AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 13-1051.00
Will AI replace Cost Estimators?
Cost Estimators: AI can already handle 10 of 14 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 14 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Cost Estimators, from most to least exposed. 10 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Review material and labor requirements to decide whether it is more cost-effective to produce or purchase components. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Set up cost monitoring and reporting systems and procedures. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Prepare cost and expenditure statements and other necessary documentation at regular intervals for the duration of the project. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Visit site and record information about access, drainage and topography, and availability of utility services. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Conduct special studies to develop and establish standard hour and related cost data or to reduce cost. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Prepare and maintain a directory of suppliers, contractors and subcontractors. | Estimated | Efficient |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 14 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 14 of 14. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 224,220
- Median annual wage
- $78,740
- Middle half of earners
- $61,150 to $101,850
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- -4.2%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Economists 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure59
- Budget Analysts 58% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure57
- Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate 55% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure58
- Construction and Building Inspectors 55% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure34
- Actuaries 54% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure47
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Cost Estimators and AI
Will AI replace Cost Estimators?
AI already handles 10 of the 14 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 54 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by -4.2% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Cost Estimators?
54 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 14 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 14 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Cost Estimators tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops; Review material and labor requirements to decide whether it is more cost-effective to produce or purchase components; Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates. They are three of the 10 tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Cost Estimators, and what do they earn?
224,220 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $78,740 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -4.2% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Cost Estimators. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/cost-estimators
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