Compare careers

Factual side-by-side attributes from the imported O*NET and BLS OEWS datasets. No career is ranked or recommended.

Career A (or your current career)

Cost Estimators

Career B (or your target career)

Mechanical Engineers

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Comparison table

Metric	Cost Estimators	Mechanical Engineers
National median salary	$78,740	$104,110
Local median salary	Not published	Not published
National employment	224,220	296,810
Typical education	Bachelor's Degree	Bachelor's Degree
Job zone	4	4
Important skills	Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Listening	Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Science, Mathematics
Related careers	Manufacturing Engineers, Construction and Building Inspectors, Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate, Sales Engineers	Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers, Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers, Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

Cost Estimators dashboard Mechanical Engineers dashboard

Career transition: skill overlap

Skill overlap

74%

14 of 19 target skills

Target-only skills

Current-only skills

Skill overlap compares O*NET skills rated at importance 3.0 or above for each occupation. It is a measure of listed skill overlap, not a probability of getting the job.

Shared skills

Reading Comprehension+0.6 level
Active Listening—
Critical Thinking—
Mathematics+0.4 level
Complex Problem Solving+0.9 level
Judgment and Decision Making+0.4 level
Active Learning+0.4 level
Speaking—
Systems Evaluation+0.8 level
Systems Analysis+0.4 level
Writing—
Monitoring+0.9 level
Coordination+0.3 level
Time Management+0.4 level

Only in Mechanical Engineers

Science
Operations Analysis
Operations Monitoring
Technology Design
Quality Control Analysis

Only in Cost Estimators

Management of Financial Resources
Social Perceptiveness
Persuasion
Negotiation