SOC 13-1051 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cost Estimators — St. Cloud
St. Cloud, MN · 4 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cost Estimators in St.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -4.2%
- Openings per year
- 16,900
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for St. Cloud, MN.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage for Cost Estimators in St. Cloud, MN is $76,980 per year, close to the national median of $78,740 for the same occupation. Half of workers earn between $62,390 and $99,060. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $52,200 and the ninetieth at $131,810.
The area has 200 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 1.9 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, Minneapolis records the highest median at $82,440. Of the 326 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 96th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $52,200 | −33.7% |
| 25th | $62,390 | −20.8% |
| Median (50th) | $76,980 | −2.2% |
| 75th | $99,060 | +25.8% |
| 90th | $131,810 | +67.4% |
| Mean | $82,840 | +5.2% |
Other metro areas in Minnesota
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis | $82,440 | 3,100 | |
| 2 | Duluth | $79,230 | 160 | |
| 3 | Rochester | $76,910 | 120 | |
| 4 | Mankato | $74,660 | 80 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in St. Cloud run 12.4% below the national average, so the median of $76,980 goes as far as $87,877 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 11.6% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$76,980as reported by BLSLocal price level
87.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$87,877US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $76,980 a year, 2.2% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $52,200 to $131,810 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 200 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Minneapolis, at $82,440.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cost Estimators in St. Cloud, MN?
The median annual wage is $76,980, or $37.01 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $78,740, so pay in St. Cloud, MN is 2.2% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in St. Cloud, MN earns more than $131,810 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $52,200 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Minneapolis, at $82,440 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 200 jobs in this occupation in St. Cloud, MN. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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