Cost Estimators · North Carolina

Cost Estimators Salary in North Carolina

Cost Estimators in North Carolina earn a median annual wage of $74,730 —5.1% below the national median of $78,740. That ranks NC #42 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$74,730
Median hourly
$35.93
Entry level (P10)
$43,580
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$123,240
90th percentile
Employment
8,030
1.6 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-5.1%
U.S. $78,740

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$43,580
$57,680
$74,730
$94,320
$43,580$74,730$123,240
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $74,730.

Employment concentration (1.13×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for cost estimators

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. North Carolina is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Massachusetts$100,840$48.484,5200.86
2Alaska$97,020$46.652200.46
3Wyoming$90,790$43.654401.09
4Colorado$86,940$41.806,1001.47
5Washington$86,070$41.387,4701.46
6California$85,460$41.0926,0200.99
7Illinois$82,750$39.785,9900.68
8District of Columbia$82,730$39.772700.27
9Nevada$82,200$39.522,2401.00
10Rhode Island$81,990$39.425900.82

Related occupations in North Carolina

Occupations in the same job family, compared within North Carolina.

OccupationNorth Carolina medianU.S. median
Accountants and Auditors$82,050$83,680
Business Operations Specialists, All Other$80,230$83,050
Project Management Specialists$100,820$102,320
Human Resources Specialists$73,070$75,940
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$78,410$78,760
Management Analysts$98,560$101,860

Frequently asked questions

How much do cost estimators make in North Carolina?

The median annual wage for cost estimators in North Carolina is $74,730, or $35.93 per hour. That is 5.1% below the national median of $78,740.

What is the entry-level cost estimators salary in North Carolina?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $43,580 per year ($20.95/hour). The 25th percentile is $57,680.

How many people work as cost estimators in North Carolina?

About 8,030 people work in this occupation in North Carolina, or 1.6 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is North Carolina a good state for cost estimators?

North Carolina ranks #42 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (1.13x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays cost estimators the most?

Massachusetts has the highest median wage at $100,840 per year, followed by Alaska ($97,020) and Wyoming ($90,790).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes