Retaining wall cost in Kansas
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,600 – $12,600
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $33 – $61
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $10,300
- Metros covered
- 2
Across Kansas, a retaining wall costs about $6,600 to $12,600 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Statewide, that midpoint is 6% below the US figure of $10,300. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median $28.47 an hour in Kansas (US: $29.87).
Inside Kansas, the metros we cover range from $9,450 (Wichita) to $9,850 (Topeka) at the midpoint.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Kansas (statewide), standard level
$8,400 to $10,800
About $41 to $52.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $4,200 | $4,600 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $300 |
| Total | $8,400 | $10,800 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Kansas
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,650 | $5,000 | $7,350 | 52% |
| Labor | $3,900 | $4,400 | $4,850 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $410 | 2% |
| Total | $6,600 | $9,600 | $12,600 | 100% |
Other Kansas jobs that often go with retaining wall
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Kansas wages and prices. Against national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−4%) and concrete driveway lowest (−7%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $560 – $1,950 | −7% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,200 | −5% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,400 – $8,550 | −7% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,150 | −4% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,500 | −5% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,800 – $105,500 | −6% |
Quality levels and sizes in Kansas
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Kansas wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$6,600 to $9,000
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,400 to $10,800
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,200 to $12,600
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,300 – $4,600 | $4,300 – $5,550 | $5,250 – $6,500 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,650 – $3,700 | $3,450 – $4,500 | $4,250 – $5,300 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,300 – $7,250 | $6,750 – $8,700 | $8,200 – $10,200 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,900 – $10,800 | $10,100 – $12,900 | $12,200 – $15,000 |
Kansas against its neighbors
Kansas ranks 38 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. Kansas sits at $9,600. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 160 miles away | $6,100 – $12,000 | $9,050 | −6% |
| Nebraska | 220 miles away | $6,850 – $12,900 | $9,850 | +3% |
| Missouri | 250 miles away | $7,550 – $13,900 | $10,700 | +12% |
| Arkansas | 280 miles away | $6,150 – $12,000 | $9,100 | −5% |
| Iowa | 340 miles away | $7,150 – $13,300 | $10,200 | +6% |
When Kansas weather lets you build
Season matters for retaining wall. For each Kansas metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Topeka has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Kansas at 8 months (March through June and August through November); Wichita has the shortest at 7 (March through June and September through November). Rainfall runs from 34 inches a year in Wichita to 37 inches in Topeka.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita | 23 | 93 | 34 | 7: March through June and September through November |
| Topeka | 20 | 90 | 37 | 8: March through June and August through November |
Wages behind the Kansas 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 0.93 for Kansas.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021), 50% of the weighting: a median of $28.47 an hour, 5% below the US median of $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $23.31 and $37.43 an hour. About 330 work in the state. That is 2.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 3.4 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $21.56 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.94 and $23.66 an hour. About 9,990 work in the state. That is 69.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 20%) the local median is $24.82 an hour, which is 14% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.50 and $29.82 an hour. BLS counts 7,070 of them working in the state, 49.2 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 ($37.43 an hour) would add about $700 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.31) would take off about $410. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,437,520 jobs across Kansas (May 2025), which is 0.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $23.31 | $28.47 | $37.43 | $29.87 | 0.95 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.94 | $21.56 | $23.66 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $21.50 | $24.82 | $29.82 | $28.78 | 0.86 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.93 | |||||
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Kansas
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.
Retaining wall cost by metro in Kansas
1 of the 2 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $9,600, and the top-to-bottom gap is 4%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | $6,850 – $12,900 | $9,850 | +3% |
| Wichita, KS | $6,500 – $12,400 | $9,450 | −1% |
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Retaining wall in Kansas: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Kansas?
$6,600 to $12,600 for 200 sq ft of wall face, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Kansas can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Kansas is cheapest for retaining wall?
Wichita at about $9,450 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). The priciest is Topeka at $9,850.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Kansas than the US average?
It is 6% cheaper: $9,600 against $10,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Kansas?
About 46% ($4,400). Materials are 52%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.93x the national wage level.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Kansas?
The BLS statewide median is $28.47 an hour, against $29.87 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.31 to $37.43.
+Where does Kansas rank for retaining wall costs?
38th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $9,600 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Kansas?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,600 to $9,000 and premium work $10,200 to $12,600. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+Does the season matter for retaining wall in Kansas?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Kansas metros we cover, Topeka has the most comfortable months (8 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 Kansas
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.