Also called: Estimator, Cost Engineer
Figures out how much a building, bridge or product will cost to make before anyone commits to it.
You go through 300 pages of drawings for a new school, counting doors, measuring concrete and pricing every item. By Friday your bid has to be accurate enough to win the job without losing money.
Approximate May 2024 figures.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in engineering, construction management or business; some start as tradespeople.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering.
Shrinking (about -1% over 10 years). Approximate projection; software is reducing demand.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI takeoff software measures plans and prices jobs automatically, cutting estimator jobs; judging risk and supplier deals stay human.
Classes: Algebra II, Business, Drafting, Computer science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 13-1051.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.