Salary distribution
Where California cost estimators fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $64,880 and $116,660, with a median of $84,610.
Cost Estimators in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 124 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $116,250. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 23 | $60,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 26 | $100,700 |
| Level III — experienced | 29 | $125,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 28 | $148,500 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Cost Estimators in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumming Management Group, Inc. | Senior Cost Manager | 15 | $131,120 |
| Turner & Townsend, Inc. | Sr. Consultant, Estimation | 13 | $145,000 |
| J.H. Fitzmaurice, Inc. | Cost Estimator | 4 | $101,400 |
| The Layton Companies | Associate Estimator | 4 | $93,496 |
| SEA PAC ENGINEERING, INC. | Construction Estimator | 4 | $54,766 |
| Crusoe Energy Systems, Inc. | Cost Controls Manager | 3 | $188,000 |
| Swinerton Builders | Estimator | 3 | $106,700 |
| WSP USA Inc. | Office Engineer | 3 | $82,514 |
| Bay City Mechanical, Inc. | Estimator (Civil Engineer) | 3 | $120,000 |
| Rider Levett Bucknall Ltd. | Associate Principal | 2 | $153,362 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Cost Controls Manager at Crusoe Energy Systems, Inc.$188,000San FranciscoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502565
- Senior Consultant, Estimation at Turner & Townsend, Inc.$148,000San FranciscoDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-490305
- ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, COST ESTIMATOR at WTP AMERICA LLC$186,844SANTA MONICADecided Dec 19, 2025I-203-25346-480038
- Cost Estimator (Construction) at Statewide Roofing, LLC$83,200San JoseDecided Dec 12, 2025I-200-25339-462427
- Construction Estimator at Wu & Associates, Inc.$65,000San DiegoDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-447083
- Senior Estimator at ADITHYA CONSTRUCTION INC$119,267DublinDecided Dec 5, 2025I-200-25332-443164
- Estimator at Swinerton Builders$106,700Santa AnaDecided Dec 2, 2025I-200-25328-432639
- Cost Estimator at Kwan Wo Ironworks Inc.$67,371HaywardDecided Nov 25, 2025I-200-25323-420041
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Cost Estimators pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Cost Estimators specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 94 certified offers. The most common variant is Estimator at a median of $115,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimator | The Layton Companies | 29 | $115,000 |
| Sr. Consultant, Estimation | Turner & Townsend, Inc. | 13 | $145,000 |
| Senior Cost Manager | Cumming Management Group, Inc. | 13 | $123,200 |
| Cost Estimator | DPR Construction, A General Partnership | 8 | $107,797 |
| Director, Cost Management | Cumming Management Group, Inc. | 6 | $165,956 |
| Construction Estimator | SEA PAC ENGINEERING, INC. | 5 | $54,766 |
| Assistant Project Manager | US Longton, Inc. | 4 | $84,937 |
| Cost Analyst | Excelsior Nutrition Inc. | 4 | $62,500 |
| Scheduling/Cost Analyst | Swinerton Management & Consulting, LLC | 3 | $89,502 |
| Project Engineer | Gruendl, Inc. | 3 | $89,502 |
| Cost Engineer | E2 Consulting Engineers, Inc. | 3 | $125,000 |
| Office Engineer | WSP USA Inc. | 3 | $82,514 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Cost Estimators in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 66 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $132,060.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Cumming Management Group, Inc. | 48 | $132,060 |
| Manufacturing | Miscellaneous Architectural and Structural Metals INC | 6 | $73,750 |
| Technology and software | Crusoe Energy Systems, Inc. | 5 | $188,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | UKA's BIG SAVER FOODS, INC. | 5 | $60,000 |
| Energy and utilities | Southern California Edison | 1 | $185,048 |
| Transportation and logistics | YunExpress USA, Inc. | 1 | $65,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.4 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Inductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Mathematical Reasoning
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Mathematics
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Economics and Accounting
Knowledge
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.
- 02
Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates.
- 03
Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products.
- 04
Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.
- 05
Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
- 06
Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.
- 07
Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
- 08
Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
-4.2%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Declining
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for cost estimators in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$103,030
- San Jose$97,990
- Sacramento$84,740
- San Diego$84,600
- Los Angeles$80,920
- Riverside$77,610
Compare Cost Estimators pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Cost Estimators in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Cost Estimators in California is $84,610.
- How does California compare to the national median for Cost Estimators?
- The California median is +9.6% versus the BLS national figure of $77,225.
- What is the salary range for Cost Estimators in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $51,780 and the 90th-percentile at $149,400, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Cost Estimators a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment declining by -4.2% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Cost Estimators?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.