Cost Estimators build judgment and decision making, complex problem solving and coordination skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Construction Managers (86%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction Managers | 86% | $114,990 | +46% | None |
| 2 | Industrial Engineers | 82% | $102,440 | +30% | None |
| 3 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | 81% | $171,270 | +118% | Graduate degree |
| 4 | Sales Engineers | 79% | $124,900 | +59% | None |
| 5 | Wind Energy Development Managers | 79% | $141,900Pay for the broader BLS group “Managers, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 6 | Civil Engineers | 78% | $100,840 | +28% | None |
| 7 | Actuaries | 78% | $130,000 | +65% | None |
| 8 | Treasurers and Controllers | 77% | $166,570Pay for the broader BLS group “Financial Managers” | Not compared | None |
| 9 | Credit Analysts | 77% | $83,510 | +6% | None |
| 10 | Budget Analysts | 77% | $91,640 | +16% | None |
Compared with Cost Estimators, median $78,740. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as cost estimators (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
86% skill match · $114,990 · +46% pay
Quality Control Analysis · Management of Personnel Resources · Operations Monitoring
82% skill match · $102,440 · +30% pay
Operation and Control · Troubleshooting · Operations Monitoring
81% skill match · $171,270 · +118% pay
Quality Control Analysis · Operations Monitoring · Troubleshooting
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Construction Managers (86% skill match, median $114,990), Industrial Engineers (82% skill match, median $102,440) and Architectural and Engineering Managers (81% skill match, median $171,270), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 16 pay more than cost estimators at the median. The biggest increases: Computer and Information Systems Managers (+122%, $175,140), Architectural and Engineering Managers (+118%, $171,270) and Purchasing Managers (+88%, $148,080).
24 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones. One usually needs a graduate degree: Architectural and Engineering Managers.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.