Retaining wall cost in Alaska
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,750 – $14,600
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $38.50 – $71
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +9%
- US $10,300
- Metros covered
- 1
Alaska prices for retaining wall: $7,750 to $14,600 for 200 sq ft of wall face, or $38.50 to $71 per sq ft of wall face without the permit. The state midpoint is 9% above the national one. Local wages for brickmasons and blockmasons are $29.87 an hour.
Alaska has one metro in our dataset, Anchorage, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Alaska (statewide), standard level
$9,850 to $12,600
About $48.50 to $61 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,550 | $6,700 |
| Labor | $5,100 | $5,550 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $340 |
| Total | $9,850 | $12,600 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Alaska
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,000 | $5,650 | $8,300 | 50% |
| Labor | $4,750 | $5,300 | $5,850 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $260 | $460 | 2% |
| Total | $7,750 | $11,200 | $14,600 | 100% |
If you are planning more than one job in Alaska
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Alaska wages and prices. Against national midpoints, concrete driveway comes out highest (+32%) and paver patio lowest (+12%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $680 – $2,400 | +14% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,350 – $6,100 | +12% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,700 – $12,200 | +32% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,700 – $3,750 | +13% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,850 – $12,100 | +21% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $41,500 – $129,500 | +15% |
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Alaska
Height
Walls over 4 feet need engineering, deeper excavation and more skilled labor; many cities require permits over 3-4 feet (HomeGuide).
Material
Block, poured concrete and natural stone are priced differently; concrete and stone walls run higher than the segmental block default.
Drainage
Every wall needs drainage behind it. A French drain adds $10-$85+ per linear foot.
Rebuilding
Replacing an old wall adds $15-$30 per linear foot for demolition plus disposal.
Permit
Permits cost $50-$450 depending on location and wall size.
Wages behind the Alaska number
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 3 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.13 for Alaska.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for Alaska, so we used the national median: $29.87 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $24.57 and $38.15 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $27.91 an hour, 23% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.30 and $33.63 an hour. About 3,690 work in the state. That is 113.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 20%) the local median is $37.41 an hour, which is 30% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $32.13 and $48.03 an hour. BLS counts 3,050 of them working in the state, 93.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for brickmasons and blockmasons ($38.15 an hour) would add about $650 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($24.57) would take off about $420. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 325,570 jobs across Alaska (May 2025), which is 0.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $24.57 | $29.87 | $38.15 | $29.87 | 1.00 | US |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.30 | $27.91 | $33.63 | $22.66 | 1.23 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $32.13 | $37.41 | $48.03 | $28.78 | 1.30 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.13 | |||||
Alaska metro-by-metro prices
Alaska has one metro in our dataset, Anchorage, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (200 sq ft of wall face) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | $7,750 – $14,600 | $11,200 | level |
Quality levels and sizes in Alaska
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Alaska wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$7,750 to $10,500
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,850 to $12,600
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$11,900 to $14,600
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,900 – $5,350 | $5,000 – $6,450 | $6,100 – $7,550 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,150 – $4,350 | $4,050 – $5,250 | $4,950 – $6,150 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,250 – $8,450 | $7,900 – $10,100 | $9,550 – $11,800 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $9,300 – $12,600 | $11,800 – $15,000 | $14,200 – $17,500 |
Weather windows across Alaska
Season matters for retaining wall. For each Alaska metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Anchorage has 5 comfortable months (May through September), with about 23 inches of precipitation a year.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | 6 | 67 | 23 | 5: May through September |
How Alaska compares with nearby states
Alaska ranks 10 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for retaining wall, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $13,300 and the cheapest New Mexico at $9,000, both for 200 sq ft of wall face at the midpoint. Alaska sits at $11,200. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 1500 miles away | $8,500 – $15,400 | $12,000 | +7% |
| Oregon | 1600 miles away | $8,050 – $15,000 | $11,500 | +3% |
| Idaho | 1870 miles away | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | −10% |
| Montana | 1880 miles away | $6,850 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −12% |
| Utah | 2150 miles away | $6,900 – $13,100 | $10,000 | −11% |
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Detailed retaining wall report for Alaska, $9
Multi-page report for Alaska: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Retaining wall in Alaska: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Alaska?
$7,750 to $14,600 for 200 sq ft of wall face, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Alaska can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Alaska is cheapest for retaining wall?
Anchorage at about $11,200 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face).
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Alaska than the US average?
It is 9% more expensive: $11,200 against $10,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Alaska?
About 47% ($5,300). Materials are 50%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.13x the national wage level.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Alaska?
BLS has no statewide figure for this trade, so we use the national median of $29.87 an hour, against $29.87 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.57 to $38.15.
+Where does Alaska rank for retaining wall costs?
10th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $11,200 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Alaska?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,750 to $10,500 and premium work $11,900 to $14,600. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+Does the season matter for retaining wall in Alaska?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Alaska metros we cover, Anchorage has the most comfortable months (5 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Retaining wall by city in Alaska
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 Retaining Wall Cost? (2026) (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 = 40% of the low installed price and 60% of the high one, since HomeGuide says labor is 40-60% of the total project cost.