13
Cost Estimators is a notable career in the 13 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Cost Estimators against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 13-1051 |
| title | Cost Estimators |
| onet code | 13-1051.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 13 |
| tot emp | 219,530 |
| a mean | 83,160 |
| a median | 77,070 |
| a pct10 | 46,330 |
| a pct25 | 59,830 |
| a pct75 | 99,630 |
| a pct90 | 128,640 |
| h mean | 39 |
| h median | 37 |
The day-to-day work of a cost estimators typically centers on analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, and Speaking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.62 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working cost estimators, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (81.8%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 86% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in Massachusetts at $102,680 and lowest in Arkansas at $62,870 — a 1.6× spread. The top five states (Massachusetts, California, District of Columbia, New York, Washington) average $87,508. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $102,680 | $109,770 | $55,030 | $173,060 | 5,340 |
| California | $84,610 | $94,880 | $51,780 | $149,400 | 25,580 |
| District of Columbia | $84,410 | $94,530 | $78,840 | $125,370 | 360 |
| New York | $82,940 | $95,580 | $53,990 | $149,990 | 9,790 |
| Washington | $82,900 | $92,010 | $56,990 | $136,530 | 7,320 |
| Colorado | $81,990 | $87,110 | $50,630 | $127,840 | 6,020 |
| Maryland | $81,490 | $88,870 | $50,160 | $131,490 | 4,380 |
| New Jersey | $80,880 | $89,320 | $47,510 | $140,030 | 5,130 |
| Nevada | $80,270 | $88,960 | $47,870 | $133,590 | 2,370 |
| Minnesota | $79,950 | $84,690 | $54,430 | $123,310 | 4,170 |
| Illinois | $79,880 | $83,240 | $47,520 | $127,050 | 6,220 |
| Arizona | $79,310 | $86,960 | $37,590 | $136,540 | 4,540 |
| Utah | $79,150 | $83,630 | $49,130 | $122,380 | 2,500 |
| Oregon | $78,970 | $82,570 | $48,950 | $126,530 | 2,920 |
| Vermont | $78,820 | $84,260 | $61,030 | $127,400 | 450 |
| Hawaii | $78,630 | $82,860 | $44,030 | $126,550 | 960 |
| New Hampshire | $77,720 | $82,120 | $49,620 | $125,130 | 970 |
| Connecticut | $77,130 | $86,460 | $53,250 | $131,400 | 2,080 |
| Iowa | $76,290 | $77,600 | $49,920 | $110,340 | 2,090 |
| Michigan | $76,080 | $79,810 | $44,940 | $121,870 | 6,110 |
| Rhode Island | $75,990 | $83,520 | $48,550 | $129,470 | — |
| Virginia | $75,970 | $79,280 | $44,880 | $119,610 | 6,570 |
| Ohio | $75,450 | $80,580 | $46,050 | $124,850 | 8,500 |
| Delaware | $75,390 | $75,120 | $47,260 | $105,100 | 1,000 |
| Texas | $74,930 | $79,210 | $42,740 | $126,370 | 21,810 |
| Idaho | $74,880 | $86,460 | $45,340 | $168,590 | 1,630 |
| Wyoming | $74,870 | $75,270 | $41,370 | $104,460 | 310 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,590 | $79,420 | $49,040 | $119,750 | 9,370 |
| Tennessee | $74,570 | $78,460 | $46,540 | $114,550 | 3,830 |
| Missouri | $73,360 | $76,550 | $41,910 | $116,060 | 6,990 |
| Maine | $73,090 | $74,420 | $42,790 | $106,960 | 780 |
| Georgia | $72,850 | $78,110 | $44,190 | $121,960 | 5,100 |
| South Dakota | $72,670 | $74,760 | $54,340 | $103,250 | 940 |
| Kansas | $72,600 | $76,930 | $45,080 | $116,630 | 2,520 |
| North Carolina | $72,230 | $74,660 | $39,540 | $118,650 | 6,620 |
| Florida | $71,920 | $76,900 | $41,590 | $122,630 | 14,640 |
| Wisconsin | $71,880 | $75,190 | $48,210 | $104,390 | 5,200 |
| Indiana | $71,590 | $74,550 | $45,580 | $105,590 | 4,800 |
| West Virginia | $70,630 | $77,180 | $42,940 | $133,350 | 830 |
| North Dakota | $70,250 | $72,880 | $47,610 | $102,190 | 620 |
| Kentucky | $69,490 | $73,380 | $45,200 | $107,950 | 2,290 |
| Nebraska | $69,110 | $73,150 | $47,420 | $102,270 | 1,580 |
| New Mexico | $69,040 | $76,790 | $42,400 | $116,650 | 980 |
| Louisiana | $68,500 | $72,410 | $39,480 | $104,610 | 2,410 |
| Montana | $68,360 | $70,750 | $46,990 | $98,520 | 1,210 |
| Alaska | $68,310 | $80,130 | $49,660 | $141,550 | 160 |
| Alabama | $68,030 | $74,390 | $43,090 | $118,640 | 2,460 |
| South Carolina | $67,420 | $73,070 | $44,500 | $106,800 | 2,460 |
| Mississippi | $66,410 | $69,980 | $40,950 | $100,460 | 1,300 |
| Oklahoma | $63,790 | $68,560 | $38,260 | $103,220 | 2,100 |
| Arkansas | $62,870 | $71,230 | $41,420 | $106,310 | 1,370 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for cost estimators. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Acquisition Cost Estimator or Analyst frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Cost Estimators compares to others in the 13 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Cost Estimators
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
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