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Cost Estimators Salary in California
Cost Estimators in California earn a median $85,460 a year, 9% above the U.S. median.
- Median in CA
- $85,460 a year
- U.S. median
- $78,740 a year
- Employment
- 26,020
- Location quotient
- 0.99
- Share of jobs vs. U.S. (1.00 = same)
Pay range in California
- Median (50%)
- $85,460 · $41.09 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $94,780 · $45.57 an hour (estimate error ±1.3%)
- 10th percentile
- $51,750 · $24.88 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $65,690 · $31.58 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $118,060 · $56.76 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $150,790 · $72.50 an hour
- Employment
- 26,020 (estimate error ±3.3%)
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.43
- Location quotient
- 0.99 (1.00 = national share)
Cost Estimators pay by metro area in California
Includes metro areas that cross into this state and nonmetropolitan areas
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $101,630 | 3,300 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,580 | 1,680 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $95,650 | 490 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $87,170 | 2,740 |
| Napa, CA | $86,240 | 110 |
| Vallejo, CA | $84,830 | 290 |
| Fresno, CA | $84,140 | 750 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $83,190 | 1,930 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $82,800 | 260 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $82,390 | 410 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $82,290 | 120 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,260 | 7,600 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $81,380 | 440 |
| Modesto, CA | $81,330 | 290 |
| Chico, CA | $81,140 | 140 |
| Salinas, CA | $80,210 | 150 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $80,170 | 150 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $79,040 | 110 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $77,730 | 240 |
| Redding, CA | $77,360 | 120 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $77,070 | 390 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $76,900 | 3,160 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $74,680 | 70 |
| Visalia, CA | $74,430 | 160 |
| Yuba City, CA | $74,430 | 60 |
| Merced, CA | $72,880 | 90 |
| El Centro, CA | $68,430 | 50 |
H-1B filings for cost estimators in California
FY 2026 through Q3, by work location
125 certified filings with a median offered wage of $110,520.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much do cost estimators make in California?
- The median wage for cost estimators in California is $85,460 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). There are about 26,020 jobs in the state.
- Where in California do cost estimators earn the most?
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA has the highest median wage in the state for this occupation at $101,630 a year.