What are the main factors that influence a Cost Engineer II's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Cost Engineer 's salary?

A Cost Engineer 's salary grows with experience: a Cost Engineer I (0-2 years)earns $70,702, a Cost Engineer II (2-4 years)earns $86,385, a Cost Engineer III (4-7 years)earns $108,601, a Cost Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $131,818, a Cost Engineer V (7-10 years)earns $155,328,

What are the highest paying states for a Cost Engineer II?

Cost Engineer II salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Cost Engineer II roles are District of Columbia $95,645, California $95,283, Massachusetts $94,013. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Cost Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Cost Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Cost Engineer V: $155,328; Cost Engineer IV: $131,818; Cost Engineer III: $108,601; Cost Engineer and Estimator II: $95,000; Cost Estimation Analyst II: $94,904.

How do different companies affect a Cost Engineer II's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Cost Engineer II roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Cost Engineer II Salary in the United States

How much does a Cost Engineer II make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Cost Engineer II in the United States is $86,385 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.

However, a Cost Engineer II's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $104,836
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $79,356 to $96,043
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $72,956

10% $72,956

50% (Median) $86,385

90% $104,836

Cost Engineer II Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$96,043	$8,004	$1,847	$46
Average	$86,385	$7,199	$1,661	$42
25th Percentile	$79,356	$6,613	$1,526	$38

Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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Key Factors That Influence Cost Engineer II Salaries

A Cost Engineer II'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Cost Engineer II Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Cost Engineer II'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:

Cost Engineer I (0-2 years): $70,702
Cost Engineer II (2-4 years): $86,385
Cost Engineer III (4-7 years): $108,601
Cost Engineer IV (7+ years): $131,818
Cost Engineer V (7-10 years): $155,328

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Cost Engineer I	0-2 years	$70,702
Cost Engineer II	2-4 years	$86,385
Cost Engineer III	4-7 years	$108,601
Cost Engineer IV	7+ years	$131,818
Cost Engineer V	7-10 years	$155,328

View as Graph

How Do Cost Engineer IIs Salaries Vary from State to State?

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 IIs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $95,645.
California: $95,283.
Massachusetts: $94,013.

District of Columbia $95,645 California $95,283 Massachusetts $94,013 Washington $93,667 New Jersey $93,633 Alaska $93,512 Connecticut $92,320 New York $91,836

Hawaii $90,290 Rhode Island $89,564 Maryland $89,072 Minnesota $88,398 Colorado $88,139 Illinois $88,052 Oregon $87,724 Delaware $87,482

New Hampshire $87,330 Virginia $86,990 Pennsylvania $85,996 Nevada $85,495 North Dakota $85,331 Michigan $85,072 Wisconsin $84,977 Vermont $84,787

Texas $84,260 Maine $84,225 Arizona $84,174 Ohio $84,113 Georgia $83,318 Indiana $82,921 Wyoming $82,843 Utah $82,722

Iowa $82,670 Kansas $82,256 Louisiana $82,135 North Carolina $82,092 Missouri $82,074 Florida $81,737 Montana $81,556 Nebraska $81,383

Kentucky $81,288 South Carolina $80,943 Tennessee $80,727 Idaho $80,640 New Mexico $80,010 Oklahoma $79,872 Alabama $79,362 South Dakota $78,507

Arkansas $78,040 West Virginia $77,790 Mississippi $77,038

Top Paying Cities for Cost Engineer II

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:

San Jose: $108,957
San Francisco: $107,764
Oakland: $105,493

San Jose, CA $108,957

San Francisco, CA $107,764

Oakland, CA $105,493

New York, NY $99,463

Paramus, NJ $98,253

Queens Village, NY $98,249

Passaic, NJ $98,167

Bergenfield, NJ $98,159

Stamford, CT $97,969

Huntington, NY $97,934

Newark, NJ $97,295

Bridgeport, CT $97,113

Vallejo, CA $96,941

New Brunswick, NJ $96,907

Petaluma, CA $96,855

Middlesex, NJ $96,691

Somerset, NJ $96,630

Santa Cruz, CA $96,518

Boston, MA $95,991

Monterey, CA $95,688

Seattle, WA $95,490

Santa Rosa, CA $95,473

Los Angeles, CA $95,447

Juneau, AK $95,222

Washington, DC $95,127

Orange, CA $94,820

Santa Ana, CA $94,592

Long Beach, CA $94,505

Anaheim, CA $94,488

Anchorage, AK $94,445

Santa Maria, CA $94,186

Everett, WA $94,168

Danbury, CT $93,864

Bremerton, WA $93,745

Tacoma, WA $93,434

New Suffolk, NY $93,432

Sacramento, CA $93,408

Santa Barbara, CA $93,313

Trenton, NJ $93,218

San Diego, CA $93,218

Brockton, MA $93,123

Fairbanks, AK $92,911

Lompoc, CA $92,691

Lowell, MA $92,621

Ventura, CA $92,605

Nashua, NH $92,587

Stockton, CA $92,579

Modesto, CA $91,948

Poughkeepsie, NY $91,758

Olympia, WA $91,594

Kennewick, WA $91,594

New Haven, CT $91,559

Lawrence, MA $91,248

Hartford, CT $91,162

Riverside, CA $91,145

New Bedford, MA $91,058

Richland, WA $91,058

Bakersfield, CA $90,937

San Bernardino, CA $90,903

New Britain, CT $90,894

Atlantic City, NJ $90,894

New London, CT $90,860

Norwich, CT $90,834

Portsmouth, NH $90,817

Boulder, CO $90,633

Portland, OR $90,514

Worcester, MA $90,506

Minneapolis, MN $90,238

Philadelphia, PA $90,117

Honolulu, HI $89,832

Saint Paul, MN $89,790

Vineland, NJ $89,771

Providence, RI $89,521

Chicago, IL $89,270

Bellingham, WA $89,167

Springfield, MA $89,097

Baltimore, MD $89,072

Chico, CA $88,856

Pittsfield, MA $88,622

Manchester, NH $88,458

Spokane, WA $88,078

Denver, CO $88,070

Albany, NY $87,663

Troy, NY $87,629

Nassau, NY $87,537

Schenectady, NY $87,448

Wilmington, DE $87,378

Burlington, VT $87,257

Salem, OR $87,223

Portland, ME $86,955

Yakima, WA $86,869

Rochester, MN $86,601

Reno, NV $86,558

Fresno, CA $86,558

Milwaukee, WI $86,480

Detroit, MI $86,394

Ann Arbor, MI $86,379

Allentown, PA $86,368

Colorado Springs, CO $86,221

Syracuse, NY $86,178

Carson City, NV $86,178

Houston, TX $86,057

Eugene, OR $86,014

Gary, IN $85,910

Springfield, OR $85,841

Bismarck, ND $85,823

Galveston, TX $85,763

Medford, OR $85,633

Fort Collins, CO $85,599

Concord, NH $85,556

Austin, TX $85,530

Mesa, AZ $85,348

Reading, PA $85,340

Phoenix, AZ $85,331

Dallas, TX $85,305

Saint Cloud, MN $85,222

Madison, WI $85,107

Utica, NY $84,873

Rochester, NY $84,735

Des Moines, IA $84,726

Raleigh, NC $84,718

Atlanta, GA $84,588

Battle Creek, MI $84,562

Salt Lake City, UT $84,536

Lancaster, PA $84,407

Harrisburg, PA $84,286

Kansas City, MO $84,199

Champaign, IL $84,182

Kansas City, KS $84,182

Fort Worth, TX $84,174

Columbus, OH $84,159

Boca Raton, FL $84,139

Pittsburgh, PA $84,104

Richmond, VA $84,070

Indianapolis, IN $84,053

Cleveland, OH $84,044

Las Vegas, NV $83,940

Cincinnati, OH $83,940

Petersburg, VA $83,811

Huntsville, AL $83,681

Lansing, MI $83,623

Lebanon, PA $83,612

Pueblo, CO $83,603

Appleton, WI $83,577

Buffalo, NY $83,543

Dayton, OH $83,517

Racine, WI $83,500

Charlotte, NC $83,491

Saint Louis, MO $83,465

York, PA $83,413

Elkhart, IN $83,413

Gastonia, NC $83,397

Billings, MT $83,376

Beaumont, TX $83,353

Lorain, OH $83,336

Benton Harbor, MI $83,318

Toledo, OH $83,301

Binghamton, NY $83,258

Rock Hill, SC $83,249

Rockford, IL $83,206

Springfield, IL $83,171

Elyria, OH $83,163

Fargo, ND $83,163

Flagstaff, AZ $83,102

Fort Lauderdale, FL $83,051

Duluth, MN $82,999

Miami, FL $82,999

Cheyenne, WY $82,938

Grand Forks, ND $82,938

Bangor, ME $82,748

Cedar Rapids, IA $82,653

Durham, NC $82,617

Louisville, KY $82,610

Grand Rapids, MI $82,593

Hialeah, FL $82,584

Casper, WY $82,463

Scranton, PA $82,359

New Orleans, LA $82,334

Virginia Beach, VA $82,325

Akron, OH $82,282

Peoria, IL $82,169

Sarasota, FL $82,152

Nashville, TN $82,092

Omaha, NE $82,092

Green Bay, WI $82,092

Baton Rouge, LA $82,048

Charleston, SC $82,031

Jamestown, NY $81,988

Davenport, IA $81,988

Tucson, AZ $81,945

Saint Petersburg, FL $81,893

Tampa, FL $81,876

Evansville, IN $81,824

Port Arthur, TX $81,824

Bradenton, FL $81,789

Santa Fe, NM $81,634

Orlando, FL $81,478

Clearwater, FL $81,452

Canton, OH $81,271

La Crosse, WI $81,271

Albuquerque, NM $81,219

Newport News, VA $81,211

High Point, NC $81,185

Ogden, UT $81,150

Corpus Christi, TX $81,081

Norfolk, VA $81,029

Laramie, WY $81,029

Rock Island, IL $80,977

Saginaw, MI $80,960

Jacksonville, FL $80,951

Salisbury, NC $80,934

Boise, ID $80,917

Moline, IL $80,874

Fort Myers, FL $80,848

Memphis, TN $80,830

Tulsa, OK $80,787

Waterloo, IA $80,735

Spartanburg, SC $80,649

Lincoln, NE $80,606

Fort Wayne, IN $80,589

Provo, UT $80,580

Cedar Falls, IA $80,476

San Antonio, TX $80,442

Greensboro, NC $80,407

South Bend, IN $80,399

Savannah, GA $80,303

Muskegon, MI $80,269

Birmingham, AL $80,260

Winston Salem, NC $80,218

Lake Charles, LA $80,010

Anderson, IN $79,993

Lexington, KY $79,967

Augusta, GA $79,941

Greenville, SC $79,941

Lima, OH $79,872

Wichita, KS $79,863

Tuscaloosa, AL $79,863

Columbia, SC $79,785

Springfield, OH $79,768

Asheville, NC $79,630

Bloomington, IN $79,569

Knoxville, TN $79,258

Shreveport, LA $79,250

Wilmington, NC $79,137

Roanoke, VA $79,137

Topeka, KS $78,982

Frankfort, KY $78,972

Oklahoma City, OK $78,913

Chillicothe, OH $78,878

Longview, TX $78,870

Melbourne, FL $78,861

Sioux Falls, SD $78,723

Mobile, AL $78,714

Terre Haute, IN $78,679

Altoona, PA $78,628

Amarillo, TX $78,567

Killeen, TX $78,541

Fayetteville, AR $78,472

Chattanooga, TN $78,446

Sioux City, IA $78,368

Idaho Falls, ID $78,351

Lynchburg, VA $78,282

Gainesville, FL $78,170

Portsmouth, OH $78,127

Little Rock, AR $78,109

Lafayette, LA $78,075

Youngstown, OH $78,075

Daytona Beach, FL $78,023

Clarksville, TN $78,014

Pensacola, FL $78,006

Temple, TX $78,000

Hopkinsville, KY $77,747

Erie, PA $77,729

Florence, SC $77,695

Charleston, WV $77,556

Great Falls, MT $77,513

Macon, GA $77,392

Tallahassee, FL $77,384

Fayetteville, NC $77,366

Waco, TX $77,349

Helena, MT $77,289

Pine Bluff, AR $77,256

Vincennes, IN $77,150

Lubbock, TX $77,116

Alamogordo, NM $77,064

Twin Falls, ID $76,986

Rapid City, SD $76,960

Jackson, MS $76,805

Huntington, WV $76,799

Greenville, MS $76,796

Parkersburg, WV $76,708

Montgomery, AL $76,693

Wichita Falls, TX $76,606

Springfield, MO $76,606

Biloxi, MS $76,563

Monroe, LA $76,477

Johnstown, PA $76,416

Sumter, SC $76,382

Columbus, GA $76,373

Pascagoula, MS $76,209

Abilene, TX $76,209

Kingsport, TN $75,984

Albany, GA $75,984

Gulfport, MS $75,958

Alexandria, LA $75,673

Fort Smith, AR $75,457

El Paso, TX $75,224

Las Cruces, NM $74,835

Harlingen, TX $74,616

Pocatello, ID $74,602

Florence, AL $74,490

Brownsville, TX $74,473

Mcallen, TX $74,291

Dothan, AL $74,170

Columbus, MS $73,657

Altus, OK $73,254

Lawton, OK $73,090

Pierre, SD $72,779

What Skills Can Increase a Cost Engineer II's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 8.58% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Construction Accounting (Mentioned in 2.97% Job Postings): A form of project accounting applied to construction projects. Construction accounting is a vitally necessary form of accounting, especially when multiple contracts come into play.
KPI (Mentioned in 1.98% Job Postings): KPI stands for key performance indicator, a quantifiable measure of performance over time for a specific objective.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	8.58%
Construction Accounting	2.97%
KPI	1.98%

See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Cost Engineer II's salary.

Creative Thinking: Can increase your salary by up to 44%.
Gathering Information: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
Cost Estimation: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Creative Thinking	$124,394	44%
Gathering Information	$101,934	18%
Cost Estimation	$95,024	10%

Get Latest Data

Cost Engineer II Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Cost Engineer II salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $96,703. While startup companies pay approximate $81,808.

Cost Engineer II Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$81,808
Growth Stage	51~500	$86,522
Established	501~5000	$93,384
Enterprise	5000+	$96,703

Cost Engineer II Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Cost Engineer II roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Cost Engineer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Cost Engineer II as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Cost Engineer II

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense	$103,662	$50.0	20%
Biotechnology	$103,662	$50.0	20%
Business Services	$103,662	$50.0	20%
Chemicals	$103,662	$50.0	20%
Construction	$103,662	$50.0	20%

How Education impacts an Cost Engineer II's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Cost Engineer II enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Cost Engineer II with a Bachelor's Degree is between $85,055 and $91,292.

Cost Engineer II Salaries by Degree Level

$92,800
$91,700
$90,600
$89,500
$88,400
$87,300
$86,200
$85,100

Typical Education for Cost Engineer II
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	5.4%
High School	5.4%
Associates	6.8%
Bachelors	62.2%
Masters	25.7%
Doctorate	0.0%

View as Graph

Cost Engineer II Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Cost Engineer II'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.

$79,356

Average $86,385/year

$96,043

$6,613

Average $7,199/month

$8,004

$1,526

Average $1,661/week

$1,847

$38

Average $42/hour

$46

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$96,043	$8,004	$1,847	$46
Average	$86,385	$7,199	$1,661	$42
25th Percentile	$79,356	$6,613	$1,526	$38

Cost Engineer II Salary Growth & Career Path

Cost Engineer II

Next Role

Advancement

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Cost Engineer II, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Cost Engineer II Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role	Estimate Salary	Projected Raise
EHR Project Manager	$105,834	23%
Manufacturing Project Manager III	$111,332	29%
Engineering Program Manager III	$111,332	29%
Project Manager III	$115,936	34%

Salary Trends for Cost Engineer II

Salaries for a Cost Engineer II can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $85,682 in 2023 to around $83,206 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Cost Engineer II salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Cost Engineer II Over Time

$???
$85,682
$83,758
$83,206
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$85,682
2024	$83,758
2025	$83,206
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Cost Engineer II

Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Cost Engineer II

Here are companies hiring for Cost Engineer II and their salaries, click below for more details.

C $128,509/per year

C R Bard Inc Biotechnology the United States

H $124,697/per year

Henry Schein Canada Biotechnology the United States

N $123,899/per year

Nordex Inc Biotechnology the United States

N $120,416/per year

Nipro Corp Biotechnology the United States

E $115,870/per year

Enovis Biotechnology the United States

A $114,553/per year

Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy Biotechnology the United States

M $112,110/per year

MiniMed Inc Biotechnology the United States

L $111,500/per year

Labcorp Drug Development Biotechnology the United States

L $110,229/per year

Life Technologies Corp Biotechnology the United States

Z $106,224/per year

Zimmer Biomet Biotechnology the United States

P $103,077/per year

Promontory Therapeutics Biotechnology the United States

S $102,181/per year

Steris PLC Biotechnology the United States

G $97,274/per year

Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd Biotechnology the United States

E $94,764/per year

Endeavor BioMedicines Biotechnology the United States

R $94,402/per year

Replay Holdings LLC Biotechnology the United States

P $94,235/per year

Pleno Inc Biotechnology the United States

S $93,666/per year

Simulaids Inc Biotechnology the United States

N $88,880/per year

NOIRLab/CAS Biotechnology the United States

O $86,468/per year

Onward Technology Biotechnology the United States

L $84,895/per year

LED Medical Diagnostics Inc Biotechnology the United States

E $84,682/per year

Eyeco Ltd Biotechnology the United States

P $84,523/per year

Paerosol Biotechnology the United States

I $83,525/per year

IONIQ Sciences Inc Biotechnology the United States

S $82,815/per year

Stateside PPE Biotechnology the United States

D $82,041/per year

Digi Bio Biotechnology the United States

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FAQ about Cost Engineer II

1. Where can a Cost Engineer II earn the most?

A Cost Engineer II'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 II earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Cost Engineer II is $108,957.

2. What is the highest pay for Cost Engineer II?

The highest pay for Cost Engineer II is $104,836.

3. What is the lowest pay for Cost Engineer II?

The lowest pay for Cost Engineer II is $72,956.

4. What are the responsibilities of Cost Engineer II?

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. Occasionally directed in several aspects of the work. Gaining exposure to some of the complex tasks within the job function. Typically requires 2-4 years of related experience.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Cost Engineer II?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Cost Engineer II roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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