SalaryByCity

Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators vs Cost Estimators: Salary Comparison (2024)

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

Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators

$76,790

Median annual salary

305,020 employed nationally

Cost Estimators

$77,070

Median annual salary

219,530 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Cost Estimators professionals earn $280 more per year than Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators professionals — that's 0.4% higher. At the 90th percentile, Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators earns $112,150 compared to $128,640 for Cost Estimators.

Salary Range Comparison

Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$47,810 – $112,150
Cost Estimators$46,330 – $128,640
$46,330$128,640

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileClaims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsCost EstimatorsDifference
10th Percentile$47,810$46,330+$1,480
25th Percentile$60,100$59,830+$270
Median (50th)$76,790$77,070$-280
75th Percentile$95,990$99,630$-3,640
90th Percentile$112,150$128,640$-16,490
Mean (Average)$78,770$83,160$-4,390

Employment Numbers

Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators

305,020

employed nationwide

Cost Estimators

219,530

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators

CityMedian
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$100,260
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$97,030
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$95,650
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$95,190
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$89,730

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: Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators or Cost Estimators?
Cost Estimators professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $280 (0.4% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators?
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators salaries range from $47,810 (10th percentile) to $112,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $76,790.
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 Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators and Cost Estimators jobs are there?
There are approximately 305,020 Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators positions and 219,530 Cost Estimators positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Cost Estimators to Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators has a median salary of $76,790 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