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Cost Estimators
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.
Other titles employers use
Acquisition Cost Estimator · Analyst · Construction Estimator · Cost Analyst · Cost Consultant · Cost Engineer · Cost Estimating Analyst · Cost Estimator
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
- Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to organizing, persuading and analytical work.
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Mathematics
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Subjects to know
- Mathematics
- Economics and Accounting
- Computers and Electronics
- Engineering and Technology
- Building and Construction
Useful strengths
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.8 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 1.8 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.5 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 1.3 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 82%
- A two-year degree 9%
- High school or less 5%
- A master's degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Project management software
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Accounting software
- Spreadsheet software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Document management software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 27,300
- Job openings each year
- 2,300
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 4.2%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 27,300 | 2,300 | 4.2% |
| Texas | 20,780 | 1,790 | 7.4% |
| Florida | 16,360 | 1,420 | 8.8% |
| New York | 10,010 | 10 | 1.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 9,720 | 780 | −2.7% |
| Ohio | 8,350 | 670 | −3.4% |
| Virginia | 8,110 | 670 | — |
| North Carolina | 7,890 | 660 | 3.7% |
| Washington | 7,820 | 770 | 11.2% |
| Missouri | 6,690 | 550 | — |
| Colorado | 6,340 | 540 | 6.4% |
| Michigan | 6,260 | 500 | −4.7% |
| Illinois | 6,040 | 490 | −1.6% |
| Georgia | 6,030 | 520 | 7.3% |
| New Jersey | 5,380 | 440 | — |
| Wisconsin | 5,070 | 430 | 4.8% |
| Indiana | 5,020 | 410 | −2.0% |
| Arizona | 4,840 | 420 | 8.0% |
| Maryland | 4,440 | 370 | 1.8% |
| Tennessee | 4,270 | 380 | 14.2% |
| Utah | 3,850 | 360 | 23.4% |
| Oregon | 3,830 | 330 | 7.9% |
| Minnesota | 3,430 | 290 | 1.5% |
| Kansas | 2,700 | 220 | −1.5% |
| Louisiana | 2,700 | 230 | 3.4% |
| Iowa | 2,430 | 200 | 3.4% |
| Connecticut | 2,340 | 200 | 3.1% |
| Alabama | 2,320 | 190 | 2.7% |
| Oklahoma | 2,290 | 190 | — |
| South Carolina | 2,140 | 180 | — |
| Nevada | 2,050 | 170 | 3.0% |
| Kentucky | 1,990 | 160 | −1.5% |
| Idaho | 1,680 | 150 | 18.3% |
| Nebraska | 1,590 | 130 | 1.9% |
| Massachusetts | 1,550 | 130 | — |
| Arkansas | 1,440 | 120 | — |
| Delaware | 1,250 | 100 | — |
| Montana | 1,090 | 100 | 14.7% |
| Mississippi | 1,060 | 90 | 7.1% |
| New Hampshire | 1,010 | 80 | 2.0% |
| West Virginia | 970 | 80 | 2.1% |
| New Mexico | 960 | 80 | 5.5% |
| South Dakota | 950 | 80 | 5.6% |
| Maine | 840 | 60 | −8.7% |
| Rhode Island | 630 | 50 | 1.6% |
| North Dakota | 560 | 50 | 3.7% |
| Puerto Rico | 400 | 30 | 5.3% |
| District of Columbia | 380 | 30 | −2.6% |
| Vermont | 330 | 30 | 3.1% |
| Wyoming | 330 | 30 | 10.0% |
| Alaska | 200 | 20 | 17.6% |
| Guam | 70 | 10 | — |
| Virgin Islands | 20 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 5,603
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Western Governors University
- Degrees each year
- 2,505
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Indiana University-Bloomington
- Degrees each year
- 2,457
- Admit rate
- 80%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
San Diego State University
- Degrees each year
- 2,283
- Admit rate
- 34%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
California State University-Fullerton
- Degrees each year
- 2,261
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
San Jose State University
- Degrees each year
- 1,822
- Admit rate
- 80%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Degrees each year
- 1,817
- Admit rate
- 74%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
California State University-Long Beach
- Degrees each year
- 1,646
- Admit rate
- 47%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000