Metal roof cost: national prices and local ranges
Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- US range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $10,200 – $32,500
- Per sq ft of roof
- $5 – $16
- materials and labor
- Cheapest metro
- $17,000
- Lubbock, TX
- Priciest metro
- $29,600
- Worcester, MA
A metal roof runs $10,200 to $32,500 nationally for 2,000 sq ft of roof, or $5 to $16 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor. Where you live moves that number a lot: across 300 metros the midpoint runs from $17,000 in Lubbock, TX to $29,600 in Worcester, MA.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in the US average, standard level
$16,900 to $25,800
About $8.30 to $12.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,200 | $11,800 |
| Labor | $10,400 | $13,600 |
| Permits and fees | $260 | $400 |
| Total | $16,900 | $25,800 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in the US
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,000 | $9,000 | $16,000 | 42% |
| Labor | $8,000 | $12,000 | $16,000 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $330 | $500 | 2% |
| Total | $10,200 | $21,300 | $32,500 | 100% |
What basic, standard and premium mean
Basic
$10,200 to $19,100
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$16,900 to $25,800
Standing seam steel
Premium
$23,600 to $32,500
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
Cost by size and quality level
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $6,150 – $11,600 | $10,200 – $15,600 | $14,300 – $19,700 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $10,200 – $19,100 | $16,900 – $25,800 | $23,600 – $32,500 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $14,100 – $26,600 | $23,500 – $36,000 | $32,800 – $45,300 |
How a metal roof job goes, step by step
- Choose panel type and gauge. Standing seam, ribbed panels and metal shingles have different costs, lifespans and noise levels.
- Prepare the deck and underlayment. The old roof may stay as a base if code allows; otherwise it is torn off. High-temperature underlayment is common under metal.
- Install panels and trim. Panels are cut to length, fastened with concealed or exposed screws, and trim, flashing and ridge caps finish it.
- Check the warranty details. Paint finish warranties and installer workmanship warranties are separate, ask for both in writing.
What changes the price of a metal roof
Panel type
Corrugated sheet metal is $5-$12 per sq ft installed; standing seam is $9-$16 (HomeGuide).
Metal and gauge
Galvalume and galvanized steel are budget-friendly; copper and zinc are the top of the range.
Labor
Metal roof labor is $4-$8 per sq ft, or $400-$800 per roofing square, and standing seam needs specialist crews.
Other metals
Tin runs $600-$1,800 per roofing square (100 sq ft) installed and aluminum $700-$1,700 per square (HomeGuide).
Wages behind the national estimate
Roofers (47-2181) do the largest share of the work, about 70% of the weighting. Their national median is $26.65 an hour. Among 232 metros with a published figure, the median runs from $17.45 in El Paso, TX to $50.61 in Worcester, MA, and the middle metro sits at $24.09. That ratio between the high and low end is 2.90 to 1, and it feeds straight into the labor line of the estimate.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 70% | $22.24 | $26.65 | $31.44 | $26.65 | 1.00 | US |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $22.99 | $29.71 | $39.24 | $29.71 | 1.00 | US |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 | $22.66 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Does the season matter for metal roof?
We checked NOAA 1991-2020 normals for 300 metros and counted the months with no freezing or heat problem for exterior installation. 40 metros have all 12 months comfortable; the median metro has 9. The shortest seasons are in Anchorage, AK (6), El Centro, CA (6), Yuma, AZ (6) and Appleton, WI (7). The wettest metro is Pensacola; the driest is El Centro at about 3 inches a year.
Local pages show a month-by-month table for each metro. We do not change prices by month, because there is no reliable published seasonal price series.
How much the price varies by city
Across the 300 metros we cover, the midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof runs from $17,000 in Lubbock to $29,600 in Worcester, a gap of 74%. The median metro is $20,000, which is −6% against the national midpoint of $21,300. 43 metros are 10% or more above the national figure, 84 are 10% or more below, and 173 sit within 10% of it.
Most expensive metros for metal roof
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | $15,800 – $43,400 | $29,600 |
| Chicago, IL | $14,100 – $41,300 | $27,700 |
| San Jose, CA | $14,000 – $40,800 | $27,400 |
| San Francisco, CA | $13,700 – $40,700 | $27,200 |
| Trenton, NJ | $14,100 – $40,300 | $27,200 |
| Vineland, NJ | $13,700 – $39,600 | $26,600 |
| Atlantic City, NJ | $13,600 – $39,300 | $26,400 |
| New York, NY | $13,100 – $39,700 | $26,400 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $13,400 – $38,700 | $26,100 |
| Springfield, IL | $13,300 – $37,900 | $25,600 |
Least expensive metros for metal roof
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Lubbock, TX | $7,550 – $26,500 | $17,000 |
| El Paso, TX | $7,600 – $26,600 | $17,100 |
| Longview, TX | $7,700 – $26,900 | $17,300 |
| Joplin, MO | $7,850 – $27,200 | $17,500 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $8,050 – $27,600 | $17,800 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $8,100 – $27,900 | $18,000 |
| Augusta, GA | $8,150 – $28,100 | $18,100 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $8,300 – $28,000 | $18,100 |
| Columbus, GA | $8,200 – $28,100 | $18,200 |
| McAllen, TX | $8,400 – $28,300 | $18,300 |
Metal roof cost by state
| State | Range (2,000 sq ft of roof) | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $8,550 – $28,800 | $18,700 |
| Alaska | $12,500 – $37,900 | $25,200 |
| Arizona | $8,950 – $29,500 | $19,200 |
| Arkansas | $8,600 – $28,700 | $18,600 |
| California | $11,700 – $36,400 | $24,100 |
| Colorado | $9,650 – $31,400 | $20,500 |
| Connecticut | $11,400 – $34,700 | $23,000 |
| Delaware | $10,400 – $32,600 | $21,500 |
| District of Columbia | $11,000 – $35,000 | $23,000 |
| Florida | $8,950 – $29,900 | $19,400 |
| Georgia | $9,000 – $30,100 | $19,500 |
| Hawaii | $12,200 – $38,000 | $25,100 |
| Idaho | $9,900 – $31,600 | $20,700 |
| Illinois | $13,400 – $39,400 | $26,400 |
| Indiana | $10,400 – $32,500 | $21,400 |
| Iowa | $9,450 – $30,400 | $19,900 |
| Kansas | $9,150 – $29,800 | $19,500 |
| Kentucky | $9,150 – $30,000 | $19,600 |
| Louisiana | $8,900 – $29,200 | $19,000 |
| Maine | $9,550 – $31,000 | $20,300 |
| Maryland | $10,700 – $33,900 | $22,300 |
| Massachusetts | $12,700 – $37,400 | $25,100 |
| Michigan | $10,600 – $32,900 | $21,700 |
| Minnesota | $12,600 – $37,400 | $25,000 |
| Mississippi | $8,500 – $28,800 | $18,600 |
| Missouri | $9,600 – $30,900 | $20,200 |
| Montana | $10,500 – $32,600 | $21,500 |
| Nebraska | $9,200 – $29,800 | $19,500 |
| Nevada | $9,300 – $30,300 | $19,800 |
| New Hampshire | $10,600 – $33,200 | $21,900 |
| New Jersey | $13,500 – $40,100 | $26,800 |
| New Mexico | $8,750 – $29,200 | $19,000 |
| New York | $11,800 – $36,800 | $24,300 |
| North Carolina | $9,100 – $30,000 | $19,500 |
| North Dakota | $10,600 – $32,900 | $21,700 |
| Ohio | $9,900 – $31,200 | $20,500 |
| Oklahoma | $8,800 – $29,000 | $18,900 |
| Oregon | $11,000 – $34,800 | $22,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 |
| Rhode Island | $11,000 – $33,800 | $22,400 |
| South Carolina | $8,700 – $29,200 | $18,900 |
| South Dakota | $8,900 – $29,400 | $19,100 |
| Tennessee | $9,000 – $29,700 | $19,300 |
| Texas | $8,850 – $29,700 | $19,300 |
| Utah | $9,400 – $30,600 | $20,000 |
| Vermont | $10,400 – $32,700 | $21,500 |
| Virginia | $9,150 – $30,500 | $19,800 |
| Washington | $11,900 – $36,500 | $24,200 |
| West Virginia | $9,850 – $31,400 | $20,600 |
| Wisconsin | $11,000 – $33,500 | $22,200 |
| Wyoming | $8,950 – $29,600 | $19,300 |
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Metal roof cost: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof?
$10,200 to $32,500 for 2,000 sq ft of roof at national prices, including a permit of $150 to $500.
+What is the average cost per sq ft of roof?
$5 to $16 per sq ft of roof, materials and labor. The mid-range is about $10.50.
+How much does the price vary by city?
A lot. The most expensive metro we cover is 74% above the cheapest for the same 2,000 sq ft of roof job. The cheapest is Lubbock, TX; the priciest is Worcester, MA.
+How much of the cost is labor?
About 56% at the national midpoint ($12,000). Materials are 42%.
+What do roofers earn on a metal roof job?
The national BLS median is $26.65 an hour for roofers, with the middle half earning $22.24 to $31.44. Local wages are what move this estimate from town to town.
+How much more does a premium metal roof job cost than a basic one?
At the national level, basic runs $10,200 to $19,100 and premium $23,600 to $32,500 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. Basic means: corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels. Premium means: aluminum or premium finish, complex roof.
+Can metal roof work be done in winter?
It depends on where you are. We checked NOAA 1991-2020 normals for 300 metros and counted the months with no freezing or heat problem for exterior installation. 40 metros have all 12 months comfortable; the median metro has 9. The shortest seasons are in Anchorage, AK (6), El Centro, CA (6), Yuma, AZ (6) and Appleton, WI (7). The wettest metro is Pensacola; the driest is El Centro at about 3 inches a year.
Related projects
Largest metros: Metal roof prices
- New York, NY$26,400 midpoint
- Los Angeles, CA$23,900 midpoint
- Chicago, IL$27,700 midpoint
- Dallas, TX$20,000 midpoint
- Houston, TX$19,300 midpoint
- Washington, DC$22,200 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$22,500 midpoint
- Atlanta, GA$20,100 midpoint
- Miami, FL$20,100 midpoint
- Boston, MA$24,200 midpoint
- Phoenix, AZ$19,300 midpoint
- San Francisco, CA$27,200 midpoint
- Seattle, WA$25,200 midpoint
- Minneapolis, MN$25,500 midpoint
- Detroit, MI$23,200 midpoint
- Riverside, CA$23,100 midpoint
- Denver, CO$21,500 midpoint
- San Diego, CA$24,100 midpoint
- Tampa, FL$19,100 midpoint
- Orlando, FL$19,100 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$19,500 midpoint
- Baltimore, MD$21,600 midpoint
- St. Louis, MO$22,400 midpoint
- Austin, TX$19,500 midpoint
- Portland, OR$23,600 midpoint
- Las Vegas, NV$19,600 midpoint
- San Jose, CA$27,400 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$18,600 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$20,800 midpoint
- Columbus, OH$20,800 midpoint
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 Metal Roof 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
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed range minus HomeGuide's $4-$8/sq ft labor range for metal roofs.