Retaining wall cost in Sacramento, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $8,400 – $15,400
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $41.50 – $74.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +16%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #20
- 1 = most expensive
A retaining wall in Sacramento, CA usually costs $8,400 to $15,400 for 200 sq ft of wall face. That works out to about $41.50 to $74.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,650 more. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $35.49 an hour in the Sacramento area, 19% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Sacramento, CA, standard level
$10,500 to $13,300
About $51.50 to $64.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,650 |
| Labor | $5,800 | $6,300 |
| Permits and fees | $180 | $350 |
| Total | $10,500 | $13,300 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Sacramento, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,950 | $5,550 | $8,200 | 47% |
| Labor | $5,400 | $6,050 | $6,700 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $270 | $480 | 2% |
| Total | $8,400 | $11,900 | $15,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Sacramento number
Labor is 51% of the midpoint bill here, against 46% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is brickmasons and blockmasons (50%), construction laborers (30%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Sacramento the blended ratio comes out at 1.29.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Sacramento is at 105.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,550 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 106.7: $55 to $480.
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Sacramento
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.
What nearby projects cost in Sacramento
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Sacramento wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+23%) and sod installation lowest (+11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $740 – $2,600 | +23% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,450 – $6,300 | +16% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,150 – $10,600 | +15% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,650 | +11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,600 – $11,400 | +14% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $42,900 – $134,000 | +19% |
What local crews earn in Sacramento
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 Sacramento the blend is 1.29.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 50%) the local median is $35.49 an hour, which is 19% above the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $29.45 and $40.79 an hour. BLS counts 340 of them working in the area, 3.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is about average.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $29.11 an hour, which is 28% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.15 and $36.54 an hour. BLS counts 7,390 of them working in the area, 68.4 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 $44.06 an hour, 53% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $34.45 and $59.85 an hour. About 2,920 work in the metro. That is 27.0 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 $420 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $480. That is a swing of roughly 4.0% to 3.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom has 1,080,590 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 35th 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% | $29.45 | $35.49 | $40.79 | $29.87 | 1.19 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $23.15 | $29.11 | $36.54 | $22.66 | 1.28 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $34.45 | $44.06 | $59.85 | $28.78 | 1.53 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.29 | |||||
Sacramento weather and the retaining wall calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Sacramento 5 Ese (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 Sacramento are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Sacramento gets about 19 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (3.9 inches in January). Inside the workable window, June and September are the driest, at 0.2 and 0.1 inches. The station averages about 90 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 | 57 | 41 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Feb | 62 | 44 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Mar | 68 | 47 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Apr | 74 | 49 | 1.4 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 54 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 59 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 94 | 61 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 61 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 59 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 53 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 65 | 45 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 56 | 41 | 3.5 | Workable |
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Sacramento
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Sacramento. 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
$8,400 to $11,200
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$10,500 to $13,300
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$12,600 to $15,400
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $4,250 – $5,700 | $5,350 – $6,800 | $6,450 – $7,900 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,400 – $4,600 | $4,300 – $5,500 | $5,200 – $6,450 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,750 – $9,000 | $8,450 – $10,700 | $10,100 – $12,400 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $10,100 – $13,400 | $12,600 – $15,900 | $15,000 – $18,300 |
Sacramento against nearby metros and the rest of California
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 200 sq ft of wall face range from $11,300 to $11,900 across Sacramento and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CAthis page | $8,400 – $15,400 | $11,900 | |
| Stockton, CA60 miles | $8,150 – $15,100 | $11,600 | −2% |
| Vallejo, CA60 miles | $8,350 – $15,300 | $11,800 | −1% |
| Chico, CA70 miles | $7,900 – $14,700 | $11,300 | −5% |
| Napa, CA75 miles | $8,200 – $15,100 | $11,700 | −2% |
| Modesto, CA85 miles | $8,200 – $15,100 | $11,700 | −2% |
| California (statewide) | $8,200 – $15,200 | $11,700 | −2% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −14% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Sacramento ranks #20 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Sacramento is 2% above the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $8,050 – $15,000 | $11,600 | −3% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $9,400 – $16,800 | $13,100 | +10% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $7,750 – $14,400 | $11,100 | −7% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $7,900 – $14,900 | $11,400 | −4% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $9,150 – $16,300 | $12,700 | +7% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $7,900 – $14,700 | $11,300 | −5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Sacramento against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO | 1,096,110 jobs | $7,400 – $13,600 | $10,500 | −12% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $7,850 – $14,200 | $11,000 | −7% |
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | −15% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 826,210 jobs | $6,950 – $13,200 | $10,000 | −16% |
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Detailed retaining wall report for Sacramento, CA, $9
The report lays out the retaining wall numbers for Sacramento, CA line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Sacramento: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Sacramento?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $8,400 to $15,400 in the Sacramento area. A standard-spec job lands at $10,500 to $13,300. 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 Sacramento?
About $41.50 to $74.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $55 to $480 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Sacramento or Stockton?
Stockton is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $11,600, which is 2% less than Sacramento ($11,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Sacramento?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $6,050 out of $11,900. Materials are 47% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Sacramento?
$6,750 to $12,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Sacramento?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $55 to $480 for fees in the Sacramento area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Sacramento expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of California?
Sacramento is 2% above the California statewide estimate ($11,700 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Sacramento?
The BLS median is $35.49 an hour in the Sacramento area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.45 to $40.79.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Sacramento?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $8,400 to $11,200 and premium work $12,600 to $15,400. 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 Sacramento?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. June and September 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 Sacramento
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.