Cost Estimators pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,220 a year or less, while the top 10% make $140,390 or more. The middle half of cost estimators in Los Angeles earn between $63,680 and $108,100.
- $51K10th
- $64K25th
- $82KMedian
- $108K75th
- $140K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $90,760 | $7,563 | $43.63 |
| Median | $82,260 | $6,855 | $39.55 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,680 | $5,307 | $30.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $108,100 | $9,008 | $51.97 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cost Estimators pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Cost estimators in Los Angeles earn 4% less than the California average ($94,780) and 6% more than the U.S. average ($85,390). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $78,740.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $90,760 | $82,260 | $51,220 | $140,390 | 7,600 |
| California | $94,780 | $85,460 | $51,750 | $150,790 | 26,020 |
| United States | $85,390 | $78,740 | $48,530 | $130,820 | 224,220 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cost Estimators salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $90,760, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $68,331 a year, or $5,694 a month and $2,628 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 Los Angeles a good place for cost estimators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $90,760 buys what about $79,918 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 10.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Cost Estimators salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 16th 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
- Los Angeles$90,760
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 Los Angeles: questions
How much do cost estimators make an hour in Los Angeles?
$43.64 an hour on average, and $39.55 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cost estimators salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,220 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,680, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cost estimators take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $68,331 a year ($5,694 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $90,760. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cost estimators earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more than the U.S. average for this job ($85,390).
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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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 0.84, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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