH	$78,120	$62,421	$66,460	1,390
16	Las Vegas, NV	$82,110	$66,594	$66,452	1,560
17	Akron, OH	$77,490	$61,996	$66,398	530
18	Cincinnati, OH	$79,130	$63,104	$66,168	1,630
19	Reno, NV	$82,270	$66,707	$66,037	520
20	Wichita, KS	$75,090	$58,265	$65,507	570
21	Austin, TX	$78,650	$64,160	$65,426	1,990
22	York, PA	$80,170	$62,768	$65,384	460
23	Omaha, NE	$76,350	$59,948	$65,224	730
24	Santa Rosa, CA	$95,650	$70,210	$65,140	490
25	Colorado Springs, CO	$84,990	$65,589	$65,129	720

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Boston, MA — $102,640
San Francisco, CA — $101,630
San Jose, CA — $97,580
Santa Rosa, CA — $95,650
Seattle, WA — $94,490
Worcester, MA — $92,570
Denver, CO — $89,820
Washington, DC — $89,330
Providence, RI — $87,720
San Diego, CA — $87,170
Colorado Springs, CO — $84,990
Baton Rouge, LA — $84,710
Bridgeport, CT — $84,430
Fresno, CA — $84,140
Portland, OR — $83,800

Cost Estimator salary by state

State	Median	Take-home	Range	Jobs
Massachusetts	$100,840	$74,949	$58,870 – $151,780	4,520
Alaska	$97,020	$77,084	$52,020 – $163,740	220
Wyoming	$90,790	$72,701	$52,680 – $108,490	440
Colorado	$86,940	$66,875	$58,890 – $137,520	6,100
Washington	$86,070	$69,380	$59,650 – $141,540	7,470
California	$85,460	$64,122	$51,750 – $150,790	26,020
Illinois	$82,750	$63,093	$49,200 – $136,590	5,990
District of Columbia	$82,730	$62,967	$66,720 – $127,520	270
Nevada	$82,200	$66,658	$49,200 – $132,350	2,240
Rhode Island	$81,990	$64,052	$60,180 – $130,740	590
Vermont	$81,390	$63,176	$56,600 – $113,230	320
Maryland	$81,190	$62,454	$50,660 – $130,970	4,580
Connecticut	$81,030	$62,953	$50,020 – $136,830	2,350
Minnesota	$80,810	$61,708	$56,640 – $125,370	4,310
New Jersey	$80,570	$62,569	$50,390 – $137,080	5,240
Virginia	$80,530	$61,666	$49,820 – $129,330	5,840
Oregon	$80,460	$59,223	$49,970 – $133,460	2,940
New York	$80,430	$61,666	$52,000 – $139,690	11,980
Hawaii	$80,360	$60,786	$46,030 – $139,380	1,040
Idaho	$79,700	$61,783	$48,200 – $137,530	1,600
Utah	$79,610	$62,219	$51,740 – $126,800	2,800
New Hampshire	$79,560	$64,800	$51,640 – $129,030	980
Delaware	$79,290	$60,718	$49,580 – $108,280	730
Pennsylvania	$78,480	$61,631	$49,570 – $126,620	9,420
Michigan	$77,990	$60,632	$46,660 – $125,520	6,960
Ohio	$77,730	$62,158	$48,750 – $124,990	8,100
West Virginia	$77,480	$60,538	$42,730 – $122,450	830
Montana	$77,320	$60,217	$50,120 – $106,740	1,230
Louisiana	$77,030	$61,096	$43,840 – $125,050	2,680
Arizona	$77,010	$61,290	$37,440 – $127,880	5,760
Texas	$76,980	$62,985	$45,760 – $132,310	20,760
Georgia	$76,800	$59,496	$46,600 – $128,420	6,010
Wisconsin	$76,270	$59,824	$50,890 – $111,530	5,150
Kansas	$76,250	$59,017	$48,860 – $118,310	2,250
Iowa	$76,040	$60,086	$48,740 – $118,410	1,870
Missouri	$76,020	$59,674	$44,840 – $128,270	6,580
Tennessee	$75,650	$62,050	$42,440 – $120,990	4,340
Alabama	$74,990	$58,101	$42,400 – $118,160	3,000
Florida	$74,990	$61,585	$44,200 – $128,050	13,720
South Dakota	$74,950	$61,557	$57,110 – $129,560	1,030
Kentucky	$74,880	$59,005	$46,410 – $119,530	1,960
North Carolina	$74,730	$58,930	$43,580 – $123,240	8,030
Maine	$74,080	$57,127	$41,450 – $123,040	760
Indiana	$73,430	$58,351	$50,630 – $106,640	4,810
North Dakota	$73,280	$60,213	$52,730 – $104,050	730
Nebraska	$73,100	$57,809	$50,040 – $105,640	1,330
Mississippi	$71,230	$56,823	$41,600 – $118,040	1,280
South Carolina	$70,260	$55,199	$46,970 – $119,590	2,880
Oklahoma	$67,800	$54,022	$42,700 – $104,750	1,860
New Mexico	$67,590	$54,369	$38,960 – $109,610	900
Arkansas	$61,470	$49,387	$38,480 – $110,040	1,400

Frequently asked questions

How much does a cost estimator make?

The national median salary for cost estimators is $78,740 a year ($37.86 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $48,530 and the top 10% earn over $130,820. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays cost estimators the most?

Massachusetts has the highest median pay at $100,840. After taxes and local prices, Baton Rouge, LA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many cost estimators are there in the U.S.?

About 224,220 people work as cost estimators nationwide.

All 90 cities