Retaining wall cost in New Jersey
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $8,650 – $15,700
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $43 – $76.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +19%
- US $10,300
- Metros covered
- 3
Across New Jersey, a retaining wall costs about $8,650 to $15,700 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Statewide, that midpoint is 19% above the US figure of $10,300. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median $37.03 an hour in New Jersey (US: $29.87).
Inside New Jersey, the metros we cover range from $11,300 (Atlantic City) to $12,200 (Vineland) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in New Jersey (statewide), standard level
$10,800 to $13,600
About $53 to $66 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,600 | $6,750 |
| Labor | $5,950 | $6,500 |
| Permits and fees | $180 | $360 |
| Total | $10,800 | $13,600 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in New Jersey
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,000 | $5,650 | $8,350 | 47% |
| Labor | $5,550 | $6,250 | $6,900 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $270 | $490 | 2% |
| Total | $8,650 | $12,200 | $15,700 | 100% |
Retaining wall cost by metro in New Jersey
0 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $12,200, and the top-to-bottom gap is 8%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | $8,750 – $15,500 | $12,200 | level |
| Trenton, NJ | $8,350 – $15,100 | $11,700 | −4% |
| Atlantic City, NJ | $8,000 – $14,600 | $11,300 | −7% |
Weather windows across New Jersey
Season matters for retaining wall. For each New Jersey metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Atlantic City has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in New Jersey at 10 months (March through December); Vineland has the shortest at 8 (April through November). Rainfall runs from 43 inches a year in Vineland to 46 inches in Trenton.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | 24 | 86 | 46 | 9: March through November |
| Atlantic City | 30 | 80 | 44 | 10: March through December |
| Vineland | 24 | 86 | 43 | 8: April through November |
Other New Jersey jobs that often go with retaining wall
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide New Jersey wages and prices. Against national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+27%) and sod installation lowest (+9%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $760 – $2,650 | +27% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,550 – $6,500 | +19% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,200 – $10,700 | +16% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,600 | +9% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,850 – $12,100 | +21% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $44,200 – $138,000 | +22% |
Quality levels and sizes in New Jersey
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide New Jersey wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$8,650 to $11,500
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$10,800 to $13,600
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$12,900 to $15,700
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $4,350 – $5,850 | $5,450 – $7,000 | $6,600 – $8,100 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,500 – $4,750 | $4,400 – $5,650 | $5,350 – $6,600 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,900 – $9,200 | $8,650 – $11,000 | $10,400 – $12,700 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $10,300 – $13,700 | $12,900 – $16,300 | $15,400 – $18,800 |
Retaining wall: what moves the price in New Jersey
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 New Jersey 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 1.33 for New Jersey.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021), 50% of the weighting: a median of $37.03 an hour, 24% above the US median of $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $29.59 and $49.85 an hour. About 520 work in the state. That is 1.2 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 $30.80 an hour, 36% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.46 and $45.44 an hour. About 23,590 work in the state. That is 55.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 20%) the local median is $43.11 an hour, which is 50% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $30.82 and $60.74 an hour. BLS counts 5,980 of them working in the state, 14.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for brickmasons and blockmasons ($49.85 an hour) would add about $1,000 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($29.59) would take off about $590. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,285,720 jobs across New Jersey (May 2025), which is 2.8% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $29.59 | $37.03 | $49.85 | $29.87 | 1.24 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.46 | $30.80 | $45.44 | $22.66 | 1.36 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $30.82 | $43.11 | $60.74 | $28.78 | 1.50 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.33 | |||||
New Jersey against its neighbors
New Jersey ranks 5 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. New Jersey sits at $12,200. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 60 miles away | $7,000 – $13,300 | $10,100 | −17% |
| New York | 100 miles away | $8,550 – $15,600 | $12,100 | −1% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $7,350 – $13,800 | $10,600 | −13% |
| Maryland | 110 miles away | $7,050 – $13,600 | $10,300 | −15% |
| Connecticut | 150 miles away | $7,750 – $14,200 | $11,000 | −10% |
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Retaining wall in New Jersey: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in New Jersey?
$8,650 to $15,700 for 200 sq ft of wall face, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside New Jersey can sit above or below that.
+Which city in New Jersey is cheapest for retaining wall?
Atlantic City at about $11,300 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). The priciest is Vineland at $12,200.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in New Jersey than the US average?
It is 19% more expensive: $12,200 against $10,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New Jersey?
About 51% ($6,250). Materials are 47%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.33x the national wage level.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in New Jersey?
The BLS statewide median is $37.03 an hour, against $29.87 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.59 to $49.85.
+Where does New Jersey rank for retaining wall costs?
5th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $12,200 for 200 sq ft of wall face. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in New Jersey?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $8,650 to $11,500 and premium work $12,900 to $15,700. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+Does the season matter for retaining wall in New Jersey?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the New Jersey metros we cover, Atlantic City has the most comfortable months (10 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 New Jersey
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.