Metal roof cost in St. Louis, MO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $10,900 – $34,000
- Per sq ft of roof
- $5.35 – $16.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +5%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #74
- 1 = most expensive
St. Louis homeowners pay roughly $10,900 to $34,000 to install a metal roof at 2,000 sq ft of roof, or $5.35 to $16.50 per sq ft of roof (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, St. Louis is 5% higher. Roofers earn a median of $28.25 an hour in the St. Louis area, 6% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in St. Louis, MO, standard level
$17,800 to $27,000
About $8.80 to $13.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $6,200 | $11,800 |
| Labor | $11,400 | $14,900 |
| Permits and fees | $240 | $380 |
| Total | $17,800 | $27,000 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in St. Louis, MO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,000 | $9,000 | $16,000 | 40% |
| Labor | $8,750 | $13,100 | $17,500 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $310 | $480 | 1% |
| Total | $10,900 | $22,400 | $34,000 | 100% |
Why St. Louis prices look the way they do
Labor is 58% of the midpoint bill here, against 56% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is roofers (70%), sheet metal workers (20%), construction laborers (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In St. Louis the blended ratio comes out at 1.09.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the St. Louis metro is 100.0 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 2,000 sq ft of roof comes to $9,000, compared with $9,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (95.1) and land at $140 to $480.
Local wages behind the labor line
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 St. Louis is 1.09 times the national level.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 70%) the local median is $28.25 an hour, which is 6% above the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $21.87 and $37.84 an hour. BLS counts 1,110 of them working in the area, 8.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 8.7), so the local bench is about average.
For sheet metal workers (47-2211, weighted 20%) the local median is $31.77 an hour, which is 7% above the national $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $24.19 and $49.49 an hour. BLS counts 1,050 of them working in the area, 7.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 7.7), so the local bench is about average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 10% of the weighting: a median of $31.01 an hour, 37% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.00 and $39.22 an hour. About 8,670 work in the metro. That is 64.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the roofers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($37.84 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $3,000. At the 25th percentile ($21.87) it shrinks by about $2,000. The total moves by 13.5% or 9.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 1,341,320 jobs in the St. Louis area. That makes it the 23rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.86% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 70% | $21.87 | $28.25 | $37.84 | $26.65 | 1.06 | metro |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $24.19 | $31.77 | $49.49 | $29.71 | 1.07 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $23.00 | $31.01 | $39.22 | $22.66 | 1.37 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.09 | |||||
Pick a size, pick a tier: metal roof pricing in St. Louis
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for St. Louis 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
$10,900 to $20,100
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$17,800 to $27,000
Standing seam steel
Premium
$24,700 to $34,000
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $6,600 – $12,200 | $10,800 – $16,400 | $15,000 – $20,600 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $10,900 – $20,100 | $17,800 – $27,000 | $24,700 – $34,000 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $15,200 – $28,000 | $24,800 – $37,700 | $34,500 – $47,400 |
Metal roof: what moves the price in St. Louis
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).
Panel type
Corrugated sheet metal is $5-$12 per sq ft installed; standing seam is $9-$16 (HomeGuide).
When to schedule metal roof in St. Louis
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for St Louis Sci Ctr (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
February through June and August through December are the stretches where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in St. Louis (10 of 12 months). January has an average daytime high under 45°F; July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
St. Louis gets about 44 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.9 inches in May). Inside the workable window, February and December are the driest, at 2.3 and 2.6 inches. The station averages about 47 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 | 41 | 25 | 2.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 46 | 28 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Mar | 56 | 38 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 68 | 48 | 4.8 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 59 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 86 | 67 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 72 | 4.2 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 70 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 82 | 62 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 50 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 56 | 39 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 45 | 30 | 2.6 | Workable |
St. Louis against nearby metros and the rest of Missouri
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than St. Louis. Columbia is the lowest at about $19,400 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof), 120 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MOthis page | $10,900 – $34,000 | $22,400 | |
| Springfield, IL85 miles | $13,300 – $37,900 | $25,600 | +14% |
| Jefferson City, MO95 miles | $11,100 – $33,700 | $22,400 | level |
| Columbia, MO120 miles | $9,100 – $29,700 | $19,400 | −14% |
| Bloomington, IL145 miles | $13,200 – $37,700 | $25,400 | +13% |
| Peoria, IL150 miles | $13,100 – $37,600 | $25,300 | +13% |
| Missouri (statewide) | $9,600 – $30,900 | $20,200 | −10% |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | −5% |
Across 300 US metros, St. Louis comes in at #74 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, St. Louis is 11% above the Missouri figure.
Other Missouri metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO | 1,096,110 jobs | $10,900 – $33,300 | $22,100 | −1% |
| Springfield, MO | 223,030 jobs | $8,900 – $29,300 | $19,100 | −15% |
| Columbia, MO | 107,680 jobs | $9,100 – $29,700 | $19,400 | −14% |
| Joplin, MO | 87,190 jobs | $7,850 – $27,200 | $17,500 | −22% |
| Jefferson City, MO | 80,220 jobs | $11,100 – $33,700 | $22,400 | level |
Cities with a workforce like St. Louis's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is St. Louis against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore, MD | 1,356,680 jobs | $10,200 – $32,900 | $21,600 | −4% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $9,200 – $29,800 | $19,500 | −13% |
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $9,050 – $29,900 | $19,500 | −13% |
| Portland, OR | 1,208,410 jobs | $11,400 – $35,700 | $23,600 | +5% |
Related projects, priced for St. Louis
Because every project leans on different trades, St. Louis's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl siding runs +11% and gutters +6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,550 – $13,200 | +6% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,400 – $4,400 | +6% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,100 – $4,300 | +8% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,350 – $28,000 | +11% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Metal roof in St. Louis: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in St. Louis?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $10,900 to $34,000 in the St. Louis area. A standard-spec job lands at $17,800 to $27,000. 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 St. Louis?
About $5.35 to $16.50 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $140 to $480 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $16.
+Is metal roof cheaper in St. Louis or Springfield?
Springfield is 85 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $25,600, which is 14% more than St. Louis ($22,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in St. Louis?
About 58% at the midpoint, or $13,100 out of $22,400. Materials are 40% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in St. Louis?
$10,900 to $34,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in St. Louis?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $140 to $480 for fees in the St. Louis area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is St. Louis expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of Missouri?
St. Louis is 11% above the Missouri statewide estimate ($20,200 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Missouri; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in St. Louis?
The BLS median is $28.25 an hour in the St. Louis area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.87 to $37.84.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in St. Louis?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $10,900 to $20,100 and premium work $24,700 to $34,000. 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 St. Louis?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through June and August through December. February and December 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 St. Louis
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.