View Alert

Statewide occupation search

Sort your search results or select and compare details of two occupations. Find out if an occupation is in demand or not in demand in your local area, at Learn about an occupation.

Print

Cost Estimators

Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.
Related: Architectural & Engineering Managers  Civil Engineering Technologists & Technicians  Construction Managers  Industrial Engineers  Logistics Engineers 
Industries: Construction  Manufacturing  Service 

  • Summary

  • Details

    • Work Activities

    • Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products.
    • Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates.
    • Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.
    • Visit site and record information about access, drainage and topography, and availability of utility services.
    • Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.
    • Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.
    • Visit site and record information about access, drainage and topography, and availability of utility services.
    • Review material and labor requirements to decide whether it is more cost-effective to produce or purchase components.
    • Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.
    • Prepare and maintain a directory of suppliers, contractors and subcontractors.
    • Conduct special studies to develop and establish standard hour and related cost data or to reduce cost.
    • Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
    • Conduct special studies to develop and establish standard hour and related cost data or to reduce cost.
    • Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work.
    • Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
    • Prepare cost and expenditure statements and other necessary documentation at regular intervals for the duration of the project.
    • Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.
    • Set up cost monitoring and reporting systems and procedures.

    Skills

    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.
    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    Abilities

    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.

    Knowledge

    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • Building and Construction
      • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    • Public Safety and Security
      • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    • Psychology
      • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    Education

    Education
    Bachelor's degree
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    1 to 12 months on-the-job training
    Education and Training Opportunities

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    82900/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    39.86/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    7,820
    Yearly Projected Openings
    770

    Personality

    Conventional: People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Integrity
    • Analytical Thinking
    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Persistence

    Tools

    • Desktop computers
    • Notebook computers
    • Personal computers
    • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers
    • Scanners
    • Tablet computers

    Technology

    • Accounting software
    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Customer relationship management CRM software
    • Data base reporting software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Document management software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Expert system software
    • Financial analysis software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • License management software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Process mapping and design software
    • Project management software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Find Cost Estimators jobs Education and Training for Cost Estimators
Powered by Monster and You
Privacy policy | Terms of use | Equal opportunity, complaint and discrimination information | Contact us
WorkSource Products and Services Complaint Information | Federal USDOL and other funding
SecureAccess Washington | A proud partner of the American job center network | Access Washington
© 2025 WorkSource