Composite deck cost in Minnesota
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $12,900 – $25,800
- Per sq ft
- $43 – $85.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +7%
- US $18,100
- Metros covered
- 4
What does it cost to build a composite deck in Minnesota? Plan on $12,900 to $25,800 for 300 sq ft. Wages (1.11x the US blend), materials (price index 100.5) and permit costs (98.6) put the state above the national midpoint by 7%.
Inside Minnesota, the metros we cover range from $18,300 (St. Cloud) to $20,900 (Minneapolis) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Minnesota (statewide), standard level
$16,800 to $21,900
About $55.50 to $73 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 62% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,250 | $8,200 |
| Labor | $10,400 | $13,600 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $16,800 | $21,900 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Minnesota
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,800 | $7,250 | $9,650 | 37% |
| Labor | $8,000 | $12,000 | $16,000 | 62% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $12,900 | $19,400 | $25,800 | 100% |
Composite deck: what moves the price in Minnesota
Board grade
Composite materials run $16-$32 per sq ft and the installed price is $40-$80 per sq ft, including the substructure (HomeGuide).
Labor
Labor for composite is $24-$48 per sq ft, higher than wood because the boards need extra parts and more careful assembly.
Drainage
Ground-level decks over poorly draining yards may need $1,000-$4,000 of drainage work first.
Engineering
Large or complex decks may need a structural engineer at $100-$220 an hour to get a permit.
Other Minnesota jobs that often go with composite deck
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Minnesota wages and prices. Against national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+20%) and wood deck lowest (+5%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,950 – $15,900 | +5% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,350 – $4,450 | +11% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,600 – $6,550 | +20% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,450 – $4,600 | +10% |
When Minnesota weather lets you build
Season matters for composite deck. For each Minnesota metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for exterior installation.
Every Minnesota metro on the list has 7 comfortable months, though rainfall ranges from 28 inches a year in St. Cloud to 35 in Rochester.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | 8 | 83 | 34 | 7: April through October |
| Duluth | 2 | 78 | 31 | 7: April through October |
| Rochester | 7 | 80 | 35 | 7: April through October |
| St. Cloud | 3 | 82 | 28 | 7: April through October |
Add-ons priced for Minnesota
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Minnesota by the average of the local wage index (1.11) and goods index (1.01), a factor of 1.06. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $1,900 – $5,700 |
Quality levels and sizes in Minnesota
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Minnesota wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$12,900 to $18,100
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$16,800 to $21,900
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$20,700 to $25,800
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $5,200 – $7,300 | $6,750 – $8,850 | $8,350 – $10,400 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $6,200 – $8,700 | $8,100 – $10,600 | $9,950 – $12,500 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $13,700 – $19,300 | $17,900 – $23,400 | $22,000 – $27,500 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $17,200 – $24,100 | $22,300 – $29,200 | $27,500 – $34,400 |
Wages behind the Minnesota number
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.11 for Minnesota.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $31.22 an hour, which is 7% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $26.56 and $40.58 an hour. BLS counts 14,930 of them working in the state, 50.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $28.97 an hour, 28% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.28 and $38.32 an hour. About 28,530 work in the state. That is 96.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($40.58 an hour) would add about $2,800 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($26.56) would take off about $1,400. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,949,820 jobs across Minnesota (May 2025), which is 1.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $26.56 | $31.22 | $40.58 | $29.12 | 1.07 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $23.28 | $28.97 | $38.32 | $22.66 | 1.28 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.11 | |||||
Minnesota metro-by-metro prices
1 of the 4 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $19,400, and the top-to-bottom gap is 15%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (300 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | $13,900 – $27,900 | $20,900 | +8% |
| Rochester, MN | $12,500 – $25,000 | $18,800 | −3% |
| Duluth, MN | $12,200 – $24,500 | $18,400 | −5% |
| St. Cloud, MN | $12,200 – $24,400 | $18,300 | −6% |
Minnesota versus the states around it
Minnesota ranks 9 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for composite deck, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $23,800 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $15,300, both for 300 sq ft at the midpoint. Minnesota sits at $19,400. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 240 miles away | $11,500 – $23,100 | $17,300 | −11% |
| Wisconsin | 260 miles away | $12,200 – $24,400 | $18,300 | −6% |
| North Dakota | 270 miles away | $11,600 – $23,300 | $17,500 | −10% |
| South Dakota | 290 miles away | $10,600 – $21,200 | $15,900 | −18% |
| Nebraska | 320 miles away | $10,800 – $21,600 | $16,200 | −16% |
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Composite deck in Minnesota: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Minnesota?
$12,900 to $25,800 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Minnesota can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Minnesota is cheapest for composite deck?
St. Cloud at about $18,300 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Minneapolis at $20,900.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Minnesota than the US average?
It is 7% more expensive: $19,400 against $18,100 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Minnesota?
About 62% ($12,000). Materials are 37%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.11x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Minnesota?
The BLS statewide median is $31.22 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $26.56 to $40.58.
+Where does Minnesota rank for composite deck costs?
9th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $19,400 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Minnesota?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $12,900 to $18,100 and premium work $20,700 to $25,800. Basic means: entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape. Premium means: premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners.
+Does the season matter for composite deck in Minnesota?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Minnesota metros we cover, Minneapolis has the most comfortable months (7 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add a deck railing" add in Minnesota?
$1,900 to $5,700 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck by city in Minnesota
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 Composite Decking Cost? (2026) (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
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020