Metal roof cost in Fargo, ND
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $11,200 – $34,000
- Per sq ft of roof
- $5.55 – $17
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +6%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #69
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a metal roof in the Fargo area: $11,200 to $34,000 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 6% higher than the US figure. Roofers earn a median of $29.62 an hour in the Fargo area, 11% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Fargo, ND, standard level
$18,000 to $27,200
About $8.90 to $13.50 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 61% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,950 | $11,300 |
| Labor | $11,900 | $15,500 |
| Permits and fees | $230 | $360 |
| Total | $18,000 | $27,200 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Fargo, ND
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $8,600 | $15,300 | 38% |
| Labor | $9,150 | $13,700 | $18,300 | 61% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $300 | $450 | 1% |
| Total | $11,200 | $22,600 | $34,000 | 100% |
What is behind the Fargo number
The wage side of the estimate leans on roofers, who do 70% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $29.62 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Fargo is 1.14 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 61% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Fargo is at 95.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $9,000 nationally becomes $8,600 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 90.9: $140 to $450.
Metal roof: what moves the price in Fargo
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).
Fargo against nearby metros and the rest of North Dakota
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Fargo. Sioux Falls is the lowest at about $19,400 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof), 235 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, NDthis page | $11,200 – $34,000 | $22,600 | |
| St. Cloud, MN150 miles | $12,900 – $37,500 | $25,200 | +11% |
| Bismarck, ND190 miles | $9,650 – $31,000 | $20,300 | −10% |
| Minneapolis, MN215 miles | $12,800 – $38,100 | $25,500 | +13% |
| Duluth, MN215 miles | $12,700 – $37,000 | $24,800 | +10% |
| Sioux Falls, SD235 miles | $9,050 – $29,700 | $19,400 | −14% |
| North Dakota (statewide) | $10,600 – $32,900 | $21,700 | −4% |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | −6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Fargo ranks #69 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Fargo is 4% above the North Dakota figure.
Elsewhere in North Dakota
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, ND | 71,270 jobs | $9,650 – $31,000 | $20,300 | −10% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Fargo against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killeen, TX | 150,580 jobs | $8,600 – $28,600 | $18,600 | −18% |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 146,260 jobs | $8,650 – $29,000 | $18,800 | −17% |
| Gainesville, FL | 152,670 jobs | $8,650 – $29,000 | $18,800 | −17% |
| Vallejo, CA | 144,130 jobs | $11,300 – $35,400 | $23,400 | +3% |
The best months for metal roof in Fargo
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Fargo Hector Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Fargo are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February, March, November and December 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.
Fargo gets about 24 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 51 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (4.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, April and October are the driest, at 1.5 and 2.2 inches. The station averages about 11 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 | 18 | 0 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 23 | 4 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Mar | 36 | 18 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 32 | 1.5 | Workable |
| May | 69 | 44 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 56 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 82 | 59 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 81 | 57 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 48 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 56 | 35 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 38 | 21 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 24 | 8 | 0.9 | Cold |
Who does the work: Fargo trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 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 Fargo the blend is 1.14.
Roofers (47-2181), 70% of the weighting: a median of $29.62 an hour, 11% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $23.08 and $34.68 an hour. About 130 work in the metro. That is 8.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Sheet metal workers (47-2211), 20% of the weighting: a median of $38.60 an hour, 30% above the US median of $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $28.33 and $39.13 an hour. About 100 work in the metro. That is 6.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 7.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 10%) the local median is $23.72 an hour, which is 5% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.29 and $29.85 an hour. BLS counts 1,760 of them working in the area, 118.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (roofers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,600 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $2,050. That is a swing of roughly 9.1% to 7.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Fargo has 148,660 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 156th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 70% | $23.08 | $29.62 | $34.68 | $26.65 | 1.11 | metro |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $28.33 | $38.60 | $39.13 | $29.71 | 1.30 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $22.29 | $23.72 | $29.85 | $22.66 | 1.05 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
Fargo: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Fargo. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small (1,200 sq ft of roof) to large (2,800 sq ft of roof).
Basic
$11,200 to $20,300
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$18,000 to $27,200
Standing seam steel
Premium
$24,900 to $34,000
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $6,750 – $12,300 | $10,900 – $16,500 | $15,100 – $20,600 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $11,200 – $20,300 | $18,000 – $27,200 | $24,900 – $34,000 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $15,600 – $28,400 | $25,200 – $37,900 | $34,700 – $47,500 |
Related projects, priced for Fargo
Jobs that often go together with metal roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Fargo wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, roof replacement comes out highest (+4%) and attic insulation lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,450 – $12,900 | +4% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,300 | +3% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $960 – $3,850 | −4% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,350 – $25,000 | −1% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Metal roof in Fargo: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in Fargo?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $11,200 to $34,000 in the Fargo area. A standard-spec job lands at $18,000 to $27,200. 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 Fargo?
About $5.55 to $17 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 Fargo or St. Cloud?
St. Cloud is 150 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $25,200, which is 11% more than Fargo ($22,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Fargo?
About 61% at the midpoint, or $13,700 out of $22,600. Materials are 38% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in Fargo?
$11,200 to $34,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in Fargo?
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 Fargo area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Fargo expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of North Dakota?
Fargo is 4% above the North Dakota statewide estimate ($21,700 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in North Dakota; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Fargo?
The BLS median is $29.62 an hour in the Fargo area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.08 to $34.68.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in Fargo?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $11,200 to $20,300 and premium work $24,900 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 Fargo?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April and October 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 Fargo
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.