Retaining wall cost in Wichita, KS
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,500 – $12,400
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $32 – $60
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #209
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Wichita area: $6,500 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 $28.47 an hour in the Wichita area, 5% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Wichita, KS, standard level
$8,250 to $10,700
About $40.50 to $52 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $4,100 | $4,450 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $290 |
| Total | $8,250 | $10,700 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Wichita, KS
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,650 | $5,000 | $7,350 | 53% |
| Labor | $3,800 | $4,250 | $4,700 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $220 | $400 | 2% |
| Total | $6,500 | $9,450 | $12,400 | 100% |
Where the Wichita price comes from
Labor is 45% 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 Wichita the blended ratio comes out at 0.91. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Kansas statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Wichita is at 94.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,000 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 88.9: $45 to $400.
Data note: 50% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Wichita. The wage table below marks each row.
What nearby projects cost in Wichita
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Wichita wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−5%) and concrete driveway lowest (−12%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $550 – $1,900 | −9% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,800 – $5,050 | −7% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,250 – $8,100 | −12% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −5% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,700 – $9,200 | −8% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,900 – $103,000 | −9% |
Who does the work: Wichita 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 Wichita the blend is 0.91.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Wichita metro, so we used the Kansas statewide median: $28.47 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.31 and $37.43 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $19.89 an hour, which is 12% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.93 and $22.93 an hour. BLS counts 2,300 of them working in the area, 74.5 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 $24.00 an hour, 17% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.50 and $28.54 an hour. About 1,150 work in the metro. That is 37.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (brickmasons and blockmasons) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $700 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $410. That is a swing of roughly 4.3% to 7.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Wichita has 308,570 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 82nd 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% | $23.31 | $28.47 | $37.43 | $29.87 | 0.95 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.93 | $19.89 | $22.93 | $22.66 | 0.88 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $21.50 | $24.00 | $28.54 | $28.78 | 0.83 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
The best months for retaining wall in Wichita
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Wichita (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 Wichita are March through June and September through November: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
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 103 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Wichita gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 13 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.2 inches in May). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.3 and 1.4 inches. The station averages about 65 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 | 44 | 23 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 49 | 26 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 59 | 36 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 68 | 45 | 3.1 | Workable |
| May | 78 | 56 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 88 | 66 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 93 | 70 | 4.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 69 | 4.3 | Hot |
| Sep | 83 | 60 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 71 | 47 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 57 | 35 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 46 | 25 | 1.2 | Cold |
Cost by quality level and size in Wichita
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Wichita. 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
$6,500 to $8,850
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,250 to $10,700
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,100 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 – $4,550 | $4,200 – $5,500 | $5,150 – $6,400 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,600 – $3,650 | $3,400 – $4,450 | $4,200 – $5,200 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,200 – $7,150 | $6,650 – $8,600 | $8,100 – $10,000 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,750 – $10,600 | $9,900 – $12,700 | $12,000 – $14,900 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Wichita bid
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.
How Wichita compares
Same job, same size (200 sq ft of wall face), priced for the nearest metros. Kansas City is the priciest of the group at $10,500. Oklahoma City is the cheapest at $9,100.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita, KSthis page | $6,500 – $12,400 | $9,450 | |
| Tulsa, OK110 miles | $6,450 – $12,400 | $9,450 | level |
| Topeka, KS125 miles | $6,850 – $12,900 | $9,850 | +4% |
| Oklahoma City, OK155 miles | $6,150 – $12,000 | $9,100 | −4% |
| Joplin, MO155 miles | $7,200 – $13,300 | $10,300 | +8% |
| Kansas City, MO175 miles | $7,400 – $13,600 | $10,500 | +11% |
| Kansas (statewide) | $6,600 – $12,600 | $9,600 | +1% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Wichita ranks #209 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Wichita is 1% below the Kansas figure.
Elsewhere in Kansas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | 115,750 jobs | $6,850 – $12,900 | $9,850 | +4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wichita against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $7,050 – $13,300 | $10,200 | +7% |
| Cape Coral, FL | 304,790 jobs | $6,250 – $12,300 | $9,250 | −2% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $7,550 – $13,700 | $10,600 | +12% |
| Provo, UT | 304,660 jobs | $6,950 – $13,200 | $10,100 | +6% |
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Detailed retaining wall report for Wichita, KS, $9
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Retaining wall in Wichita: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Wichita?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,500 to $12,400 in the Wichita area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,250 to $10,700. 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 Wichita?
About $32 to $60 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $45 to $400 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Wichita or Tulsa?
Tulsa is 110 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,450, which is 0% less than Wichita ($9,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wichita?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $4,250 out of $9,450. 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 Wichita?
$5,200 to $10,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Wichita?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $400 for fees in the Wichita area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wichita expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Kansas?
Wichita is 1% below the Kansas statewide estimate ($9,600 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Kansas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Wichita?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $28.47 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.31 to $37.43.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Wichita?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,500 to $8,850 and premium work $10,100 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 Wichita?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and September through November. March 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 Wichita
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.