Inground pool cost in Albany, NY
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (450 sq ft)
- $40,400 – $126,000
- Per sq ft
- $89.50 – $280
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +12%
- US $74,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #56
- 1 = most expensive
An inground pool in Albany, NY usually costs $40,400 to $126,000 for 450 sq ft. That works out to about $89.50 to $280 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $8,850 more. Construction laborers earn a median of $25.45 an hour in the Albany area, 12% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in Albany, NY, standard level
$66,200 to $100,500
About $147 to $223 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $28,100 | $42,800 |
| Labor | $37,900 | $57,400 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $240 |
| Total | $66,200 | $100,500 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in Albany, NY
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $17,000 | $35,400 | $53,800 | 43% |
| Labor | $23,300 | $47,700 | $72,100 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $200 | $300 | 0% |
| Total | $40,400 | $83,300 | $126,000 | 100% |
What is behind the Albany number
Labor is 57% of the midpoint bill here, against 52% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (40%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (30%), brickmasons and blockmasons (20%), plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Albany the blended ratio comes out at 1.23.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Albany is at 99.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $35,600 nationally becomes $35,400 here (midpoint, 450 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 99.6: $100 to $300.
Inground pool: what moves the price in Albany
Pool type
Vinyl pools are $25,000-$65,000, fiberglass $45,000-$100,000, and concrete or gunite $50,000-$120,000 (HomeGuide).
Maintenance
Pool maintenance is $80-$150 a month; concrete pools also need an acid wash every 3-5 years at $300-$1,000.
Permit
A building permit for a pool is $100-$300 and contractors often include it. Many cities add plumbing and electrical permits.
What local crews earn in Albany
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 4 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 Albany the blend is 1.23.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $25.45 an hour, which is 12% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.03 and $36.39 an hour. BLS counts 2,700 of them working in the area, 60.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $39.68 an hour, 38% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.01 and $54.69 an hour. About 1,000 work in the metro. That is 22.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 20%) the local median is $36.97 an hour, which is 24% above the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $29.41 and $40.68 an hour. BLS counts 80 of them working in the area, 1.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 10% of the weighting: a median of $37.24 an hour, 21% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $28.77 and $53.52 an hour. About 1,470 work in the metro. That is 32.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $7,450 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $2,350. That is a swing of roughly 2.8% to 9.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Albany-Schenectady-Troy has 449,410 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 55th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $22.03 | $25.45 | $36.39 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.01 | $39.68 | $54.69 | $28.78 | 1.38 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $29.41 | $36.97 | $40.68 | $29.87 | 1.24 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $28.77 | $37.24 | $53.52 | $30.67 | 1.21 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.23 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Albany
Jobs that often go together with inground pool are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Albany wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+13%) and wood deck lowest (+1%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,900 – $11,600 | +2% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,250 – $5,900 | +9% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,300 – $4,300 | +6% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,600 – $15,300 | +1% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $680 – $2,400 | +13% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,000 – $14,600 | +10% |
Cost by quality level and size in Albany
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Albany. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small pool (400 sq ft) to large (800 sq ft).
Basic
$40,400 to $74,700
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$66,200 to $100,500
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$91,900 to $126,000
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $35,900 – $66,500 | $58,800 – $89,300 | $81,700 – $112,000 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $46,000 – $85,000 | $75,300 – $114,500 | $104,500 – $143,500 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $71,800 – $132,500 | $117,500 – $178,500 | $163,000 – $224,000 |
Albany weather and the inground pool calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Albany Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Albany are May through October: 6 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, April, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Albany gets about 41 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 59 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and October (4.5 inches in July). Inside the workable window, May and September are the driest, at 3.4 and 3.7 inches. The station averages about 10 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 16 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 2.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 45 | 26 | 3.1 | Cold |
| Apr | 59 | 37 | 3.1 | Cold |
| May | 71 | 48 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 79 | 57 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 84 | 62 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 61 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 53 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 41 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 32 | 3.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 38 | 23 | 3.3 | Cold |
How Albany compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 450 sq ft range from $79,000 to $86,800 across Albany and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, NYthis page | $40,400 – $126,000 | $83,300 | |
| Pittsfield, MA45 miles | $38,900 – $121,500 | $80,200 | −4% |
| Kingston, NY60 miles | $39,000 – $121,500 | $80,300 | −4% |
| Amherst, MA70 miles | $40,500 – $126,000 | $83,300 | level |
| Utica, NY75 miles | $38,300 – $119,500 | $79,000 | −5% |
| Springfield, MA80 miles | $42,200 – $131,500 | $86,800 | +4% |
| New York (statewide) | $42,500 – $133,000 | $87,600 | +5% |
| United States | $36,100 – $113,000 | $74,500 | −11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Albany ranks #56 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Albany is 5% below the New York figure.
Elsewhere in New York
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 9,492,000 jobs | $45,700 – $143,000 | $94,200 | +13% |
| Buffalo, NY | 534,550 jobs | $39,100 – $122,000 | $80,500 | −3% |
| Rochester, NY | 494,280 jobs | $38,000 – $118,500 | $78,200 | −6% |
| Syracuse, NY | 300,130 jobs | $37,600 – $117,500 | $77,400 | −7% |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | 268,970 jobs | $41,500 – $129,500 | $85,600 | +3% |
| Utica, NY | 118,390 jobs | $38,300 – $119,500 | $79,000 | −5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Albany against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa, OK | 458,730 jobs | $32,900 – $103,000 | $67,900 | −18% |
| Honolulu, HI | 446,380 jobs | $50,200 – $156,500 | $103,500 | +24% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $40,500 – $126,500 | $83,400 | level |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $33,300 – $104,000 | $68,700 | −18% |
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Inground pool in Albany: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool in Albany?
For 450 sq ft, expect $40,400 to $126,000 in the Albany area. A standard-spec job lands at $66,200 to $100,500. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for inground pool in Albany?
About $89.50 to $280 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $100 to $300 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $80 to $250.
+Is inground pool cheaper in Albany or Pittsfield?
Pittsfield is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 450 sq ft there is $80,200, which is 4% less than Albany ($83,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Albany?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $47,700 out of $83,300. Materials are 43% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would average (512 sq ft) cost in Albany?
$46,000 to $143,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does inground pool need a permit in Albany?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $100 to $300 for fees in the Albany area (our national range of $100 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Albany expensive for inground pool compared with the rest of New York?
Albany is 5% below the New York statewide estimate ($87,600 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in New York; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Albany?
The BLS median is $25.45 an hour in the Albany area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.03 to $36.39.
+What do basic and premium inground pool work cost in Albany?
For 450 sq ft, basic work runs $40,400 to $74,700 and premium work $91,900 to $126,000. Basic means: vinyl-liner pool, small size. Premium means: concrete or gunite, large with custom features.
+When is the best time to install an inground pool in Albany?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through October. May and September are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Inground pool near Albany
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 An Inground Pool 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. It is a category average, not a pool-specific one, so read the pool materials line loosely.