Residential Estimator Salary in the United States

How much does a Residential Estimator make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Residential Estimator in the United States is $76,074 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.

However, a Residential Estimator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $82,192
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $63,380 to $79,276
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $51,824

Key Factors That Influence Residential Estimator Salaries

A Residential Estimator'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 Residential Estimator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Residential Estimator'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $70,732
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $71,345
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $73,387
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $75,838
  • Expert (over 8 years): $76,639
Levels Salary
Entry Level Residential Estimator$70,732
Intermediate Level Residential Estimator$71,345
Senior Level Residential Estimator$73,387
Specialist Level Residential Estimator$75,838
Expert Level Residential Estimator$76,639

Top Paying Cities for Residential Estimators

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: $95,952
  • San Francisco: $94,901
  • Oakland: $92,901

What Skills Can Increase a Residential Estimator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 10.39% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Business Process Outsourcing (Mentioned in 2.6% Job Postings): Business process outsourcing (BPO) is the delegation of one or more IT-intensive business processes to an external provider that, in turn, owns, administrates and manages the selected processes based on defined and measurable performance metrics.
  • Outsourcing (Mentioned in 2.6% Job Postings): Ability to hire and maintain relationships with parties outside the company that provide needed tasks and services.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 10.39%
Business Process Outsourcing 2.6%
Outsourcing 2.6%

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 Residential Estimator's salary.

  • Digital Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 33%.
  • Building Maintenance: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • Lean: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Digital Marketing $101,178
33%
Building Maintenance $90,527
19%
Lean $85,963
13%

Residential Estimator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Residential Estimator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Residential Estimator positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Residential Estimator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Residential Estimator

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$98,896$48.030%
Biotechnology$91,288$44.020%
Aerospace & Defense$83,681$40.010%
Energy & Utilities$83,681$40.010%
Financial Services$83,681$40.010%

How Education impacts a Residential Estimator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Residential Estimators enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Residential Estimator with a No Diploma is between $67,905 and $72,999).

Residential Estimator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Residential Estimator
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.4%
High School 58.6%
Associates 12.9%
Bachelors 24.3%
Masters 2.9%
Doctorate 0.0%

Residential Estimator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Residential Estimator'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.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$63,380
Average $76,074/year
$79,276
$5,282
Average $6,339/month
$6,606
$1,219
Average $1,463/week
$1,525
$30
Average $37/hour
$38
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $79,276 $6,606 $1,525 $38
Average $76,074 $6,339 $1,463 $37
25th Percentile $63,380 $5,282 $1,219 $30

Most common benefits for Residential Estimator

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

Common company salaries for Residential Estimator

Here are companies hiring for Residential Estimator and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Residential Estimator

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Residential Estimator?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Residential Estimator roles, with salaries approximately 30% 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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