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The average Senior Cost Engineer salary stands at $86,004 annually, translating to approximately $41 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, industry, and level of experience. For example, those working in high-demand states may command higher salaries due to competition and cost of living differences.
States like California and Texas frequently offer the most competitive salaries for Senior Cost Engineers, reflecting the high demand for engineering expertise in these regions. In contrast, salaries may be lower in states with less economic activity related to engineering projects.
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary levels. Senior Cost Engineers with extensive experience or specialized skills often see higher compensation packages. Additionally, certifications in project management or cost analysis can enhance earning potential.
Advancing to managerial positions or roles in specialized sectors can also lead to increased earnings. Understanding the salary trends and factors affecting compensation can empower job seekers to negotiate better offers in their career paths.
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The average senior cost engineer salary in New Jersey, California, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior cost engineer salary states are Minnesota, Arkansas, and Nebraska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $98,196 | $47.21 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $108,302 | $52.07 |
| 3 | California | $100,823 | $48.47 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $94,510 | $45.44 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $92,681 | $44.56 |
| 6 | Michigan | $88,123 | $42.37 |
| 7 | New York | $95,351 | $45.84 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $87,981 | $42.30 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $93,797 | $45.09 |
| 10 | Virginia | $91,571 | $44.02 |
| 11 | Florida | $92,580 | $44.51 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $92,661 | $44.55 |
| 13 | Idaho | $89,560 | $43.06 |
| 14 | Nevada | $89,771 | $43.16 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $92,842 | $44.64 |
| 16 | Missouri | $90,159 | $43.35 |
| 17 | Maryland | $89,376 | $42.97 |
| 18 | Utah | $84,202 | $40.48 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $88,863 | $42.72 |
| 20 | Delaware | $84,295 | $40.53 |
| 21 | Arizona | $83,693 | $40.24 |
| 22 | Texas | $84,725 | $40.73 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $82,327 | $39.58 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $83,524 | $40.16 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $84,913 | $40.82 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $84,020 | $40.39 |
| 27 | Oregon | $83,579 | $40.18 |
| 28 | Alabama | $80,178 | $38.55 |
| 29 | Colorado | $84,534 | $40.64 |
| 30 | Montana | $86,596 | $41.63 |
| 31 | Ohio | $79,185 | $38.07 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $80,344 | $38.63 |
| 33 | Maine | $82,472 | $39.65 |
| 34 | Illinois | $82,043 | $39.44 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $82,548 | $39.69 |
| 36 | Alaska | $84,476 | $40.61 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $79,909 | $38.42 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $78,895 | $37.93 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $81,459 | $39.16 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $77,054 | $37.05 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $73,506 | $35.34 |
| 42 | Georgia | $77,708 | $37.36 |
| 43 | Indiana | $73,750 | $35.46 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $72,837 | $35.02 |
| 45 | Kansas | $74,332 | $35.74 |
| 46 | Iowa | $74,430 | $35.78 |
| 47 | Vermont | $74,214 | $35.68 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $71,528 | $34.39 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $70,608 | $33.95 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $68,034 | $32.71 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $70,644 | $33.96 |
The highest-paying cities for senior cost engineers are San Francisco, CA, Tacoma, WA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $108,216 | $52.03 |
| 2 | Tacoma, WA | $98,801 | $47.50 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $95,500 | $45.91 |
| 4 | Reston, VA | $91,923 | $44.19 |
| 5 | Grand Junction, CO | $88,725 | $42.66 |
| 6 | Warren, MI | $88,593 | $42.59 |
| 7 | Plano, TX | $85,554 | $41.13 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $83,861 | $40.32 |
| 9 | Roy, UT | $83,754 | $40.27 |
| 10 | Beaverton, OR | $82,916 | $39.86 |
| 11 | Baton Rouge, LA | $81,552 | $39.21 |
| 12 | Oak Ridge, TN | $79,009 | $37.99 |
| 13 | Cincinnati, OH | $77,853 | $37.43 |
| 14 | New Albany, IN | $73,892 | $35.52 |
| 15 | Overland Park, KS | $73,843 | $35.50 |
| 16 | Waukesha, WI | $70,704 | $33.99 |
A senior cost engineer's salary ranges from $60,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $121,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $121,000 | $10,083 | $58 |
| 75th Percentile | $103,000 | $8,583 | $50 |
| Average | $86,004 | $7,167 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| 10th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
The highest paying types of senior cost engineers are senior staff engineer, controls project manager, and senior engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Engineering Internship | $53,047 | $4,421 | $25.50 | 125,868 |
| Controls Project Manager | $114,682 | $9,557 | $55.14 | 122,592 |
| Packaging Engineer | $88,452 | $7,371 | $42.52 | 54,028 |
| Production Engineer | $89,727 | $7,477 | $43.14 | 94,789 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Product Support Engineer | $90,379 | $7,532 | $43.45 | 201,554 |
Top companies hiring senior cost engineers now:
Senior cost engineer salaries at Nike and General Motors are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior cost engineer salary at companies like Turner & Townsend and Capco are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nike | $116,139 | $55.84 |
| 2 | General Motors | $104,110 | $50.05 |
| 3 | Turner & Townsend | $97,412 | $46.83 |
| 4 | Capco | $95,529 | $45.93 |
| 5 | Rivian | $95,006 | $45.68 |
| 6 | Lucid Motors | $94,943 | $45.65 |
| 7 | Lear | $93,852 | $45.12 |
| 8 | Faithful+Gould | $93,364 | $44.89 |
| 9 | National Aerospace Solutions | $88,104 | $42.36 |
| 10 | Northrop Grumman | $86,909 | $41.78 |
| 11 | Bechtel Corporation | $85,536 | $41.12 |
| 12 | Altair | $84,781 | $40.76 |
| 13 | PMA Consultants | $84,064 | $40.42 |
| 14 | Moss Adams | $82,556 | $39.69 |
| 15 | Matthews International | $79,990 | $38.46 |
| 16 | Generac Holdings | $79,651 | $38.29 |
| 17 | KBR | $75,348 | $36.23 |
| 18 | E2 Consulting Engineers, Inc. | $74,637 | $35.88 |
| 19 | Pcm Services | $73,231 | $35.21 |
| 20 | Goodwin Recruiting | $72,981 | $35.09 |
The average senior cost engineer salary has risen by $11,322 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior cost engineer earned $74,682 annually, but today, they earn $86,004 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for senior cost engineers over the last decade.
Compare senior cost engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare senior cost engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $86,000 | $41.35 | +1.0% |
| 2025 | $85,100 | $40.92 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $84,200 | $40.46 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $83,000 | $39.92 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $81,500 | $39.19 | +1.0% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivian | SR. Cost Engineer (Electrical) | Irvine, CA | 06/26/2025 | $107,800 |
| Pacificorp | SR Cost Estimating Engineer, Portland, or or Salt Lake City, UT #113671 | Ione, OR | 06/25/2025 | $103,800 |
| Amazon | SR. Cost Engineer, R2L Preconstruction | New York, NY | 06/14/2025 | $81,200 |
| Amazon | SR. Cost Engineer, R2L Preconstruction | Bellevue, WA | 06/14/2025 | $81,200 |
| Oracle | Senior Saas Cloud Cost Engineer | Redwood City, CA | 06/10/2025 | $104,200 |
| Pacificorp | SR Cost Estimating Engineer, Portland, or or Salt Lake City, UT #113671 | Portland, OR | 05/29/2025 | $103,800 |
| Moog Inc. | SR. Cost Engineer | Arvada, CO | 05/28/2025 | $90,000 |
| Moog | SR. Cost Engineer | Buffalo, NY | 05/27/2025 | $90,000 |
| Stvinc | Senior Cost Engineer-Aviation | Los Angeles, CA | 05/27/2025 | $109,772 |
| Mace | Senior Cost Engineer | New York, NY | 05/16/2025 | $150,000 |
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