The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a $78,740 median annual wage for cost estimators in May 2025, and $80,330 within specialty trade contractors. Its 2025–2035 projection is a 3% employment decline, alongside about 17,600 annual openings, all attributed to replacement needs. These are broad occupational figures, not HVAC-specific salaries or evidence that a particular company can reduce headcount. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
A wage is not an employer's loaded hourly cost. The buyer should add its own benefits, employer taxes and other applicable costs, using finance-approved assumptions. Do not convert a national wage directly into a promised hourly saving.