Cost Estimators Salary
Cost Estimators in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX make a median of $64,420 a year, or about $30.97 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $75,003 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,060/month, or 23.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $64K actually covers in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by McAllen-Edinburg-Mission’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
Pay for cost estimators in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $79K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,060/month, 23.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $79K | $77K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $78K | $79K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $79K | $80K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $75K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
Entry-level cost estimators (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $66K 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a cost estimator afford a 2BR apartment alone in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 23.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,060/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for cost estimators in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cost estimators typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,264/month. At HUD’s $1,060/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $64K here vs. $79K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does McAllen-Edinburg-Mission compare to the national average for cost estimators?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do cost estimators make in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX?
The median is $64,420 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,730, and experienced cost estimators can clear $103,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,476/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,060/month, which eats 23.7% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (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 $75,003 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.