SalaryByCity

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks vs Cost Estimators: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

$49,210

Median annual salary

1,455,770 employed nationally

Cost Estimators

$77,070

Median annual salary

219,530 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Cost Estimators professionals earn $27,860 more per year than Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks professionals — that's 56.6% higher. At the 90th percentile, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks earns $72,660 compared to $128,640 for Cost Estimators.

Salary Range Comparison

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$34,600 – $72,660
Cost Estimators$46,330 – $128,640
$34,600$128,640

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileBookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksCost EstimatorsDifference
10th Percentile$34,600$46,330$-11,730
25th Percentile$41,390$59,830$-18,440
Median (50th)$49,210$77,070$-27,860
75th Percentile$60,220$99,630$-39,410
90th Percentile$72,660$128,640$-55,980
Mean (Average)$52,020$83,160$-31,140

Employment Numbers

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

1,455,770

employed nationwide

Cost Estimators

219,530

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

CityMedian
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$64,480
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$64,340
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$59,170
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$58,400
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,390

Best Cities for Cost Estimators

CityMedian
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$104,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$103,030
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$97,990
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$86,540
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$86,300

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks or Cost Estimators?
Cost Estimators professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $27,860 (56.6% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks?
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks salaries range from $34,600 (10th percentile) to $72,660 (90th percentile), with a median of $49,210.
What is the salary range for Cost Estimators?
Cost Estimators salaries range from $46,330 (10th percentile) to $128,640 (90th percentile), with a median of $77,070.
How many Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks and Cost Estimators jobs are there?
There are approximately 1,455,770 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks positions and 219,530 Cost Estimators positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Cost Estimators to Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks has a median salary of $49,210 while Cost Estimators earns $77,070. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS