Business and finance
Cost estimator
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.
Median pay
$78,740
Growth to 2035
−3%
declining
Openings a year
17,600
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Cost estimator
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Cost estimator: 45% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.
- Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates.
- Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products.
- Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.
- Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
- Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.
- Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
- Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work.
Also called: Acquisition Cost Estimator · Analyst · Construction Estimator · Cost Analyst · Cost Consultant · Cost Engineer · Cost Estimating Analyst · Cost Estimator
Outlook and AI
Cost estimators held 226,400 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 219,500 by 2035 (−3%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Productivity change - share decreases as cost estimation software has made this work more efficient.
Compare with
- Cost estimator vs. Logistician
- Cost estimator vs. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Cost estimator vs. Construction manager
- Cost estimator vs. Industrial engineer
- Cost estimator vs. Architectural and engineering managers
- Cost estimator vs. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Cost estimator vs. Architectural and civil drafters
- Cost estimator vs. Civil engineer
- Cost estimator vs. Project manager
- Cost estimator vs. Buyers and purchasing agents