SalaryByCity

Cost Estimators vs Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: Salary Comparison (2024)

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

Cost Estimators

$77,070

Median annual salary

219,530 employed nationally

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$46,290

Median annual salary

1,737,820 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Cost Estimators professionals earn $30,780 more per year than Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals — that's 66.5% higher. At the 90th percentile, Cost Estimators earns $128,640 compared to $64,150 for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.

Salary Range Comparison

Cost Estimators$46,330 – $128,640
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$31,600 – $64,150
$31,600$128,640

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileCost EstimatorsSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveDifference
10th Percentile$46,330$31,600+$14,730
25th Percentile$59,830$37,770+$22,060
Median (50th)$77,070$46,290+$30,780
75th Percentile$99,630$55,650+$43,980
90th Percentile$128,640$64,150+$64,490
Mean (Average)$83,160$47,640+$35,520

Employment Numbers

Cost Estimators

219,530

employed nationwide

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

1,737,820

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

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

Best Cities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$60,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$56,060
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT$53,960

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Cost Estimators or Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Cost Estimators professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $30,780 (66.5% 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 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries range from $31,600 (10th percentile) to $64,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $46,290.
How many Cost Estimators and Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are there?
There are approximately 219,530 Cost Estimators positions and 1,737,820 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive to Cost Estimators?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Cost Estimators has a median salary of $77,070 while Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns $46,290. 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