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As of October 2025, the average salary for an Engineer/Estimator stands at $73,392 per year, or approximately $35 per hour. This role encompasses responsibilities such as cost estimation, project planning, and collaboration with project managers and engineers. The demand for skilled estimators is increasing in various sectors, including construction, manufacturing, and engineering services.
Entry-level positions typically offer lower salaries, while those with several years of experience can expect significantly higher pay. For instance, engineers with 5-10 years of experience often make closer to $85,000 annually. Advanced positions or specialized roles can command even higher salaries.
Regions such as California, Texas, and New York feature the highest salaries for this profession. Cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle often provide lucrative opportunities, with salaries exceeding the national average.
For aspiring engineers and estimators, understanding these salary dynamics and exploring opportunities in high-demand areas can lead to a rewarding career.
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The highest-paying states for engineers/estimator are Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut. The lowest average engineer/estimator salary states are Florida, Arkansas, and Nebraska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $98,196 | $47.21 |
| 2 | Oregon | $88,339 | $42.47 |
| 3 | Vermont | $95,939 | $46.12 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $90,987 | $43.74 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $91,549 | $44.01 |
| 6 | Washington | $80,793 | $38.84 |
| 7 | Utah | $78,690 | $37.83 |
| 8 | Maryland | $81,933 | $39.39 |
| 9 | Alaska | $89,966 | $43.25 |
| 10 | New York | $81,643 | $39.25 |
| 11 | Illinois | $79,723 | $38.33 |
| 12 | Virginia | $75,945 | $36.51 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $77,122 | $37.08 |
| 14 | Ohio | $73,970 | $35.56 |
| 15 | Colorado | $74,041 | $35.60 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $79,746 | $38.34 |
| 17 | Montana | $73,351 | $35.26 |
| 18 | Michigan | $69,107 | $33.22 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $75,610 | $36.35 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $76,350 | $36.71 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $72,823 | $35.01 |
| 22 | Indiana | $68,768 | $33.06 |
| 23 | Idaho | $72,095 | $34.66 |
| 24 | Maine | $73,043 | $35.12 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $71,175 | $34.22 |
| 26 | California | $69,259 | $33.30 |
| 27 | Arizona | $65,681 | $31.58 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $68,630 | $33.00 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $70,860 | $34.07 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $65,815 | $31.64 |
| 31 | Texas | $62,420 | $30.01 |
| 32 | Missouri | $69,023 | $33.18 |
| 33 | Delaware | $62,502 | $30.05 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $65,712 | $31.59 |
| 35 | Nevada | $62,011 | $29.81 |
| 36 | Georgia | $59,552 | $28.63 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $58,023 | $27.90 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $61,148 | $29.40 |
| 39 | Kansas | $62,555 | $30.07 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $59,535 | $28.62 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $63,367 | $30.46 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $58,452 | $28.10 |
| 43 | Iowa | $58,529 | $28.14 |
| 44 | Florida | $55,697 | $26.78 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $58,880 | $28.31 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $54,877 | $26.38 |
| 47 | Alabama | $49,432 | $23.77 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $54,917 | $26.40 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $55,855 | $26.85 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $52,298 | $25.14 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $51,832 | $24.92 |
The highest-paying cities for engineers/estimator are New Bedford, MA, Windsor, CT, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Bedford, MA | $99,055 | $47.62 |
| 2 | Windsor, CT | $91,405 | $43.94 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $88,303 | $42.45 |
| 4 | Rockville, MD | $81,807 | $39.33 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $81,742 | $39.30 |
| 6 | Kirkland, WA | $81,526 | $39.20 |
| 7 | Melrose Park, IL | $80,038 | $38.48 |
| 8 | Newark, NJ | $79,869 | $38.40 |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | $77,072 | $37.05 |
| 10 | Akron, OH | $75,209 | $36.16 |
| 11 | Burton, MI | $69,302 | $33.32 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $68,648 | $33.00 |
| 13 | Lenexa, KS | $62,841 | $30.21 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $62,711 | $30.15 |
| 15 | Roswell, GA | $60,166 | $28.93 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $59,123 | $28.42 |
| 17 | Tallahassee, FL | $56,258 | $27.05 |
| 18 | Birmingham, AL | $49,765 | $23.93 |
An engineer/estimator's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $108,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $108,000 | $9,000 | $52 |
| 75th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| Average | $73,392 | $6,116 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
The highest paying types of engineers/estimator are chief estimator, estimating manager, and engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimator Project Manager | $73,546 | $6,129 | $35.36 | 112,100 |
| Estimating Manager | $95,887 | $7,991 | $46.10 | 11,106 |
| Project Engineer | $75,050 | $6,254 | $36.08 | 176,689 |
| Site Engineer | $75,719 | $6,310 | $36.40 | 42,333 |
| Cost Estimator | $69,727 | $5,811 | $33.52 | 14,570 |
| Project Estimator | $70,496 | $5,875 | $33.89 | 56,513 |
Top companies hiring engineers/estimator now:
Engineer/estimator salaries at Apple and Yokogawa Electric Corp. are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average engineer/estimator salary at companies like FirstEnergy and Oldcastle Infrastructure are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $115,148 | $55.36 |
| 2 | Yokogawa Electric Corp. | $95,266 | $45.80 |
| 3 | FirstEnergy | $90,250 | $43.39 |
| 4 | Oldcastle Infrastructure | $84,422 | $40.59 |
| 5 | Turner Construction | $80,957 | $38.92 |
| 6 | SEKISUI America | $80,813 | $38.85 |
| 7 | PMA Consultants | $79,925 | $38.43 |
| 8 | JE Dunn Construction | $78,570 | $37.77 |
| 9 | Skanska | $76,053 | $36.56 |
| 10 | Honeywell | $75,796 | $36.44 |
| 11 | Builders FirstSource | $74,647 | $35.89 |
| 12 | Turner International | $74,531 | $35.83 |
| 13 | Amec Foster Wheeler | $74,475 | $35.81 |
| 14 | Ataco Steel Products | $74,383 | $35.76 |
| 15 | e-Tech Solutions | $74,021 | $35.59 |
| 16 | Power Plant Management Services | $73,820 | $35.49 |
| 17 | Mersino Dewatering | $73,661 | $35.41 |
| 18 | Energy Inc. | $73,347 | $35.26 |
| 19 | Ohmstede | $73,007 | $35.10 |
| 20 | MetalTek International | $72,567 | $34.89 |
The average engineer/estimator salary has risen by $8,980 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average engineer/estimator earned $64,412 annually, but today, they earn $73,392 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for engineers/estimator over the last decade.
Compare engineer/estimator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare engineer/estimator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $73,400 | $35.28 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $71,900 | $34.56 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $70,600 | $33.92 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $69,500 | $33.43 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $68,100 | $32.73 | +2.3% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG&E Corporation | Engineering Estimator | San Jose, CA | 06/28/2025 | $101,386 |
| Actalent | Engineering Estimator | Washington, MO | 06/25/2025 | $57,914 |
| Forterra | State Estimation Engineer (Gnss/Ins Focus) | Clarksburg, MD | 06/17/2025 | $140,000 |
| Specialized Recruiting Group-Rochester, Mn | Estimating Engineer | Chatfield, MN | 06/13/2025 | $81,000 |
| Cogent Talent Solutions | Estimating Engineer | Fort Wayne, IN | 06/08/2025 | $65,000 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | Engineer-Capital Estimating and Project Control | Indianapolis, IN | 06/06/2025 | $63,000 |
| Idaho Power | Engineer I, II, or Senior-Project Estimating | Boise, ID | 05/31/2025 | $86,632 |
| Evona | Estimation Engineer | Burlingame, CA | 05/29/2025 | $140,000 |
| W.E. O'Neil Construction | Estimating Engineer | Colorado Springs, CO | 05/13/2025 | $60,000 |
| Cogent Talent Solutions | Estimating Engineer | Fort Wayne, IN | 05/11/2025 | $65,000 |
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