Cost Estimator salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 68 certified H-1B filings in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Santa Monica, Irvine, Aliso Viejo, City Of Industry, Vernon.
Also listed as: Cost Manager
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $59,400 |
| 25th | $73,237 |
| 50th (median) | $92,196 |
| 75th | $126,375 |
| 90th | $166,668 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $64,000 | $49,980 | $85,595 | 40 |
| FY2021 | $70,000 | $58,302 | $88,180 | 35 |
| FY2022 | $82,139 | $63,068 | $104,209 | 39 |
| FY2023 | $106,700 | $57,366 | $124,800 | 25 |
| FY2024 | $106,020 | $81,320 | $138,648 | 30 |
| FY2025 | $107,250 | $60,000 | $137,000 | 32 |
| FY2026 | $90,896 | $74,000 | $112,890 | 36 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median Cost Estimator salary of $92,196 is worth about $81,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Cost Estimators in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $82,260 in May 2025 (7,600 employed). The H-1B median here is $92,196, 12% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| CCLA Construction | too few | 9 |
| Cumming Management Group | too few | 8 |
| MTM Construction | too few | 4 |
| Sea Pac Engineering | too few | 4 |
| The Layton Companies | too few | 4 |
| YunExpress | too few | 3 |
| KF Pro Construction | too few | 2 |
| Suffolk Construction Company | too few | 2 |
| Swinerton Builders | too few | 2 |
| Turner & Townsend | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $60,000 | 17 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,448 | 18 |
| Senior · Level III | $104,500 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | $143,000 | 19 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $55,598 | $60,000 | 17 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $73,237 | $85,448 | 18 |
| Senior · Level III | $87,651 | $104,500 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | $108,534 | $143,000 | 19 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.