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The average salary for a Cost Analyst in the United States is approximately $54,158 annually, translating to around $26 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, industry, and years of experience. For instance, cost analysts working in finance or manufacturing often earn higher wages compared to those in other sectors.
States like California, New York, and Texas offer some of the highest salaries for cost analysts, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in these regions. Furthermore, experience plays a crucial role in salary progression. Entry-level analysts typically earn less than those with several years of expertise.
While the average salary provides a benchmark, various online sources report salary ranges from $50,000 to $70,000 annually, depending on specific job roles and responsibilities. These estimates can help job seekers gauge their earning potential and make informed career choices.
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The highest-paying states for cost analysts are Virginia, West Virginia, and Colorado. The lowest average cost analyst salary states are Tennessee, Georgia, and South Dakota.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $79,106 | $38.03 |
| 2 | Virginia | $68,045 | $32.71 |
| 3 | Colorado | $63,067 | $30.32 |
| 4 | Maryland | $62,590 | $30.09 |
| 5 | Michigan | $61,075 | $29.36 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $61,290 | $29.47 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $61,209 | $29.43 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $55,979 | $26.91 |
| 9 | Vermont | $60,117 | $28.90 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $61,590 | $29.61 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $64,415 | $30.97 |
| 12 | Maine | $62,812 | $30.20 |
| 13 | Washington | $59,335 | $28.53 |
| 14 | New York | $58,085 | $27.93 |
| 15 | Missouri | $56,746 | $27.28 |
| 16 | Ohio | $55,801 | $26.83 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $56,335 | $27.08 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $55,663 | $26.76 |
| 19 | Delaware | $54,685 | $26.29 |
| 20 | Indiana | $55,368 | $26.62 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $52,301 | $25.14 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $53,650 | $25.79 |
| 23 | Oregon | $56,687 | $27.25 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $53,750 | $25.84 |
| 25 | Arizona | $53,931 | $25.93 |
| 26 | Alabama | $51,555 | $24.79 |
| 27 | Illinois | $52,967 | $25.46 |
| 28 | California | $54,120 | $26.02 |
| 29 | Kansas | $49,612 | $23.85 |
| 30 | Alaska | $53,284 | $25.62 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $51,755 | $24.88 |
| 32 | Florida | $50,862 | $24.45 |
| 33 | Utah | $51,304 | $24.67 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $50,038 | $24.06 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $52,108 | $25.05 |
| 36 | Texas | $48,870 | $23.50 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $50,199 | $24.13 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $50,814 | $24.43 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $42,935 | $20.64 |
| 40 | Nevada | $48,553 | $23.34 |
| 41 | Idaho | $48,624 | $23.38 |
| 42 | Iowa | $48,034 | $23.09 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $48,596 | $23.36 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $47,984 | $23.07 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $44,614 | $21.45 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $36,617 | $17.60 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $47,279 | $22.73 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $46,923 | $22.56 |
| 49 | Georgia | $43,432 | $20.88 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $43,425 | $20.88 |
| 51 | Montana | $42,079 | $20.23 |
The highest-paying cities for cost analysts are Washington, DC, McLean, VA, and Boulder, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $79,072 | $38.02 |
| 2 | McLean, VA | $69,199 | $33.27 |
| 3 | Boulder, CO | $63,133 | $30.35 |
| 4 | Sterling Heights, MI | $61,344 | $29.49 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $61,235 | $29.44 |
| 6 | Vancouver, WA | $60,667 | $29.17 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $58,180 | $27.97 |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $57,358 | $27.58 |
| 9 | Saint Louis, MO | $56,996 | $27.40 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $55,200 | $26.54 |
| 11 | Gilbert, AZ | $53,957 | $25.94 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $53,105 | $25.53 |
| 13 | Opelika, AL | $51,452 | $24.74 |
| 14 | Orlando, FL | $50,966 | $24.50 |
| 15 | Fort Worth, TX | $49,045 | $23.58 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $43,458 | $20.89 |
| 17 | Edmond, OK | $42,965 | $20.66 |
A cost analyst's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $54,158 | $4,513 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
The highest paying types of cost analysts are staff analyst, cost accounting manager, and cost engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Analyst/Accountant | $62,975 | $5,248 | $30.28 | 118,043 |
| Cost Accounting Manager | $89,286 | $7,441 | $42.93 | 61,135 |
| Business & Finance Analyst | $70,514 | $5,876 | $33.90 | 168,111 |
| Cost Engineer | $87,901 | $7,325 | $42.26 | 65,278 |
| Cost Estimator | $69,727 | $5,811 | $33.52 | 14,570 |
| Planning Analyst | $68,137 | $5,678 | $32.76 | 92,380 |
Top companies hiring cost analysts now:
Cost analyst salaries at General Motors and Harley-Davidson are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cost analyst salary at companies like Tesla and Navistar are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Motors | $96,438 | $46.36 |
| 2 | Harley-Davidson | $92,832 | $44.63 |
| 3 | Tesla | $88,631 | $42.61 |
| 4 | Navistar | $88,197 | $42.40 |
| 5 | Dell | $87,296 | $41.97 |
| 6 | Vishay | $83,221 | $40.01 |
| 7 | Eastman | $82,716 | $39.77 |
| 8 | AbbVie | $79,722 | $38.33 |
| 9 | International Trucks | $79,001 | $37.98 |
| 10 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $73,791 | $35.48 |
| 11 | Tech Mahindra | $71,760 | $34.50 |
| 12 | Praxair | $70,403 | $33.85 |
| 13 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $70,089 | $33.70 |
| 14 | Broadridge | $69,283 | $33.31 |
| 15 | Lucid Motors | $68,498 | $32.93 |
| 16 | Schaeffler | $67,306 | $32.36 |
| 17 | General Electric | $66,642 | $32.04 |
| 18 | Hill International | $66,151 | $31.80 |
| 19 | Clark Construction Group | $66,067 | $31.76 |
| 20 | Splunk | $65,403 | $31.44 |
The average cost analyst salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive | $76,426 | $36.74 |
| 2 | Technology | $61,145 | $29.40 |
| 3 | Professional | $58,859 | $28.30 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $58,613 | $28.18 |
| 5 | Transportation | $55,951 | $26.90 |
| 6 | Government | $51,036 | $24.54 |
The average cost analyst salary has risen by $6,776 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cost analyst earned $47,382 annually, but today, they earn $54,158 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for cost analysts over the last decade.
Compare cost analyst salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare cost analyst salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,200 | $26.04 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $52,500 | $25.24 | +0.4% |
| 2023 | $52,300 | $25.13 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $51,600 | $24.81 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $50,600 | $24.35 | +3.0% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeppesen | Experienced Major Cost Recovery Estimating Analyst | North Charleston, SC | 06/30/2025 | $84,150 |
| Ferrara Candy Company | Financial Cost Analyst | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $68,625 |
| Simpson Strong Tie Co | Manufacturing Cost Analyst | Stockton, CA | 06/27/2025 | $70,400 |
| Cubic Corporation | Project Cost Analyst | San Diego, CA | 06/26/2025 | $103,284 |
| Cubic Transportation Systems | Project Cost Analyst | San Diego, CA | 06/26/2025 | $103,284 |
| Boeing | Experienced Major Cost Recovery Estimating Analyst | North Charleston, SC | 06/24/2025 | $84,150 |
| Saabusa | Earned Value Cost and Schedule PPM Analyst | East Syracuse, NY | 06/24/2025 | $94,600 |
| Msccn | Project Cost Analyst | Newark, DE | 06/22/2025 | $66,400 |
| Jobspro Staffing | Construction Cost Estimating Analyst/Must Have EXP With Public Sector | Los Angeles, CA | 06/18/2025 | $131,000 |
| Bae Systems | Cost Analyst | Nashua, NH | 06/12/2025 | $55,295 |
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