Cost Estimators Salary
Cost Estimators in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY make a median of $80,020 a year, or about $38.47 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.69), which stretches that salary to about $91,253 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,405/month, or 28% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Watertown-Fort Drum’s Regional Price Parity (87.69). 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 Watertown-Fort Drum
Cost estimators pay in Watertown-Fort Drum tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,405/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.69 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cost estimators in metros near Watertown-Fort Drum, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $82K | $73K |
| Rochester | $79K | $81K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $75K | $79K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $81K | $82K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Entry-level cost estimators (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $87K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cost estimator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,405/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for cost estimators in Watertown-Fort Drum?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cost estimators typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,288/month. At HUD’s $1,405/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Watertown-Fort Drum compare to the national average for cost estimators?
Watertown-Fort Drum pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.69), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cost estimators make in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
The median is $80,020 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,140, and experienced cost estimators can clear $124,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Watertown-Fort Drum?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,074/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,405/month, which eats 27.7% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Watertown-Fort Drum has a Regional Price Parity of 87.69 (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 $91,253 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.