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75. Cost Engineer

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Cost Engineer
Median pay: $96,500
Top pay: $143,000
10-year job growth: 36.4%
Total jobs*: 185,400
What they do all day? When it comes to the bottom line on a big project, good cost engineers know how to fatten it up. They estimate the cost of raw materials and labor requirements to keep the budget tight and shipping on schedule. As engineers, they're trained in design and construction as well as project management, which allows them to look at every aspect when developing a plan. --J.A.

Quality of life ratings:
Personal satisfaction Low stress Benefit to society Flexibility
B C B B
Published: October 29, 2012
Notes: All pay data from PayScale.com. Median pay is for an experienced worker (at least five or seven years in the field). Top pay represents the 90th percentile. Job growth is estimated for 2010-20, and based on people working in broader 'job family' from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
*Total jobs is estimated number of people working in broader BLS 'job family.'

Sources: PayScale.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CNNMoney research
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