Bathroom remodel cost in Erie, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (45 sq ft)
- $4,850 – $24,100
- Per sq ft
- $104 – $520
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $14,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #87
- 1 = most expensive
A bathroom remodel in Erie, PA usually costs $4,850 to $24,100 for 45 sq ft. That works out to about $104 to $520 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $500 more. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $31.93 an hour in the Erie area, 4% above the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in Erie, PA, standard level
$10,600 to $18,400
About $229 to $395 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $7,750 |
| Labor | $5,800 | $10,000 |
| Permits and fees | $350 | $560 |
| Total | $10,600 | $18,400 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in Erie, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,050 | $6,100 | $10,200 | 42% |
| Labor | $2,650 | $7,950 | $13,200 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $180 | $450 | $730 | 3% |
| Total | $4,850 | $14,500 | $24,100 | 100% |
Where the Erie price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, who do 25% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $31.93 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Erie is 1.07 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 55% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Erie is at 100.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $6,100 nationally becomes $6,100 here (midpoint, 45 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.0: $180 to $730.
Data note: 35% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Erie. The wage table below marks each row.
Bathroom remodel: what moves the price in Erie
Permit
A bathroom remodel permit is $200-$800, more if you move walls (HomeGuide).
Size
HomeGuide's average-size bathroom comes to $3,500-$25,000+; per square foot it's $100-$500.
Tile
New tile costs $10-$50 per square foot installed, and regrouting runs $7-$28 per square foot.
Is Erie cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Erie. Youngstown is the lowest at about $12,900 (midpoint, 45 sq ft), 75 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PAthis page | $4,850 – $24,100 | $14,500 | |
| Youngstown, OH75 miles | $4,300 – $21,400 | $12,900 | −11% |
| Cleveland, OH75 miles | $4,550 – $22,500 | $13,500 | −7% |
| Buffalo, NY95 miles | $4,900 – $24,300 | $14,600 | +1% |
| Akron, OH95 miles | $4,600 – $22,700 | $13,700 | −6% |
| Pittsburgh, PA115 miles | $4,900 – $24,400 | $14,600 | +1% |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $4,900 – $24,400 | $14,700 | +1% |
| United States | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | −3% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Erie ranks #87 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Erie is 1% below the Pennsylvania figure.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $5,000 – $24,900 | $15,000 | +3% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $4,900 – $24,400 | $14,600 | +1% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | −3% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $5,000 – $24,800 | $14,900 | +3% |
| Scranton, PA | 255,620 jobs | $4,800 – $23,900 | $14,300 | −1% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $4,800 – $23,700 | $14,200 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Erie against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocala, FL | 120,980 jobs | $4,100 – $20,300 | $12,200 | −16% |
| Burlington, VT | 120,150 jobs | $4,750 – $23,700 | $14,200 | −2% |
| Kalamazoo, MI | 121,790 jobs | $4,900 – $24,200 | $14,600 | level |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $4,200 – $20,800 | $12,500 | −14% |
Erie: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Erie. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from half bath (20 sq ft) to primary bath (100 sq ft).
Basic
$4,850 to $12,600
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$10,600 to $18,400
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$16,400 to $24,100
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $2,250 – $5,800 | $4,900 – $8,450 | $7,600 – $11,100 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $4,350 – $11,200 | $9,500 – $16,400 | $14,700 – $21,500 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $6,400 – $16,600 | $14,100 – $24,300 | $21,700 – $31,900 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $10,600 – $27,400 | $23,200 – $40,100 | $35,900 – $52,700 |
Planning more than one job in Erie?
Jobs that often go together with bathroom remodel are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Erie wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen backsplash comes out highest (+10%) and window replacement lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,050 – $2,950 | +7% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,600 – $31,600 | level |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,150 – $13,600 | −3% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,300 – $14,600 | −3% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $340 – $1,650 | +10% |
What local crews earn in Erie
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 6 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Erie the blend is 1.07.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 25% of the weighting: a median of $31.93 an hour, 4% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $23.08 and $45.89 an hour. About 280 work in the metro. That is 23.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 25% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Erie metro, so we used the Pennsylvania statewide median: $33.77 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $24.16 and $37.82 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 20% of the weighting: a median of $27.33 an hour, 6% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.37 and $36.03 an hour. About 530 work in the metro. That is 44.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 10%) the local median is $31.64 an hour, which is 4% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $22.91 and $41.06 an hour. BLS counts 420 of them working in the area, 34.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Erie metro, so we used the Pennsylvania statewide median: $29.40 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.28 and $34.01 an hour.
Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141), 10% of the weighting: a median of $22.90 an hour, 4% below the US median of $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $19.09 and $27.00 an hour. About 130 work in the metro. That is 10.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 14.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $840 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $540. That is a swing of roughly 3.7% to 5.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Erie has 120,480 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 181st by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 25% | $23.08 | $31.93 | $45.89 | $30.67 | 1.04 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $24.16 | $33.77 | $37.82 | $26.77 | 1.26 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $22.37 | $27.33 | $36.03 | $29.12 | 0.94 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $22.91 | $31.64 | $41.06 | $30.38 | 1.04 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $23.28 | $29.40 | $34.01 | $28.33 | 1.04 | state |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $19.09 | $22.90 | $27.00 | $23.75 | 0.96 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.07 | |||||
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Bathroom remodel in Erie: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in Erie?
For 45 sq ft, expect $4,850 to $24,100 in the Erie area. A standard-spec job lands at $10,600 to $18,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for bathroom remodel in Erie?
About $104 to $520 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $180 to $730 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $100 to $500.
+Is bathroom remodel cheaper in Erie or Youngstown?
Youngstown is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 45 sq ft there is $12,900, which is 11% less than Erie ($14,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Erie?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $7,950 out of $14,500. Materials are 42% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 53%.
+What would average bath (60 sq ft) cost in Erie?
$6,400 to $31,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does bathroom remodel need a permit in Erie?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $180 to $730 for fees in the Erie area (our national range of $200 to $800 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Erie expensive for bathroom remodel compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Erie is 1% below the Pennsylvania statewide estimate ($14,700 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Pennsylvania; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Erie?
The BLS median is $31.93 an hour in the Erie area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.08 to $45.89.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in Erie?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $4,850 to $12,600 and premium work $16,400 to $24,100. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel near Erie
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = 45% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range split for bathroom projects (50% labor, 45% materials, 5% permits and design). Their sample is their own guides, not a survey of contractors, so treat the split as approximate.