Cost Estimators pay range in Chico
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,090 a year or less, while the top 10% make $159,570 or more. The middle half of cost estimators in Chico earn between $59,050 and $129,540.
- $46K10th
- $59K25th
- $81KMedian
- $130K75th
- $160K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $92,270 | $7,689 | $44.36 |
| Median | $81,140 | $6,762 | $39.01 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,050 | $4,921 | $28.39 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $129,540 | $10,795 | $62.28 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Cost Estimators salary after taxes in Chico
On the average salary of $92,270, a single filer in Chico takes home about $69,253 a year, or $5,771 a month and $2,664 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Chico a good place for cost estimators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chico area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.2), so the average $92,270 buys what about $91,179 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Chico ($48,050). A typical home costs $401,581, or 4.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Cost Estimators salary in other California cities
Chico ranks 13th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($109,520).
- San Francisco$109,520
- San Jose$108,990
- Santa Rosa$101,290
- Santa Cruz$97,200
- San Diego$95,670
- Sacramento$95,520
- Fresno$94,070
- Napa$93,830
- Vallejo$93,660
- Chico$92,270
Highest-paying cities for cost estimators
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($109,520).
- San Francisco, CA$109,520
- San Jose, CA$108,990
- Boston, MA$108,390
- Amherst, MA$102,520
- Santa Rosa, CA$101,290
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Cost Estimators salary in Chico: questions
How much do cost estimators make an hour in Chico?
$44.36 an hour on average, and $39.01 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cost estimators salary in Chico?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,090 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,050, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cost estimators take-home pay in Chico?
About $69,253 a year ($5,771 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $92,270. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cost estimators earn more in Chico than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($86,152).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 13-1051; area Chico, CA (17020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.22, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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