Expert Cost Estimator salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 19 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $118,104 |
| 25th | $125,000 |
| 50th (median) | $143,000 |
| 75th | $172,280 |
| 90th | $185,898 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median expert Cost Estimator salary of $143,000 is worth about $125,900 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 $143,000, 74% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Cumming Management Group | too few | 4 |
| 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.