Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Cost Engineer and Estimator IV in Colorado is $144,600 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $70.
However, a Cost Engineer and Estimator IV's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
AI-Powered Talent
Cost Engineer and Estimator IV Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $164,600 | $13,717 | $3,165 | $79 |
| Average | $144,600 | $12,050 | $2,781 | $70 |
| 25th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $2,577 | $64 |
HDR - Denver, CO
KPMG - NEW YORK, NY
Kaiser Permanente - COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
Kaiser Permanente - COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
A Cost Engineer and Estimator IV's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Cost Engineer and Estimator IV's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Job Role | Years of Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Engineer and Estimator II | 2-4 years | $96,831 |
| Cost Engineer and Estimator III | 4-7 years | $109,029 |
| Cost Engineer and Estimator IV | 7+ years | $144,578 |
| Cost Engineer and Estimator V | 7-10 years | $170,636 |
| Project Cost Estimator Lead | 10+ years | $89,920 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Cost Engineer and Estimator IVs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
Cost Engineer and Estimator IV salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $161,871. While startup companies pay approximate $136,939.
| Company Size | Employees | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Startup | 1~50 | $136,939 |
| Growth Stage | 51~500 | $144,830 |
| Established | 501~5000 | $156,316 |
| Enterprise | 5000+ | $161,871 |
For Cost Engineer and Estimator IV roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Cost Engineer and Estimator positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Cost Engineer and Estimator IV as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy & Utilities | $173,520 | $83.0 | 20% |
| Pharmaceuticals | $173,520 | $83.0 | 20% |
| Software & Networking | $173,520 | $83.0 | 20% |
| Biotechnology | $166,290 | $80.0 | 15% |
| Financial Services | $166,290 | $80.0 | 15% |
Understanding how a Cost Engineer and Estimator IV's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $164,600 | $13,717 | $3,165 | $79 |
| Average | $144,600 | $12,050 | $2,781 | $70 |
| 25th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $2,577 | $64 |
For a Cost Engineer and Estimator IV, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Cost Engineer and Estimator V role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $170,700 - a projected growth of 18% over your current level.
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Cost Engineer and Estimator IV job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Kaiser Permanente
COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
Kaiser Permanente | COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
Technical Summary: The Member, Care, and Coverage Application Services (MCCAS) Medical Device Integration team provides enterprise governance and technical... more
2 Days Ago
Kaiser Permanente
COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
Kaiser Permanente | COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
Tech Summary: Seeking experienced Full Stack Application Engineers to design, develop, support, and enhance enterprise web applications within a global del... more
2 Days Ago
Kaiser Permanente
COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
Kaiser Permanente | COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
Tech Summary: This position is part of the Mobile Engineering team and plays a key role in delivering customer-facing mobile applications that support Kais... more
2 Days Ago
Accenture Federal Services
CHANTILLY, VA
Accenture Federal Services | CHANTILLY, VA
At Accenture Federal Services, nothing matters more than helping the US federal government make the nation stronger and safer and life better for people. O... more
2 Days Ago
GEODIS
BRENTWOOD, TN
GEODIS | BRENTWOOD, TN
Engineer IV - Warehouse Control Systems Who We Are: GEODIS specializes in unlocking business value in a complex world, ensuring seamless movement of goods ... more
1 Day Ago
4P Consulting Inc.
ATLANTA, GA
4P Consulting Inc. | ATLANTA, GA
System Engineer IV – IT Infrastructure Location: Atlanta, GA Client: Southern Company Services Contract Duration: 3 Years Experience: 10 Years Job Summary ... more
2 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
