Cost Engineer Projected Growth In The United States
Research Summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
Salaries have increased 8% for cost engineers in the last 5 years
Projected job growth for cost engineers is 2% from 2018-2028
There are over 11,776 cost engineers currently employed in the United States
There are 65,278 active cost engineer job openings in the US based on job postings
The average salary for a cost engineer is $87,901
Are Cost Engineer Jobs In Demand?
Yes, cost engineer jobs are in demand. The job market for analysts is projected to grow 2% from 2018 to 2028.
Cost Engineer Job and Salary Trends Over Time
Cost Engineer Jobs Over Time
Cost Engineer Job Growth Over Time
| Year | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 11,804 | 0.00% |
| 2013 | 11,917 | 0.00% |
| 2014 | 11,866 | 0.00% |
| 2015 | 12,052 | 0.00% |
| 2016 | 11,872 | 0.00% |
Average Cost Engineer Salary Over Time
Cost Engineer Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $63,780 | $30.66 | - |
| 2009 | $66,248 | $31.85 | +3.9% |
| 2010 | $68,120 | $32.75 | +2.8% |
| 2011 | $70,597 | $33.94 | +3.6% |
| 2012 | $73,000 | $35.10 | +3.4% |
Number Of Cost Engineers By State
Mouse over a state to see the number of active cost engineer jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where cost engineers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Most Common States For Cost Engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 327 | 47% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1144 | 17% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1371 | 16% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 909 | 16% |
| 5 | California | 39,536,653 | 6018 | 15% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 140 | 15% |
| 7 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1026 | 14% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 852 | 14% |
| 9 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 574 | 14% |
| 10 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 190 | 14% |
| 11 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 826 | 12% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 649 | 12% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 383 | 12% |
| 14 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 542 | 11% |
| 15 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 969 | 10% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 368 | 10% |
| 17 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 77 | 10% |
| 18 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 147 | 9% |
| 19 | Alaska | 739,795 | 65 | 9% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 57 | 9% |
Most Common Cities For Cost Engineers In The US
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ridgecrest | 3 | 10% | $94,989 |
| 2 | Englewood | 1 | 3% | $88,867 |
| 3 | Fond du Lac | 1 | 2% | $62,289 |
| 4 | Olathe | 2 | 1% | $72,071 |
| 5 | Auburn | 1 | 1% | $94,926 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids | 1 | 1% | $72,363 |
| 7 | Framingham | 1 | 1% | $91,885 |
| 8 | Los Angeles | 3 | 0% | $93,441 |
| 9 | Portland | 2 | 0% | $83,259 |
| 10 | Raleigh | 2 | 0% | $75,576 |
| 11 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $91,617 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $73,810 |
| 13 | Columbus | 1 | 0% | $71,762 |
| 14 | Dallas | 1 | 0% | $94,093 |
Experts Weigh In On Cost Engineer Job Outlook
We spoke to professors and experts from several universities and companies to get their opinions on where the job market for recent graduates is heading, as well as how young graduates entering the industry can be adequately prepared. Here are their thoughts.
Our Panel of Experts
AACEI
What type of skills will young Cost Engineers need?
Chris P. Caddell: I anticipate the basic technical skills will largely be the same as today. However, I expect graduates will need greater familiarity with configuring software. This skill will be moving from an IT-exclusive capability to a useful skill that new graduates will need. From a softer skills perspective, young graduates will need to be self-motivated, self-aware, and outspoken. As our world moves to more remote working, graduates will need to be self-motivated because there may be no one (physically) there to push them. They will need to be self-aware of when they are struggling and need help. And they will need to be outspoken about asking for help when they need it and making sure they make their voices heard.
How do you envision technology impacting Cost Engineers in the next 5 years?
Chris P. Caddell: I think we are moving in a direction to be able to capture more data on projects and using that to inform our future cost estimates. The ability to analyze large amounts of data will be critical to improving our estimating process. As technology starts to influence our construction techniques, our older estimating guides and metrics will become antiquated and no longer valid. Some new technology is helping to improve estimating through improved visualization of the data and the actual work to be performed. So technology will influence both the actual construction work and how we estimate it.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Cost Engineers to find work opportunities?
Chris P. Caddell: The best places for graduates to find work in the cost estimating field, at least for construction, is dependent in part on the industry. Smaller owners and contractors are prevalent throughout the U.S. in cities and large towns. Major cities continue to be the hub for owners and contractors that are involved with major construction projects. Houston, Atlanta, Denver, and Philadelphia are some of the more active cities, but it really depends.