Cost Estimators

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.

The occupation of "Cost Estimators" carries an automation risk of 45.7%, which is closely aligned with the base risk of 46.4%. This risk level is primarily driven by the nature of tasks involved in cost estimation, many of which are structured and data-driven. For example, analyzing blueprints and other documentation to prepare estimates of time, cost, materials, and labor is a highly automatable process as it involves pattern recognition, numerical calculations, and data integration—activities at which modern AI and computer programs excel. Similarly, collecting historical cost data to inform current or future estimates can be performed efficiently by automated systems that can aggregate and analyze vast datasets more accurately and quickly than humans. However, while AI can support and expedite these tasks, it still faces challenges when nuanced judgment or complex contextual understanding is required. Despite substantial automation potential in certain areas, the occupation involves several tasks that are more resistant to automation, helping to lower the overall risk score. Tasks such as preparing and maintaining a directory of suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors require ongoing relationship management, attention to dynamic market behaviors, and nuanced decision-making that is less straightforward to codify into algorithms. Visiting sites to record information about access, drainage, topography, and utility availability also presents challenges for automation, as it generally requires physical presence and adaptability to diverse, unpredictable conditions, which robotics and AI have not fully mastered. Additionally, conducting special studies to develop and establish standard hour and cost data, or create innovative ways to reduce costs, often calls for creative problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability—human strengths that currently outpace technological solutions. A key reason why full automation is limited for cost estimators relates to specific bottleneck skills, particularly the requirement for originality, scored at 2.9% and 3.0% in assessments measuring automation susceptibility. This indicates that while many routine and calculation-based components of cost estimation can be automated, the invention of new methods, identification of cost-saving opportunities, and adaptation to unique project requirements still rely heavily on human ingenuity. Originality involves generating solutions that are not based solely on past data or established methods, but which can adapt to novel situations and complex, real-world variables—a human advantage that technology cannot yet fully replicate. As a result, while automation is set to transform many operational aspects of cost estimating, the occupation will continue to require significant human oversight, creative input, and judgment to address atypical or complex challenges.