Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Construction Estimator
- Cost Analyst
- Cost Estimator
- Estimator
Alternate Job Titles
- Acquisition Cost Estimator
- Analyst
- Building Construction Estimator
- Building Estimator
- Civil Estimator
- Commercial Construction Estimator
- Commercial Estimator
- Commercial Roofing Estimator
- Concrete Estimator
- Construction Estimator
- Construction Job Cost Estimator
- Cost Analyst
- Cost Consultant
- Cost Engineer
- Cost Estimating Analyst
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Use remote sensing technologies or drones to evaluate site conditions when in-person visits are not feasible.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Mathematics
- Economics and Accounting
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Mathematics
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Number Facility
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
- Deductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Autodesk Revit
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
Tools & Equipment
- Desktop computers
- Notebook computers
- Personal computers
- Personal digital assistants PDA
- Scanners
- Tablet computers
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Spend Time Sitting
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $46,330 |
| Median | $77,070 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $128,640 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 219,530
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Logistics Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $80,880
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $64,200
Construction Managers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $106,980
Industrial Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $101,140
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $167,740
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.