Estimator Salary in USA

$38/hr

Compare national wage benchmarks with the project's scale, your decision-making authority and the full terms of an employment offer.

Change trade or state

What Estimators Earn in the United States

The latest national range for cost estimators across industries is $23.33–$62.90/hr, or $48,530–$130,820/year. This broader occupational benchmark helps compare employee offers; it is not a separate survey of this job title. Location, responsibility, project scale, project complexity and paid hours affect earnings. Contractor revenue, employer benefits and individual bonus arrangements are separate.

Hourly rates by level in USA

What estimators earn at each stage of the trade in USA, before overtime or per-diem.

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$23.33–$29.40/hr
▲ 2.19% from last year
Skilled · 3–7 yrs
$29.40–$48.97/hr
▲ 2.19% from last year
Lead · 7+ yrs
$48.97–$62.90/hr
▲ 2.19% from last year

Find Estimator jobs.

Browse open jobs

Where do you stand?

Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other estimators in USA.

What are you making?

Type your hourly rate. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere — it stays in your browser.

$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$32.00 is above roughly 52% of this market. The top quarter starts at $37.00, and the median sits at $31.50.

10th
$18
25th
$25
Median
$32
75th
$37
90th
$50
YOU · $32.00
Your percentile
52th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$66,560
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
+$1,040
Above the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add credentials, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0
American RecruitsEstimate
Skilled Estimator
USA · Day Shift
Base rate$39.19
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.38
+ PMP or CAPM (Project Management)$2.00
Effective hourly$41.57
Straight · 40 hrs$1,663
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$499
Weekly gross$2,161
Annualised · 50 weeks
$108,069
8 OT hrs/week · USA

Who pays the most in USA

Estimating work spans commercial buildings, mechanical and electrical packages, and structural or exterior scopes. These national occupation medians rank three selected construction sectors; technical specialization and coordination demands vary, and other industries may pay more.

01 / 03$46.53/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial and institutional building projects.

+ Larger projects
+ Structured teams
– Complex coordination
– Tight deadlines
02 / 03$41.21/hr

Building Equipment Contractors

Mechanical and electrical construction packages.

+ Technical scope
+ Specialist teams
– Trade interfaces
– Schedule pressure
03 / 03$37.93/hr

Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors

Structural and exterior construction packages.

+ Defined packages
+ Practical specialization
– Weather exposure
– Sequence dependencies

Which states pay estimators the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01California$41.09/hr
  2. 02Virginia$38.72/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
NCCER Site Supervisor/Foreman+$1.38$2,870$2755 weeks
Fall Protection Competent Person+$0.75$1,560$1625 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.38$790$906 weeks
PMP or CAPM (Project Management)+$2$4,160$5006 weeks
First Aid/CPR (OSHA-aligned)+$0.25$520$758 weeks

What overtime actually adds

At $37.86/hr.

40 hr week
$1,514
No OT
50 hr week
$2,082
+$28,395/yr
60 hr week
$2,650
+$56,790/yr
70 hr week
$3,218
+$85,185/yr

Questions workers ask

Should I accept a bonus based only on winning bids?▾
Read the formula carefully. Clarify how scope changes and awards outside your control affect payment. DOL distinguishes promised performance incentives from discretionary bonuses; for covered nonexempt estimators, the former generally affect overtime calculations.
Does a bid deadline create extra pay entitlement?▾
A deadline alone does not create premium pay. For covered nonexempt estimators, actual hours worked count toward overtime after 40 in a workweek. Record evening revisions and employer-required work, including work performed remotely.
How can I support an estimating pay review?▾
Use evidence of accurate quantities, documented assumptions, and useful risk analysis. FHWA's estimating guidance emphasizes sound bases and review. Discuss how the employer values those contributions rather than promising that bid volume guarantees a raise.

See open Estimator jobs

Verified positions matching this trade.

See Open JobsBuild My Profile — Free

Current BLS national employee wage percentiles for SOC 13-1051; figures describe the occupational benchmark, not contractor revenue.

Last updated October 15, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.