Metal roof cost in Baton Rouge, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $9,000 – $29,400
- Per sq ft of roof
- $4.45 – $14.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #209
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a metal roof in Baton Rouge, plan on $9,000 to $29,400 for 2,000 sq ft of roof, all in. Per sq ft of roof, that is $4.45 to $14.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 10% lower than the national one. Roofers earn a median of $23.70 an hour in the Baton Rouge area, 11% below the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Baton Rouge, LA, standard level
$15,100 to $23,300
About $7.45 to $11.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,800 | $11,100 |
| Labor | $9,100 | $11,900 |
| Permits and fees | $230 | $360 |
| Total | $15,100 | $23,300 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Baton Rouge, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,850 | $8,450 | $15,000 | 44% |
| Labor | $7,000 | $10,500 | $14,000 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $300 | $450 | 2% |
| Total | $9,000 | $19,200 | $29,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Baton Rouge number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: roofers at 70%, sheet metal workers at 20%, construction laborers at 10%. Weighted together, Baton Rouge wages are 0.88 times the national level. Labor makes up about 55% of the midpoint estimate (56% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Baton Rouge metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 2,000 sq ft of roof comes to $8,450, compared with $9,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (90.8) and land at $140 to $450.
Pick a size, pick a tier: metal roof pricing in Baton Rouge
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Baton Rouge wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$9,000 to $17,200
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$15,100 to $23,300
Standing seam steel
Premium
$21,300 to $29,400
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $5,450 – $10,400 | $9,200 – $14,100 | $12,900 – $17,900 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $9,000 – $17,200 | $15,100 – $23,300 | $21,300 – $29,400 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $12,600 – $24,000 | $21,100 – $32,500 | $29,700 – $41,000 |
Baton Rouge labor market for metal roof
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Baton Rouge is 0.88 times the national level.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 70%) the local median is $23.70 an hour, which is 11% below the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $21.03 and $26.21 an hour. BLS counts 220 of them working in the area, 5.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 8.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For sheet metal workers (47-2211, weighted 20%) the local median is $25.36 an hour, which is 15% below the national $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $21.74 and $29.38 an hour. BLS counts 250 of them working in the area, 6.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 7.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 10% of the weighting: a median of $18.58 an hour, 18% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.59 and $22.72 an hour. About 6,300 work in the metro. That is 153.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the roofers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($26.21 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $790. At the 25th percentile ($21.03) it shrinks by about $840. The total moves by 4.1% or 4.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 409,690 jobs in the Baton Rouge area. That makes it the 60th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.26% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 70% | $21.03 | $23.70 | $26.21 | $26.65 | 0.89 | metro |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $21.74 | $25.36 | $29.38 | $29.71 | 0.85 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $16.59 | $18.58 | $22.72 | $22.66 | 0.82 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Climate in Baton Rouge: timing your metal roof job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Baton Rouge Ryan Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through May is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Baton Rouge (9 of 12 months). June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Baton Rouge gets about 62 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, June and August (6.5 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and November are the driest, at 4.4 and 3.9 inches. The station averages about 96 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62 | 42 | 6.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 45 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 51 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 57 | 5.1 | Workable |
| May | 86 | 65 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 72 | 6.5 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 5.1 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 6.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 69 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 81 | 58 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 71 | 48 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 64 | 43 | 5.3 | Workable |
Metal roof: what moves the price in Baton Rouge
Other metals
Tin runs $600-$1,800 per roofing square (100 sq ft) installed and aluminum $700-$1,700 per square (HomeGuide).
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.
What nearby projects cost in Baton Rouge
Because every project leans on different trades, Baton Rouge's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, attic insulation runs −6% and roof replacement −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,450 – $11,300 | −10% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,150 – $3,800 | −10% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $940 – $3,750 | −6% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,650 – $22,900 | −9% |
How Baton Rouge compares
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Baton Rouge. Hattiesburg is the lowest at about $18,400 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof), 120 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LAthis page | $9,000 – $29,400 | $19,200 | |
| Lafayette, LA70 miles | $8,850 – $29,100 | $19,000 | −1% |
| Slidell, LA70 miles | $8,900 – $29,200 | $19,100 | −1% |
| Houma, LA85 miles | $8,950 – $29,300 | $19,200 | level |
| Alexandria, LA100 miles | $8,850 – $29,100 | $19,000 | −1% |
| Hattiesburg, MS120 miles | $8,350 – $28,400 | $18,400 | −4% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $8,900 – $29,200 | $19,000 | −1% |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | +11% |
Across 300 US metros, Baton Rouge comes in at #209 from the top. The priciest is Worcester, MA at $29,600; the cheapest is Lubbock, TX at $17,000 (midpoints, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Statewide, Baton Rouge is 1% above the Louisiana figure.
Other Louisiana metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $8,850 – $29,100 | $19,000 | −1% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $8,850 – $29,100 | $19,000 | −1% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $9,050 – $29,500 | $19,300 | level |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $9,150 – $29,700 | $19,400 | +1% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $8,900 – $29,200 | $19,100 | −1% |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $8,800 – $29,000 | $18,900 | −2% |
Cities with a workforce like Baton Rouge's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Baton Rouge against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $9,000 – $29,700 | $19,300 | +1% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $11,100 – $33,600 | $22,300 | +16% |
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $8,700 – $29,200 | $18,900 | −1% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $8,900 – $29,500 | $19,200 | level |
Get 3 local quotes
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Metal roof in Baton Rouge: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in Baton Rouge?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $9,000 to $29,400 in the Baton Rouge area. A standard-spec job lands at $15,100 to $23,300. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of roof and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of roof for metal roof in Baton Rouge?
About $4.45 to $14.50 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $140 to $450 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $16.
+Is metal roof cheaper in Baton Rouge or Lafayette?
Lafayette is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $19,000, which is 1% less than Baton Rouge ($19,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Baton Rouge?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $10,500 out of $19,200. Materials are 44% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in Baton Rouge?
$9,000 to $29,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in Baton Rouge?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $140 to $450 for fees in the Baton Rouge area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Baton Rouge expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Baton Rouge is 1% above the Louisiana statewide estimate ($19,000 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Baton Rouge?
The BLS median is $23.70 an hour in the Baton Rouge area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.03 to $26.21.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in Baton Rouge?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $9,000 to $17,200 and premium work $21,300 to $29,400. Basic means: corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels. Premium means: aluminum or premium finish, complex roof.
+When is the best time to install a metal roof in Baton Rouge?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. September and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Metal roof near Baton Rouge
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.