Cost Estimators Salary
Cost Estimators in Cedar Rapids, IA make a median of $65,000 a year, or about $31.25 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.96), which stretches that salary to about $73,067 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $956/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Cedar Rapids?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cedar Rapids’s Regional Price Parity (88.96). 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 Cedar Rapids
Pay for cost estimators in Cedar Rapids runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $79K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $956/month, 22.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.96 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Cedar Rapids can be a reasonable trade-off for cost estimatorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cost estimators in metros near Cedar Rapids, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $79K | $86K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $79K | $88K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $77K | $89K |
| Iowa City | $75K | $82K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cedar Rapids, IA
Entry-level cost estimators (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $57K 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)
Track cost estimators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cedar Rapids numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cost estimator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cedar Rapids?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 22.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $956/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for cost estimators in Cedar Rapids?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cost estimators typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,882/month. At HUD’s $956/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Cedar Rapids?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $65K here vs. $79K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cedar Rapids compare to the national average for cost estimators?
Cedar Rapids pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — below the national median.
How much do cost estimators make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The median is $65,000 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,040, and experienced cost estimators can clear $105,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Cedar Rapids?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,236/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $956/month, which eats 22.6% 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 Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids has a Regional Price Parity of 88.96 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cost estimators salary is worth about $73,067 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.