Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.
U.S. Workers
219,530
Median Salary
$77,070
10-Year Growth
-4.2%
Annual Openings
16,900
Typical entry: Bachelor's degree
14 of 14 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can automatically extract, normalize, and aggregate historical cost data from internal systems and public sources to produce datasets for estimating current and future product costs.
Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can generate management estimates for planning, organizing, and scheduling by applying modeling, historical data, and configurable assumptions to produce accurate estimates.
Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.
AI: Fully automatable - AI with computer‑vision and takeoff tools can analyze digital blueprints and documentation to quantify time, cost, materials, and labor for estimates at scale.
Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can continuously ingest project accounting and operational data to assess cost‑effectiveness and track actual costs versus bids, producing alerts and analytical reports as the project progresses.
Prepare cost and expenditure statements and other necessary documentation at regular intervals for the duration of the project.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can fully automate the preparation of periodic cost and expenditure statements by extracting, reconciling and formatting financial data into required documentation.
Prepare and maintain a directory of suppliers, contractors and subcontractors.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can fully automate collecting, deduplicating, enriching and maintaining a supplier directory from public and internal data sources.
Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
AI: Partial - AI can draft proposals, synthesize input from clients, vendors and foremen, and facilitate coordination, but human interpersonal negotiation and on‑site issue resolution are still required.
Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates.
AI: Partial - AI can model the cost impact of changes and prepare communications for engineers, architects, and contractors, but cannot fully replicate the negotiation and relationship management needed to finalize adjustments.
Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
AI: Partial - AI can generate detailed cost estimates from historical and market data, but human judgment and validation are still needed for contextual nuances in vendor selection.
Set up cost monitoring and reporting systems and procedures.
AI: Partial - AI can design, configure and automate cost monitoring and reporting systems, but establishing procedures and aligning stakeholders requires human coordination and governance.
Establish and maintain tendering process, and conduct negotiations.
AI: Partial - AI can draft tender documents and evaluate bids algorithmically, yet establishing the full tendering process and conducting complex negotiations require human legal, commercial and interpersonal judgment.
Review material and labor requirements to decide whether it is more cost-effective to produce or purchase components.
AI: Partial - AI can perform make-vs-buy cost modeling and sensitivity analysis given data, but strategic, capacity and quality considerations necessitate human decision-making.
Visit site and record information about access, drainage and topography, and availability of services such as water and electricity.
AI: Partial - AI can analyze drone, satellite and sensor imagery to record site characteristics, but physical inspections and context-specific assessments still need human verification.
Conduct special studies to develop and establish standard hour and related cost data or to effect cost reduction.
AI: Partial - AI can analyze operational data to develop standard hours and identify cost-reduction opportunities, but accurate field measurement and validation require human oversight.