The salary of a Cost Engineer I in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Cost Engineer I in the United States is $70,365. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $64,516 to $78,937, with most professionals earning between $59,191 and $86,741.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $78,937 | $6,578 | $1,518 | $38 |
| Average | $70,365 | $5,864 | $1,353 | $34 |
| 25th Percentile | $64,516 | $5,376 | $1,241 | $31 |
An entry-level Cost Engineer I with less than 1 year of experience earns about $69,929. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $70,621. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $72,540. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $72,924, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $73,180.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Cost Engineer I | $69,929 |
| Intermediate Level Cost Engineer I | $70,621 |
| Senior Level Cost Engineer I | $72,540 |
| Specialist Level Cost Engineer I | $72,924 |
| Expert Level Cost Engineer I | $73,180 |
| Entry Level | 1% |
| Mid Level | 0% |
| Senior Level | 3% |
| Top Level | 4% |
| Experienced | 4% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Cost Engineer I compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $72,785 in 2023 to approximately $72,894 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Cost Engineer I salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Cost Engineer I information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Cost Engineer I job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Cost Engineer I and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $70,365 | 69.7% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $5,383 | 5.3% | ||
| 401K/403B | $2,955 | 2.9% | ||
| Disability | $1,407 | 1.4% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 8.3% | ||
| Pension | $3,800 | 3.8% | ||
| Time Off | $8,660 | 8.6% | ||
| Total Compensation | $100,923 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 1.5% |
| High School | 6.9% |
| Associates | 11.5% |
| Bachelors | 69.2% |
| Masters | 10.8% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of Cost Engineer I is $70,365. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Cost Engineer I is $34; the average weekly pay of Cost Engineer I is $1,353; the average monthly pay of Cost Engineer I is $5,864.
A Cost Engineer I's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Cost Engineer I earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Cost Engineer I is $88,751.
The highest pay for Cost Engineer I is $86,741.
The lowest pay for Cost Engineer I is $59,191.
Develops and implements cost control procedures, documents, and tools to support and enhance project budget management. Collects and coordinates procurement and other cost information used to develop cost forecasting, cost control strategies, and project risk analysis. Performs data analysis to identify project trends and budget deviations and highlight cost underruns and overruns. Has extensive technical knowledge of processes and materials specific to the type of project. Experienced with the cost-estimating methods best suited to the nature of the project. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Work is closely managed. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Quotations: A quotation is the repetition of a sentence, phrase, or passage from speech or text that someone has said or written. In oral speech, it is the representation of an utterance that is introduced by a quotative marker, such as a verb of saying.
Procurement: Procurement is the process of finding and agreeing to terms, and acquiring goods, services, or works from an external source, often via a tendering or competitive bidding process. Procurement is used to ensure the buyer receives goods, services, or works at the best possible price when aspects such as quality, quantity, time, and location are compared. Corporations and public bodies often define processes intended to promote fair and open competition for their business while minimizing risks such as exposure to fraud and collusion. Almost all purchasing decisions include factors such as delivery and handling, marginal benefit, and price fluctuations. Procurement generally involves making buying decisions under conditions of scarcity. If sound data is available, it is good practice to make use of economic analysis methods such as cost-benefit analysis or cost-utility analysis.
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We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
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