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Boston Career Explorer

Business and Financial Operations

Cost Estimators

Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.

Also called: Acquisition Cost Estimator, Analyst, Construction Estimator, Cost Analyst, Cost Consultant, Cost Engineer

Median pay in Greater Boston
$102,640
$49.35/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
3,110
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−2.8%
410 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$63,200$77,980$102,640$129,530$157,200

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.
  • Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates.
  • Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products.
  • Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.
  • Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
  • Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure83 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 94
  • Language-model AIOE 79
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 77

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

Cost estimating has higher AI exposure, though little AI use is seen in this work so far. Estimating software has already made the work faster, and tools can help read plans and sort past cost data. Talking with engineers, contractors, and clients and solving problems as projects change rely on people. Massachusetts projects 2.8% fewer of these jobs by 2034.

Likely to change

  • Reading plans and building estimates
  • Collecting and sorting past cost data

Still relies on people

  • Discussing changes with contractors and engineers
  • Resolving issues with clients and vendors

What federal projections say

“Productivity change - share decreases as cost estimation software has made this work more efficient.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Construction Managers

    Your knowledge of plans, budgets, and contractors carries over. This job offers higher Boston median pay and a projected 10.9% growth.

    Pay difference
    +$53,830 median
    AI exposure
    Higher
    MA growth
    +10.9%
    To get started
    Bachelor's degree

  • Project Management Specialists

    Working with stakeholders and figuring out project needs and costs builds on your estimating skills. Pay is higher in Boston.

    Pay difference
    +$12,350 median
    AI exposure
    Higher
    MA growth
    +2.7%
    To get started
    Bachelor's degree

  • General and Operations Managers

    Reviewing financial data and finding ways to cut costs carries over. This management job pays more in Boston and projects 3.8% growth.

    Pay difference
    +$31,160 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +3.8%
    To get started
    Bachelor's degree

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

71 programs near Boston (plus 51 graduate)

Related occupations

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