Cost Estimators pay in California
$94,780avg. a year
$45.57 an hour · 26,020 employed
Cost Estimators in California earn an average of $94,780 a year. That is $9,390 (11%) more than the U.S. average of $85,390. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $109,520.
$85,460Median pay
$45.57Average hourly
+14%Avg. pay since 2020
#4Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for cost estimators by metro area. Swipe to see all 24.
13,300 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$109,520
$52.66 an hour
21,680 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$108,990
$52.40 an hour
3490 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$101,290
$48.70 an hour
4150 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$97,200
$46.73 an hour
52,740 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$95,670
$46.00 an hour
61,930 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$95,520
$45.92 an hour
7750 jobs
Fresno, CA
$94,070
$45.23 an hour
8110 jobs
Napa, CA
$93,830
$45.11 an hour
9290 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$93,660
$45.03 an hour
10150 jobs
Salinas, CA
$93,330
$44.87 an hour
11260 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$92,950
$44.69 an hour
12120 jobs
Redding, CA
$92,330
$44.39 an hour
13140 jobs
Chico, CA
$92,270
$44.36 an hour
14440 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$91,290
$43.89 an hour
15410 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$90,960
$43.73 an hour
167,600 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$90,760
$43.64 an hour
17290 jobs
Modesto, CA
$88,750
$42.67 an hour
18240 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$88,580
$42.59 an hour
19390 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$85,820
$41.26 an hour
203,160 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$84,080
$40.42 an hour
2150 jobs
El Centro, CA
$82,380
$39.61 an hour
2290 jobs
Merced, CA
$81,290
$39.08 an hour
2360 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$80,220
$38.57 an hour
24160 jobs
Visalia, CA
$79,180
$38.07 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Cost Estimators pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California cost estimators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $78k$78k–$83k$83k–$88k$88k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $85,390 | $41.06 |
| California | $94,780 | $45.57 |
| Nevada | $88,930 | $42.76 |
| Oregon | $88,810 | $42.70 |
| Arizona | $81,990 | $39.42 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cost estimators make in California?
The average is $94,780 a year, and the median is $85,460. That is $9,390 (11%) more than the U.S. average of $85,390.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$45.57 an hour on average; the median is $41.09.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($109,520), followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($108,990). The lowest average among 24 metro areas with data is Visalia, CA ($79,180).
How does California rank?
California ranks #4 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 13-1051. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national cost estimators page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.