Cost Estimators vs Sales Managers: Salary Comparison (2024)
Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Which Career Pays More?
Cost Estimators professionals earn $77,070 more per year than Sales Managers professionals.
Top Paying Cities
Best Cities for Cost Estimators
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Best Cities for Sales Managers
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $175,360 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $174,610 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | $156,950 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $144,910 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $131,410 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who earns more: Cost Estimators or Sales Managers?
Cost Estimators professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $77,070 (null% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
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.
What is the salary range for Sales Managers?
Salary data for Sales Managers is not currently available.
How many Cost Estimators and Sales Managers jobs are there?
There are approximately 219,530 Cost Estimators positions and N/A Sales Managers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Sales Managers to Cost Estimators?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Cost Estimators has a median salary of $77,070 while Sales Managers earns $0. 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