Cost Estimators

Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 13-1051.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $78,649
Projected change: +0.6%
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
Employment: 230.62K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What cost estimators do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

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.
Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work.
Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.
Set up cost monitoring and reporting systems and procedures.
Review material and labor requirements to decide whether it is more cost-effective to produce or purchase components.
Prepare cost and expenditure statements and other necessary documentation at regular intervals for the duration of the project.
Conduct special studies to develop and establish standard hour and related cost data or to reduce cost.
Visit site and record information about access, drainage and topography, and availability of utility services.
Prepare and maintain a directory of suppliers, contractors and subcontractors.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $47,992
25th percentile: $60,573
50th percentile: $78,649
75th percentile: $102,450
90th percentile: $133,474

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $78,649 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+0.6%average or slower

2025230,619 jobs

2035 projected231,933 jobs

1,314 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Bachelor's degree: 81.8%
Associate degree: 9.1%
High school diploma or less: 4.6%
Master's or Professional degree: 4.6%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Construction
Project Management
Subcontracting
Construction Management
Quantity Take-Offs
Value Engineering
Construction Estimating
Bidding
Change Orders
Cost Estimation
Procurement
Architectural Drawing
Commercial Construction
Project Estimation
Project Scoping
Cost Control
Project Schedules
Civil Engineering
Constructability
Project Implementation

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Management of Financial Resources: Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Management of Material Resources: Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Estimators15,256 postings
02Construction Estimators4,657 postings
03Electrical Estimators4,104 postings
04Project Estimators1,870 postings
05Heavy Civil Estimators1,578 postings
06Commercial Construction Estimators1,542 postings
07Cost Estimators1,421 postings
08Project Managers/Estimators1,246 postings
09Estimators/Project Managers1,158 postings
10Commercial Estimators1,127 postings
11Drywall Estimators988 postings
12Mechanical Estimators968 postings
13Civil Estimators887 postings
14HVAC Estimators877 postings
15Sales Estimators850 postings
16Commercial Roofing Estimators804 postings
17Electrical Estimators/Project Managers756 postings
18Cost Engineers698 postings
19Plumbing Estimators638 postings
20Commercial Drywall Estimators572 postings

Top employers

01GPAC10,843 postings
02Actalent784 postings
03Jobot659 postings
04PageGroup600 postings
05CyberCoders514 postings
06Turner Construction Company385 postings
07Core & Main347 postings
08CDM Smith262 postings
09W3Global257 postings
10Turner & Townsend252 postings
11GE Aerospace249 postings
12MasTec236 postings
13Hays229 postings
14Jacobs Solutions224 postings
15Allegiance Group222 postings
16Kiewit Corporation222 postings
17AppleOne215 postings
18Insight Global212 postings
19Leoforce191 postings
20Iea Management Services183 postings

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