JobAfterNext

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.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$78,740
Employment, U.S.224,220
Median hourly wage$37.86
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$48,530$61,150$78,740$101,850$130,820
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama3,000$74,9900.98
Alaska220$97,0200.46
Arizona5,760$77,0101.23
Arkansas1,400$61,4700.75
California26,020$85,4600.99
Colorado6,100$86,9401.47
Connecticut2,350$81,0300.96
Delaware730$79,2901.05
District of Columbia270$82,7300.27
Florida13,720$74,9900.96
Georgia6,010$76,8000.85
Hawaii1,040$80,3601.15
Idaho1,600$79,7001.30
Illinois5,990$82,7500.68
Indiana4,810$73,4301.04
Iowa1,870$76,0400.83
Kansas2,250$76,2501.09
Kentucky1,960$74,8800.68
Louisiana2,680$77,0300.96
Maine760$74,0800.83
Maryland4,580$81,1901.15
Massachusetts4,520$100,8400.86
Michigan6,960$77,9901.10
Minnesota4,310$80,8101.01
Mississippi1,280$71,2300.76
Missouri6,580$76,0201.55
Montana1,230$77,3201.67
Nebraska1,330$73,1000.90
Nevada2,240$82,2001.00
New Hampshire980$79,5600.99
New Jersey5,240$80,5700.85
New Mexico900$67,5900.72
New York11,980$80,4300.86
North Carolina8,030$74,7301.13
North Dakota730$73,2801.18
Ohio8,100$77,7301.01
Oklahoma1,860$67,8000.76
Oregon2,940$80,4601.04
Pennsylvania9,420$78,4801.08
Rhode Island590$81,9900.82
South Carolina2,880$70,2600.87
South Dakota1,030$74,9501.56
Tennessee4,340$75,6500.92
Texas20,760$76,9801.02
Utah2,800$79,6101.12
Vermont320$81,3900.73
Virginia5,840$80,5300.99
Washington7,470$86,0701.46
West Virginia830$77,4800.82
Wisconsin5,150$76,2701.21
Wyoming440$90,7901.09

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Wind Energy Development Managers40.954
2Architectural and Engineering Managers50.953
3Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar40.951
4Logistics Engineers40.949
5Financial Quantitative Analysts50.947
6Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers40.947
7Actuaries40.946
8Budget Analysts40.943
9Civil Engineers40.941
10Business Intelligence Analysts40.940

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Cost Estimators, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Solar Energy Systems EngineersScience3.500.936
Logistics AnalystsSystems Evaluation0.760.935
Solar Sales Representatives and AssessorsService Orientation0.870.929
Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm ProductsNegotiation0.870.924
Personal Financial AdvisorsService Orientation1.000.923
Energy AuditorsOperations Monitoring2.250.922
Data Warehousing SpecialistsProgramming2.870.922
Blockchain EngineersProgramming2.620.920

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Cost Estimators, excluding software Cost Estimators already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Microsoft Visual Basic12 of 205.8x
Structured query language SQL14 of 204.3x
Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA9 of 209.2x
Python13 of 204.5x
R10 of 204.5x
Microsoft Power BI6 of 2011.1x
C++10 of 204.2x
Microsoft SQL Server9 of 204.4x
The MathWorks MATLAB9 of 203.7x
Bentley InRoads Suite3 of 2046.2x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
MathematicsEssential skill 4.00 4.12
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 4.00 4.12
SpeakingEssential skill 3.88 4.00
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.75 4.12
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.75 4.00
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.62 3.75
WritingEssential skill 3.50 4.00
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.38 3.62
Active LearningEssential skill 3.25 3.88
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 3.12 3.62
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.12 3.12
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.12 3.00
PersuasionTransferable skill 3.00 3.50
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 3.00 3.50
MonitoringEssential skill 3.00 3.25
NegotiationTransferable skill 3.00 3.25
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 3.00 3.12
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.88 3.00
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 2.75 3.00
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.75 2.88
InstructingTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.50 2.50
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 2.50 2.50
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.50 0.88
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 1.50 0.75
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.50 0.75
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 1.38 0.38
ScienceEssential skill 1.38 0.38
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.12not rated
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.00not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.00not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Mathematics 4.41 5.73
Economics and Accounting 3.95 4.82
Computers and Electronics 3.50 4.36
Engineering and Technology 3.41 3.86
Building and Construction 3.32 4.09
Administration and Management 3.18 4.09
English Language 3.18 3.27
Design 3.14 3.68
Customer and Personal Service 3.00 3.59
Mechanical 2.91 3.45
Production and Processing 2.82 2.91
Administrative 2.76 3.64
Physics 2.71 3.19
Law and Government 2.55 2.64
Sales and Marketing 2.45 2.86
Education and Training 2.27 3.05
Personnel and Human Resources 2.19 2.59
Transportation 2.14 1.95
Public Safety and Security 2.00 1.73
Telecommunications 2.00 1.32
Geography 1.86 2.24
Psychology 1.77 1.59
Communications and Media 1.77 1.32
Chemistry 1.73 1.50
Biology 1.64 1.32
Sociology and Anthropology 1.55 1.09
Foreign Language 1.41 0.68
Philosophy and Theology 1.33not rated
History and Archeology 1.27 0.77
Food Production 1.23not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.18not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.14not rated
Fine Arts 1.05not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Inductive Reasoning 4.12 4.12
Mathematical Reasoning 4.00 4.12
Oral Comprehension 4.00 4.12
Oral Expression 4.00 4.12
Number Facility 3.88 4.25
Written Comprehension 3.88 4.12
Deductive Reasoning 3.75 4.12
Written Expression 3.75 4.00
Near Vision 3.75 3.88
Information Ordering 3.62 4.00
Speech Clarity 3.50 3.25
Speech Recognition 3.25 3.50
Category Flexibility 3.12 3.75
Problem Sensitivity 3.12 3.38
Fluency of Ideas 3.00 3.50
Flexibility of Closure 3.00 3.00
Selective Attention 3.00 3.00
Visualization 3.00 3.00
Originality 2.88 3.00
Perceptual Speed 2.88 2.75
Far Vision 2.75 2.88
Speed of Closure 2.75 2.62
Time Sharing 2.12 1.75
Memorization 2.00 2.00
Visual Color Discrimination 1.88 1.75
Trunk Strength 1.75 1.38
Auditory Attention 1.62 1.00
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.62 0.75
Hearing Sensitivity 1.50 1.00
Depth Perception 1.50 0.62
Finger Dexterity 1.50 0.50
Spatial Orientation 1.25not rated
Manual Dexterity 1.12not rated
Arm-Hand Steadiness 1.00not rated
Control Precision 1.00not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Dynamic Strength 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Extent Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Rate Control 1.00not rated
Reaction Time 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated
Static Strength 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 65
  • ConEst SureCount
  • ConEst T&M Billing Manager
  • Construction Management Software ProEst
  • Corel QuattroPro
  • Cost accounting software
  • Cost estimating software
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
  • Decisioneering Crystal Ball
  • EFI Hagen OA
  • Galorath SEER
  • Galorath SEER-SEM
  • HCSS HeavyBid
  • HCSS HeavyJob
  • IBM Costimater
  • IBM Lotus 1-2-3
  • Laserfiche Avante
  • Logic Software Easy Projects.NET
  • Microsoft Business Contact Manager
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Microsoft OneNote
  • Oracle Hyperion
  • Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
  • PRICE Sytems TruePlanning
  • Palisade @Risk
  • Primavera Cost Management
  • QSM SLIM Suite
  • Resources Calculations Incorporated SoftCost
  • SAP BusinessObjects Crystal Reports
  • Sage 100 Contractor
  • Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate
  • Sage 50 Accounting
  • Softstar Costar COCOMO II
  • Software AG enterprise software
  • WinEstimator WinEst
  • Xactware Xactimate

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Bozeman, MT2502.39$85,820
Billings, MT2802.07$75,600
Sioux Falls, SD-MN5101.98$76,130
Greeley, CO3401.96$87,350
Lancaster, PA7001.94$77,450
Helena, MT1201.89$83,760
Rapid City, SD2001.84$72,210
Kennewick-Richland, WA3301.79$87,150
Springfield, MO5601.75$64,160
York-Hanover, PA4601.74$80,170

More metros, other thresholds