How to hire a senior estimator

How to hire a senior estimator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior estimator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior estimator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior estimator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior estimator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The senior estimator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

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   Hiring the perfect senior estimator also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior estimators.

   Type of Senior Estimator	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Estimator	Cost estimators collect and analyze data in order to estimate the time, money, materials, and labor required to manufacture a product, construct a building, or provide a service. They generally specialize in a particular product or industry.	$24-51
   Estimator Project Manager	An estimator project manager is responsible for analyzing cost estimates by gathering cost information from suppliers and other third-party vendors. An estimator project manager must have excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills, especially with measurement accuracy and evaluating important project metrics... Show more	$25-49
   Estimating Manager	An estimating manager will oversee the day-to-day activities of the estimating department. Your duties typically include implementing technical estimating procedures and standards and overseeing the project estimator's work... Show more	$29-71

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Construction Management
   • Cost Estimates
   • Construction Projects
   • Project Management
   • Value Engineering
   • Quantity Take-Offs
   • Design
   • Work Breakdown Structure
   • Customer Service
   • Cost Data
   • Historical Data
   • HCSS
   • Bid Packages
   • Sage

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage team of quoting specialists and control the overall quotation processes for all RFQ's.
   • Prepare and present GMP proposals.
   • Organize and direct plumbing projects.
   • Create bids for HVAC piping, sheet metal, and plumbing work.
   • Drive a sales team in the sales of HVAC contracts and equipment.
   • Distribute RFP's and pertinent project information for all projects to sub contractor and vendors.

   More senior estimator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior estimator job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A senior estimator can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, senior estimators' average salary in oklahoma is 45% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior estimators 53% less than senior-level senior estimators.
   • Certifications. A senior estimator with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a senior estimator's salary.

   Average senior estimator salary

   $73,381yearly

   $35.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior estimator salary

   $50,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average senior estimator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$95,904	$46
   2	Washington	$89,000	$43
   3	California	$87,878	$42
   4	New York	$87,158	$42
   5	Maryland	$78,503	$38
   6	District of Columbia	$77,984	$37
   7	Illinois	$77,203	$37
   8	Ohio	$77,024	$37
   9	Utah	$76,060	$37
   10	Virginia	$71,865	$35
   11	Nevada	$70,553	$34
   12	Pennsylvania	$69,850	$34
   13	Michigan	$69,414	$33
   14	Arizona	$66,619	$32
   15	Texas	$66,280	$32
   16	Oregon	$65,892	$32
   17	Georgia	$65,754	$32
   18	Kansas	$63,438	$31
   19	North Carolina	$62,640	$30
   20	Colorado	$62,054	$30

   Average senior estimator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Amazon	$112,554	$54.11
   2	Apple	$111,537	$53.62	1
   3	Parsons	$110,312	$53.03	12
   4	Intel	$101,476	$48.79
   5	The Weitz Company	$93,166	$44.79	5
   6	OHL USA	$91,555	$44.02	6
   7	McDermott International	$89,401	$42.98
   8	Cenergy International Services	$89,145	$42.86
   9	Technip USA Corporation	$85,192	$40.96
   10	EMCOR Group	$85,068	$40.90	96
   11	Sachs Electric	$84,099	$40.43
   12	Gilbane Building Company	$84,094	$40.43	35
   13	Rosendin Electric	$84,013	$40.39	12
   14	Oldcastle Infrastructure	$83,423	$40.11	25
   15	Fluor Corporation	$83,122	$39.96	9
   16	Tellepsen	$82,222	$39.53
   17	Granite Construction	$82,096	$39.47	54
   18	CyberCoders	$81,893	$39.37
   19	Swinerton	$81,498	$39.18	24
   20	Clark Construction Group	$81,317	$39.09	20

4. Writing a senior estimator job description

   A senior estimator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a senior estimator job description:

   Senior estimator job description example

   The Senior Estimator - Life Science will support and work with preconstruction staff in the review of project plans, requirements and specifications and will perform pricing, and bidding of projects. Responsibilities • Review and understand all project plans, requirements and specifications
   • Develop large, multi-disciplinary estimates.
   • Determine labor and equipment costs
   • Review and understand all bid documents and assess project risks
   • Understand project logistics and project schedule
   • Prepare bid packages and compare and analyze competitive subcontract and supplier bids
   • Review quotes and estimates with Project Team and prepare recommendations
   • Interface with clients, ensuring customer satisfaction
   • Accurately develop cost models
   • Track and report on current material and labor prices, including escalation
   • Develop meaningful VE contributions to reduce price
   • Reconcile quantity surveys with consultants and design team
   • Identify escalation factors in marketplace for specific materials and labor rates
   • Responsible for sound conceptual pricing assumptions with sound documentation for the basis of the estimate
   • Ability to substantiate all aspects of final estimates Qualifications EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION • Bachelor in Engineering
   • 10+ years relevant experience
   • Or equivalent combination of education and experience KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES • Able to estimate all types of building projects, including residential high rise, healthcare, interiors and institutional
   • Knowledge of suitable electrical contractors and suppliers for all types of projects
   • Familiar with both union and merit shop electrical contractors preferred
   • Knowledge of Life Science pricing for project types above; for both union and merit shop projects preferred
   • Able to take concept and schematic drawings and develop a meaningful estimate with detail
   • Familiar with the use of On-Screen Take-off software program preferred Gilbane offers an excellent total compensation package which includes competitive health and welfare benefits and a generous profit-sharing/401k plan. We invest in our employees' education and have built Gilbane University into a top training organization in the construction industry. Qualified applicants who are offered a position must pass a pre-employment substance abuse test. Gilbane is not accepting unsolicited resumes from third party recruiters at this time. Gilbane is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or disability status. We can recommend jobs specifically for you! Click here to get started.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior estimators for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior estimator job on Zippia to find and recruit senior estimator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior estimators, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior estimator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior estimator position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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