French drain cost in New Jersey
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (60 linear ft)
- $760 – $2,650
- Per linear ft
- $12.50 – $44.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +27%
- US $1,350
- Metros covered
- 3
Across New Jersey, a French drain costs about $760 to $2,650 for 60 linear ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 27% above the US figure of $1,350. Construction laborers earn a median $30.80 an hour in New Jersey (US: $22.66).
Inside New Jersey, the metros we cover range from $1,550 (Atlantic City) to $1,750 (Vineland) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in New Jersey (statewide), standard level
$1,350 to $2,100
About $22 to $35 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $540 | $850 |
| Labor | $790 | $1,250 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,350 | $2,100 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in New Jersey
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $310 | $690 | $1,100 | 41% |
| Labor | $450 | $1,000 | $1,600 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $760 | $1,700 | $2,650 | 100% |
New Jersey seasons and French drain
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and New Jersey is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Atlantic City has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in New Jersey at 10 months (March through December); Vineland has the shortest at 8 (April through November). Rainfall runs from 43 inches a year in Vineland to 46 inches in Trenton.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | 24 | 86 | 46 | 9: March through November |
| Atlantic City | 30 | 80 | 44 | 10: March through December |
| Vineland | 24 | 86 | 43 | 8: April through November |
French drain cost by metro in New Jersey
1 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,700, and the top-to-bottom gap is 14%. 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 (60 linear ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | $780 – $2,750 | $1,750 | +3% |
| Trenton, NJ | $730 – $2,550 | $1,650 | −3% |
| Atlantic City, NJ | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −9% |
Other New Jersey jobs that often go with French drain
Each project weights the trades differently, so New Jersey's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gravel driveway is +25% and sod installation +9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,650 – $15,700 | +19% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,150 – $12,700 | +25% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,600 | +9% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,800 – $5,850 | +13% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,850 – $12,100 | +21% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $44,200 – $138,000 | +22% |
New Jersey labor market for French drain
New Jersey's labor line is priced from 3 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.45 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $30.80 an hour, which is 36% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.46 and $45.44 an hour. BLS counts 23,590 of them working in the state, 55.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $43.11 an hour, 50% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $30.82 and $60.74 an hour. About 5,980 work in the state. That is 14.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $37.90 an hour, which is 61% above the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $30.46 and $46.79 an hour. BLS counts 400 of them working in the state, 0.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($45.44 an hour) would add about $230 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($22.46) would take off about $130. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,285,720 jobs across New Jersey (May 2025), which is 2.8% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $22.46 | $30.80 | $45.44 | $22.66 | 1.36 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $30.82 | $43.11 | $60.74 | $28.78 | 1.50 | state |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $30.46 | $37.90 | $46.79 | $23.56 | 1.61 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.45 | |||||
Why two New Jersey quotes can differ
Exterior versus interior
A shallow exterior French drain is $10-$35 per linear foot; an interior basement drain is $40-$85 per foot, or $4,000-$17,000 installed (HomeGuide).
Where the water goes
A sump pump adds $500-$1,800 and a dry well $50-$3,000+. Discharging to a storm drain can mean extra permit fees.
Depth and soil
Rocky or clay soil and long trenches raise excavation time.
Crawl space drains
A crawl space French drain is $2,000-$8,000 installed.
New Jersey versus the states around it
New Jersey ranks 2 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for French drain, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $1,850 and the cheapest Arkansas at $1,150, both for 60 linear ft at the midpoint. New Jersey sits at $1,700. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 60 miles away | $590 – $2,050 | $1,350 | −22% |
| New York | 100 miles away | $710 – $2,500 | $1,600 | −7% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −22% |
| Maryland | 110 miles away | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −19% |
| Connecticut | 150 miles away | $660 – $2,300 | $1,500 | −13% |
Basic, standard or premium: New Jersey prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$760 to $1,500
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,350 to $2,100
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,900 to $2,650
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $380 – $760 | $670 – $1,050 | $950 – $1,350 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $760 – $1,500 | $1,350 – $2,100 | $1,900 – $2,650 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,500 – $3,050 | $2,650 – $4,200 | $3,800 – $5,350 |
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French drain in New Jersey: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in New Jersey?
$760 to $2,650 for 60 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside New Jersey can sit above or below that.
+Which city in New Jersey is cheapest for French drain?
Atlantic City at about $1,550 (midpoint, 60 linear ft). The priciest is Vineland at $1,750.
+Is French drain cheaper in New Jersey than the US average?
It is 27% more expensive: $1,700 against $1,350 for 60 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New Jersey?
About 59% ($1,000). Materials are 41%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.45x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in New Jersey?
The BLS statewide median is $30.80 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.46 to $45.44.
+Where does New Jersey rank for French drain costs?
2nd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,700 for 60 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in New Jersey?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $760 to $1,500 and premium work $1,900 to $2,650. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+Does the season matter for French drain in New Jersey?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the New Jersey metros we cover, Atlantic City has the most comfortable months (10 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.
French drain by city in New Jersey
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 French Drain Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (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
Note on derived figures: Materials = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split (44% labor, 48% materials). It is a category average, not a French-drain figure, so the materials line here is a rough one.