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Cost Estimator Salary by State (2026)
How much does a Cost Estimator make? The median Cost Estimator salary in the US is about $79,322 per year (roughly $38.00 an hour), across 224,200 jobs (Cost Estimators). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $61,470 in Arkansas to $100,840 in Massachusetts. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Cost Estimator salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Massachusetts | $100,840 | 4,520 |
| Alaska | $97,020 | 220 |
| Wyoming | $90,790 | 440 |
| Colorado | $86,940 | 6,100 |
| Washington | $86,070 | 7,470 |
| California | $85,460 | 26,020 |
| Illinois | $82,750 | 5,990 |
| District of Columbia | $82,730 | 270 |
| Nevada | $82,200 | 2,240 |
| Rhode Island | $81,990 | 590 |
| Vermont | $81,390 | 320 |
| Maryland | $81,190 | 4,580 |
| Connecticut | $81,030 | 2,350 |
| Minnesota | $80,810 | 4,310 |
| New Jersey | $80,570 | 5,240 |
| Virginia | $80,530 | 5,840 |
| Oregon | $80,460 | 2,940 |
| New York | $80,430 | 11,980 |
| Hawaii | $80,360 | 1,040 |
| Idaho | $79,700 | 1,600 |
| Utah | $79,610 | 2,800 |
| New Hampshire | $79,560 | 980 |
| Delaware | $79,290 | 730 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,480 | 9,420 |
| Michigan | $77,990 | 6,960 |
| Ohio | $77,730 | 8,100 |
| West Virginia | $77,480 | 830 |
| Montana | $77,320 | 1,230 |
| Louisiana | $77,030 | 2,680 |
| Arizona | $77,010 | 5,760 |
| Texas | $76,980 | 20,760 |
| Georgia | $76,800 | 6,010 |
| Wisconsin | $76,270 | 5,150 |
| Kansas | $76,250 | 2,250 |
| Iowa | $76,040 | 1,870 |
| Missouri | $76,020 | 6,580 |
| Tennessee | $75,650 | 4,340 |
| Alabama | $74,990 | 3,000 |
| Florida | $74,990 | 13,720 |
| South Dakota | $74,950 | 1,030 |
| Kentucky | $74,880 | 1,960 |
| North Carolina | $74,730 | 8,030 |
| Maine | $74,080 | 760 |
| Indiana | $73,430 | 4,810 |
| North Dakota | $73,280 | 730 |
| Nebraska | $73,100 | 1,330 |
| Mississippi | $71,230 | 1,280 |
| South Carolina | $70,260 | 2,880 |
| Oklahoma | $67,800 | 1,860 |
| New Mexico | $67,590 | 900 |
| Arkansas | $61,470 | 1,400 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Cost Estimator make?
- A Cost Estimator makes a median of about $79,322 per year in the US (roughly $38.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $61,470 in Arkansas to $100,840 in Massachusetts depending on the state.
- What is the average Cost Estimator salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Cost Estimator salary in the US is about $79,322 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 224,200 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Cost Estimators the most?
- Massachusetts has the highest median Cost Estimator salary at $100,840 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Cost Estimators the least?
- Arkansas has the lowest median at $61,470 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Cost Estimators, code 13-1051). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.