Retaining wall cost in Fayetteville, AR
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,450 – $12,400
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $32 – $60
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #217
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Fayetteville area: $6,450 to $12,400 for 200 sq ft of wall face. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 8% lower than the US figure. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $28.65 an hour in the Fayetteville area, 4% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Fayetteville, AR, standard level
$8,200 to $10,600
About $40.50 to $51.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,000 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $4,050 | $4,400 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $300 |
| Total | $8,200 | $10,600 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Fayetteville, AR
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,600 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 53% |
| Labor | $3,750 | $4,200 | $4,650 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $410 | 2% |
| Total | $6,450 | $9,400 | $12,400 | 100% |
Where the Fayetteville price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: brickmasons and blockmasons at 50%, construction laborers at 30%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 20%. Weighted together, Fayetteville wages are 0.90 times the national level. Labor makes up about 45% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Fayetteville is at 93.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $4,950 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.4: $45 to $410.
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Fayetteville
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Fayetteville. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face to 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face).
Basic
$6,450 to $8,800
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,200 to $10,600
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,000 to $12,400
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,250 – $4,500 | $4,200 – $5,450 | $5,150 – $6,400 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,600 – $3,650 | $3,400 – $4,400 | $4,150 – $5,200 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,150 – $7,100 | $6,600 – $8,550 | $8,050 – $10,000 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,700 – $10,500 | $9,850 – $12,700 | $11,900 – $14,800 |
How Fayetteville compares
Same job, same size (200 sq ft of wall face), priced for the nearest metros. Joplin is the priciest of the group at $10,300. Fort Smith is the cheapest at $9,000.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, ARthis page | $6,450 – $12,400 | $9,400 | |
| Fort Smith, AR50 miles | $6,100 – $11,900 | $9,000 | −4% |
| Joplin, MO70 miles | $7,200 – $13,300 | $10,300 | +9% |
| Springfield, MO100 miles | $6,750 – $12,800 | $9,750 | +4% |
| Tulsa, OK115 miles | $6,450 – $12,400 | $9,450 | level |
| Little Rock, AR135 miles | $6,300 – $12,200 | $9,250 | −2% |
| Arkansas (statewide) | $6,150 – $12,000 | $9,100 | −3% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Fayetteville ranks #217 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Fayetteville is 4% above the Arkansas figure.
Elsewhere in Arkansas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $6,300 – $12,200 | $9,250 | −2% |
| Fort Smith, AR | 95,560 jobs | $6,100 – $11,900 | $9,000 | −4% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 60,620 jobs | $5,950 – $11,800 | $8,900 | −6% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Fayetteville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno, NV | 275,680 jobs | $7,200 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +10% |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −2% |
| New Haven, CT | 281,410 jobs | $8,000 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +20% |
| Ogden, UT | 271,370 jobs | $6,900 – $13,100 | $10,000 | +6% |
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Fayetteville
Permit
Permits cost $50-$450 depending on location and wall size.
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.
Related projects, priced for Fayetteville
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Fayetteville wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−6%) and concrete driveway lowest (−13%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $530 – $1,850 | −12% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,750 – $4,950 | −9% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,200 – $7,950 | −13% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,500 – $8,800 | −12% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,300 – $101,000 | −10% |
Who does the work: Fayetteville 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 Fayetteville the blend is 0.90.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 50%) the local median is $28.65 an hour, which is 4% below the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $23.64 and $28.69 an hour. BLS counts 170 of them working in the area, 6.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $18.93 an hour, which is 16% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.66 and $22.44 an hour. BLS counts 2,190 of them working in the area, 79.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $24.08 an hour, 16% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.16 and $25.79 an hour. About 900 work in the metro. That is 32.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (brickmasons and blockmasons) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $5 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $390. That is a swing of roughly 4.2% to 0.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers has 275,180 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 93rd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $23.64 | $28.65 | $28.69 | $29.87 | 0.96 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.66 | $18.93 | $22.44 | $22.66 | 0.84 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $21.16 | $24.08 | $25.79 | $28.78 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.90 | |||||
The best months for retaining wall in Fayetteville
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Fayetteville Drake Fld (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Fayetteville are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 94 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Fayetteville gets about 47 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 7 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and October (5.9 inches in May). Inside the workable window, August and November are the driest, at 3.2 and 3.7 inches. The station averages about 41 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 | 48 | 25 | 2.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 52 | 29 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 61 | 36 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 70 | 45 | 5.0 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 54 | 5.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 85 | 63 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 89 | 67 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 89 | 65 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 82 | 57 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 71 | 45 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 59 | 35 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 50 | 28 | 3.1 | Cold |
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Detailed retaining wall report for Fayetteville, AR, $9
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Retaining wall in Fayetteville: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Fayetteville?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,450 to $12,400 in the Fayetteville area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,200 to $10,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of wall face and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of wall face for retaining wall in Fayetteville?
About $32 to $60 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $45 to $410 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Fayetteville or Fort Smith?
Fort Smith is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,000, which is 4% less than Fayetteville ($9,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Fayetteville?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $4,200 out of $9,400. Materials are 53% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Fayetteville?
$5,150 to $10,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Fayetteville?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $410 for fees in the Fayetteville area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Fayetteville expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Arkansas?
Fayetteville is 4% above the Arkansas statewide estimate ($9,100 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in Arkansas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Fayetteville?
The BLS median is $28.65 an hour in the Fayetteville area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.64 to $28.69.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Fayetteville?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,450 to $8,800 and premium work $10,000 to $12,400. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+When is the best time to build a retaining wall in Fayetteville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. August 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.
Retaining wall near Fayetteville
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.