Cost Estimators Salary
Cost Estimators in Anchorage, AK make a median of $75,460 a year, or about $36.28 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $161K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $71,580 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,376/month, or 26.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $75K actually covers in Anchorage, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cost estimators
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What this looks like in Anchorage
Cost estimators pay in Anchorage tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,376/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level cost estimators (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $161K or more, a $109K spread from bottom to top.
Cost Estimators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cost Estimators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $101K | +28% | 4,520 |
| Alaska | $97K | +23% | 220 |
| Wyoming | $91K | +15% | 440 |
| Colorado | $87K | +10% | 6,100 |
| Washington | $86K | +9% | 7,470 |
| California | $85K | +9% | 26,020 |
| Illinois | $83K | +5% | 5,990 |
| District of Columbia | $83K | +5% | 270 |
| Nevada | $82K | +4% | 2,240 |
| Rhode Island | $82K | +4% | 590 |
| Vermont | $81K | +3% | 320 |
| Maryland | $81K | +3% | 4,580 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +3% | 2,350 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +3% | 4,310 |
| New Jersey | $81K | +2% | 5,240 |
| Virginia | $81K | +2% | 5,840 |
| Oregon | $80K | +2% | 2,940 |
| New York | $80K | +2% | 11,980 |
| Hawaii | $80K | +2% | 1,040 |
| Idaho | $80K | +1% | 1,600 |
| Utah | $80K | +1% | 2,800 |
| New Hampshire | $80K | +1% | 980 |
| Delaware | $79K | +1% | 730 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | -0% | 9,420 |
| Michigan | $78K | -1% | 6,960 |
| Ohio | $78K | -1% | 8,100 |
| West Virginia | $77K | -2% | 830 |
| Montana | $77K | -2% | 1,230 |
| Louisiana | $77K | -2% | 2,680 |
| Arizona | $77K | -2% | 5,760 |
| Texas | $77K | -2% | 20,760 |
| Georgia | $77K | -2% | 6,010 |
| Wisconsin | $76K | -3% | 5,150 |
| Kansas | $76K | -3% | 2,250 |
| Iowa | $76K | -3% | 1,870 |
| Missouri | $76K | -3% | 6,580 |
| Tennessee | $76K | -4% | 4,340 |
| Alabama | $75K | -5% | 3,000 |
| Florida | $75K | -5% | 13,720 |
| South Dakota | $75K | -5% | 1,030 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -5% | 1,960 |
| North Carolina | $75K | -5% | 8,030 |
| Maine | $74K | -6% | 760 |
| Indiana | $73K | -7% | 4,810 |
| North Dakota | $73K | -7% | 730 |
| Nebraska | $73K | -7% | 1,330 |
| Mississippi | $71K | -10% | 1,280 |
| South Carolina | $70K | -11% | 2,880 |
| Oklahoma | $68K | -14% | 1,860 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -14% | 900 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -22% | 1,400 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a cost estimator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 26.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for cost estimators in Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cost estimators typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,652/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cost estimator a high-paying job in Anchorage?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for cost estimators?
Anchorage pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do cost estimators make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $75,460 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,000, and experienced cost estimators can clear $161,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,123/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 26.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a cost estimators salary go in Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cost estimators salary is worth about $71,580 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cost estimators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.