It's strong. Construction had over 305,000 open positions in mid-2026, up 36% year over year, and estimators remain in high demand, especially at the senior level. National median pay for cost estimators sits at $78,740 annually, but senior estimators and preconstruction managers command $100K, $130K+, with mission-critical sectors (industrial, energy, civil) often running 15-30% above standard commercial rates. Project volume is up 11% year-to-date, which fuels sustained hiring. The real constraint? Skilled labor. About 52% of contractors cite workforce shortage as their top challenge, which means experienced estimators, especially those with preconstruction, takeoff, and project-type depth, have genuine leverage. If you're solid with numbers, detail-oriented, and can talk scope and risk, this is a candidate's market.