Cost Estimators pay range in Columbus
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,880 a year or less, while the top 10% make $100,390 or more. The middle half of cost estimators in Columbus earn between $59,580 and $94,800.
- $51K10th
- $60K25th
- $81KMedian
- $95K75th
- $100K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $78,770 | $6,564 | $37.87 |
| Median | $80,800 | $6,733 | $38.85 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,580 | $4,965 | $28.64 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $94,800 | $7,900 | $45.58 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Cost Estimators salary after taxes in Columbus
On the average salary of $78,770, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $60,551 a year, or $5,046 a month and $2,329 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Columbus's local income tax (1.75%).
Is Columbus a good place for cost estimators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbus area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.0), so the average $78,770 buys what about $84,696 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($48,470). A typical home costs $277,164, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Cost Estimators salary in other Indiana cities
Columbus ranks 3rd of 12 Indiana metro areas for this job; Evansville pays the most ($79,620).
- Evansville$79,620
- Indianapolis$79,030
- Columbus$78,770
- Bloomington$78,420
- Kokomo$78,220
- Lafayette$75,490
- Fort Wayne$73,490
- South Bend$72,890
- Michigan City$72,650
- Elkhart$71,610
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 Columbus: questions
How much do cost estimators make an hour in Columbus?
$37.87 an hour on average, and $38.85 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cost estimators salary in Columbus?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,880 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,580, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cost estimators take-home pay in Columbus?
About $60,551 a year ($5,046 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $78,770. Includes Columbus's local income tax (1.75%).
Do cost estimators earn more in Columbus than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% less 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 Columbus, IN (18020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.0%.
- 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). Includes Columbus's local income tax (1.75%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.65, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.65).
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