Cost estimators

Detailed Occupation

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2020 Workforce

144k

Average Age

46.3

Estimated Job Growth

−1.49%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$74,798

Average Male Salary

$78,164

Average Female Salary

$55,710

About

Cost estimators are most often employed by the Construction industry. The average yearly wage for Cost estimators was $74,798 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Cost estimators by wage are Technical writers, Physical therapists, and Entertainment and recreation managers.

Cost estimators are part of the Business & financial operations occupations, along with Agents & business managers of artists, performers, & athletes, Buyers & purchasing agents, farm products, Wholesale & retail buyers, except farm products, Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, & farm products, Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, & investigators, and 24 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Cost estimators are Fort Bend County (West & South) PUMA, TX, Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area (West) PUMA, LA, and Olney, Damascus, Clarksburg & Darnestown PUMA, MD. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Cost estimators are Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area (West) PUMA, LA, Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono & Tuolumne Counties PUMA, CA, and Andover, Ramsey, Anoka & East Bethel Cities PUMA, MN.

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Cost estimators and on wages and locations for those in the field. Construction is the industry that employs the most Cost estimators, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Cost estimators, by average wage, is Aerospace products & parts manufacturing. Cost estimators are paid most in Lyndhurst, Mayfield Heights, Shaker Heights & Solon Cities PUMA, OH but are relatively concentrated in Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area (West) PUMA, LA.

Yearly Wage

$74,798

AVERAGE SALARY

± $3,627

In 2020, Cost estimators earned an average of $74,798, $18,844 more than than the average national salary of $55,954.

Technical writers make somewhat more than Cost estimators while Entertainment and recreation managers make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Cost estimators as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.32

WAGE GINI

In 2015, Cost estimators had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.32, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Cost estimators (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Cost estimators.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Cost estimators

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Cost estimators.

Most Common

The most common industries employing Cost estimators, by number of employees, are Construction, Automotive repair & maintenance, Structural metals, & boiler, tank, & shipping container manufacturing , Architectural, engineering & related services, Printing & related support activities, Building material & supplies dealers, Landscaping services, Furniture & related product manufacturing, Aircraft & parts manufacturing, Insurance carriers, and Miscellaneous manufacturing, n.e.c. .

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Cost estimators, by average wage, are Aerospace products & parts manufacturing, Petroleum refining, and Electric & gas, and other combinations.

Industries by Share

144k

2020 Workforce

± 9,301

3.95%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 8.89%

The number of people employed as Cost estimators has been growing at a rate of 3.95%, from 138,206 people in 2019 to 143,670 people in 2020.

This graphic shows the share of Cost estimators employed by various industries. Construction employs the largest share of Cost estimators at 61.2%, followed by Automotive repair & maintenance with 5.08% and Structural metals, & boiler, tank, & shipping container manufacturing with 2.74%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Cost estimators in the US. The average age of male Cost estimators in the workforce is 47 and of female Cost estimators is 42.5, and the most common race/ethnicity for Cost estimators is White (Non-Hispanic).

Composition by Sex

122k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 8,577

21.5k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 3,603

85% of Cost estimators are Male, making them the more common sex in the occupation. This chart shows the sex breakdown of Cost estimators.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Cost estimators

White (Non-Hispanic)
White (Hispanic)
Asian (Non-Hispanic)

81.8% of Cost estimators are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 6.23% of Cost estimators, White (Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Cost estimators.

Age by Sex

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 0.988

42.5

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 2.13

The median age of Cost estimators is 46.3, and Male employees are generally 4.53 years older than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Cost estimators from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Cost estimators is Business but a relatively high number of Cost estimators hold a major in Construction.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Cost estimators from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Cost estimators need many skills, but most especially Mathematics, Critical Thinking, and Reading Comprehension. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Cost estimators need more than the average amount of Management of Financial Resources, Management of Material Resources, and Mathematics.

Radar Distribution

Bar Chart

Projections

Projections on job growth for Cost Estimators from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Cost Estimators are expected to see a growth of −1.49% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow less than the national average.

Job Growth

−1.49%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Cost Estimators. This profession is expected to grow less than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.