Cost estimators

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2019 Workforce

156k

Average Age

45.9

Estimated Job Growth

−1.49%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$71,974

Average Male Salary

$74,693

Average Female Salary

$57,414

About

Cost estimators are most often employed by the Construction industry. The average yearly wage for Cost estimators was $71,974 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Cost estimators by wage are Biological scientists, Ship & boat captains & operators, and Miscellaneous plant & system operators.

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 Everett City (Central & East) & Eastmont PUMA, WA, Rankin & Simpson Counties PUMA, MS, and Washington, Caledonia, Orleans, Lamoille & Essex Counties PUMA, VT. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Cost estimators are Everett City (Central & East) & Eastmont PUMA, WA, Washington, Caledonia, Orleans, Lamoille & Essex Counties PUMA, VT, and Rankin & Simpson Counties PUMA, MS.

Management, business, & financial occupations Management, business, science, & arts occupations Business & financial operations occupations

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 Lessors of real estate, and offices of real estate agents and brokers. Cost estimators are paid most in McLennan CountyWaco (Outer), Hewitt & Robinson Cities PUMA, TX but are relatively concentrated in Everett City (Central & East) & Eastmont PUMA, WA.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$71,974

AVERAGE SALARY

± $2,943

In 2019, Cost estimators earned an average of $71,974, $16,450 more than than the average national salary of $55,524.

Miscellaneous plant & system operators make somewhat more than Cost estimators while Biological scientists make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Cost estimators as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.314

WAGE GINI

In 2015, Cost estimators had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.314, 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.

Industries

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 , Building material & supplies dealers, Landscaping services, Printing & related support activities, Cement, concrete, lime, & gypsum product manufacturing , Architectural, engineering & related services, Miscellaneous fabricated metal products manufacturing, Furniture & related product manufacturing, and Insurance carriers.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Cost estimators, by average wage, are Lessors of real estate, and offices of real estate agents and brokers, Ship & boat building, and Motor vehicles & motor vehicle equipment manufacturing.

Industries by Share

156k

2019 Workforce

± 9,707

11.5%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 8.09%

The number of people employed as Cost estimators has been growing at a rate of 11.5%, from 140,319 people in 2018 to 156,496 people in 2019.

This graphic shows the share of Cost estimators employed by various industries. Construction employs the largest share of Cost estimators at 61.4%, followed by Automotive repair & maintenance with 4.37% and Structural metals, & boiler, tank, & shipping container manufacturing with 3.12%.

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 40.1, and the most common race/ethnicity for Cost estimators is White (Non-Hispanic).

Composition by Sex

132k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 8,912

24.6k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 3,852

84.3% 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)

82.8% of Cost estimators are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 7.95% 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

± 0.942

40.1

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 1.82

The median age of Cost estimators is 45.9, and Male employees are generally 6.91 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 Engineering 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.