Cost Estimator

Construction, Installation, Maintenance, and Repair

Description

Cost estimators are responsible for all aspects of project estimation. They assess the amount and value of labor, materials, and time needed to complete renovation and new construction projects. Within the HVAC/R field, they produce estimates for the installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of complete HVAC/R systems or certain components.

Cost estimators review and interpret project proposals, specifications, blueprints, and drawings, and they use those documents to estimate the quantity of materials and supplies that will be used in the project, the duration of the project, and the amount of labor needed (including costs associated with subcontractors). These factors will vary depending on the type of HVAC/R system, so cost estimators need to understand the differences between fossil fuel-based systems and more energy efficient technologies, such as variable refrigerant flow systems and air or ground source heat pumps. They need to be detail-oriented and have strong math skills to accurately price the project resources and calculate the cost estimates. Analytical skills are important, as they need to make cost-effective decisions.

Cost estimators need to be organized and able to manage their time well to effectively juggle multiple tasks and meet deadlines. They use word processing, spreadsheet, and estimating software programs to complete their job duties, so cost estimators should be comfortable using computers. Effective writing skills are critical to prepare quality estimation and other types of reports. Interpersonal skills are important for maintaining positive relationships with clients, vendors (of equipment and supplies), contractors, engineers, and other workers who may collaborate on a project.

Cost estimators typically work in offices but sometimes need to visit worksites. Most work on a full-time basis during standard business hours.

Job Outlook

According to the New York State Department of Labor, there are approximately 8,600 cost estimators in New York State, and opportunities for employment are expected to be favorable through 2028 – the Department projects this occupation to grow by 790 jobs between 2018 and 2028.

Entering the Field

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in an industry-related field is usually needed to become a cost estimator. Some of the necessary skills are acquired through on-the-job training within the first year. In the HVAC field, workers without a bachelor’s degree need to have three to five years of experience in HVAC technology to qualify for the job. A bachelor’s degree is often required when job responsibilities involve providing estimates for commercial HVAC or refrigeration projects.

Wages

In New York State, the median wage for cost estimators is approximately $73,800. Entry-level workers earn about $49,900 and experienced workers earn about $96,300.

Annual Wage (Q1 2021 dollars, rounded to 100s) – Statewide and by Labor Market Region

Region	Entry	Median	Experienced
New York State	$49,900	$73,800	$96,300
Capital Region	$49,700	$69,800	$88,100
Central New York	$50,700	$71,100	$94,400
Finger Lakes	$42,000	$66,400	$82,300
Hudson Valley	$51,100	$72,400	$94,600
Long Island	$50,600	$78,100	$100,100
Mohawk Valley	$46,000	$63,700	$78,900
New York City	$58,800	$82,100	$109,800
North Country	$38,600	$58,900	$78,300
Southern Tier	$38,300	$55,200	$68,900
Western New York	$42,600	$62,400	$75,300

Source:  New York State Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Survey, SOC Code 13-1051 (Cost Estimators)

Employers

The most common employers of cost estimators are contractors for building equipment systems (including HVAC/R) and construction firms that build non-residential or residential structures. Job openings across New York State in 2020 for cost estimators in the HVAC/R field were advertised online with various job titles that almost always included “estimator.” Sample job titles include project estimator, estimator, construction estimator, and mechanical estimator. Cost engineer is an alternative job title sometimes used for these positions. Use those job titles and keywords such as “HVAC,” “HVAC/R,” or “mechanical” when searching job advertisements online to help identify opportunities for employment. 

Labor Unions

Check with local union chapters active in the HVAC/R field to see if their members include cost estimators, or check with companies that employ cost estimators for HVAC/R projects to see if those positions are represented by a union contract. Cost estimators who work for government agencies may be represented by public sector unions.

Education and Training Programs

Bachelor’s degrees in business or engineering (including mechanical and construction engineering) can prepare workers for a job as a cost estimator. Some of the largest programs in New York (based on the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded) are listed in the table below.

Cost estimators who are new to the HVAC/R field or need to expand their knowledge to include clean energy technologies (such as variable refrigerant flow systems or heat pumps) can enroll in coursework offered by manufacturers or distributors of HVAC/R equipment, or providers of continuing education units. For example, Fujitsu’s HVAC/R Professional Training Program and Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US offer coursework that covers a range of HVAC/R technologies, and Steven Winter Associates, Inc. offers an Electrification Training Series. Additional training may be offered through other manufacturers and distributors in the industry, some of which partner with NYSERDA through Clean Heat Connect.

Educational Institution	Department	Certificate	Associate	Bachelor	Master	PhD
Capital Region
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)	Lally School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)	School of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
SUNY at Albany	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY Empire State College	School of Business	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No
Central New York
Cazenovia College	Business & Management	No	No	•Yes	No	No
SUNY College at Oswego	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Syracuse University	College of Engineering and Computer Science	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Syracuse University	Whitman School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Finger Lakes
Rochester Institute of Technology	Kate Gleason College of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Rochester Institute of Technology	Saunders College of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY College at Brockport	School of Business & Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY College at Geneseo	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	No	No
Hudson Valley
Marist College	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Mercy College	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY New Paltz	School of Business	No		•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY New Paltz	Science & Engineering	No	No	•Yes	No	No
Long Island
Farmingdale State College	School of Business	•	No	•Yes	No	No
Farmingdale State College	Architecture & Construction Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
St. Joseph’s College	Business Administration and Management	•	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Stony Brook University	College of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Stony Brook University	College of Engineering and Applied Sciences	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Mohawk Valley
Hartwick College	Business Administration	No	No	•Yes	No	No
SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill	Business Administration	No	•Yes	•Yes
SUNY Polytechnic Institute	Business Administration & MBA Technology Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY Polytechnic Institute	Mechanical Engineering	No		•Yes
New York City
CUNY Brooklyn College	Business Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
New York University	Stern School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
New York University	Tandon School of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
The City College of New York (CUNY)	Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership	No	No	•Yes
The City College of New York (CUNY)	The Grove School of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
North Country
Clarkson University	Coulter School of Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
St. Lawrence University	Business in the Liberal Arts	No	No	•Yes	No	No
SUNY College at Plattsburgh	School of Business & Economics	No	No	•Yes	No	No
Southern Tier
Binghamton University	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Binghamton University	Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Cornell University	Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Ithaca College	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	No	No
Western New York
Buffalo State College	Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY at Fredonia	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	No	No
University at Buffalo	School of Engineering and Applied Sciences	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
University at Buffalo	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes

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