Retaining wall cost in Bismarck, ND
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,650 – $13,900
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $38 – $67.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +5%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #93
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a retaining wall in Bismarck, plan on $7,650 to $13,900 for 200 sq ft of wall face, all in. Per sq ft of wall face, that is $38 to $67.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 5% higher than the national one. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $38.43 an hour in the Bismarck area, 29% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Bismarck, ND, standard level
$9,500 to $12,100
About $47 to $59 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,100 | $6,050 |
| Labor | $5,250 | $5,700 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $300 |
| Total | $9,500 | $12,100 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Bismarck, ND
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,050 | $7,450 | 47% |
| Labor | $4,900 | $5,500 | $6,050 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $410 | 2% |
| Total | $7,650 | $10,800 | $13,900 | 100% |
What is behind the Bismarck number
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, Bismarck wages are 1.17 times the national level. Labor makes up about 51% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the North Dakota statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Bismarck metro is 95.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft of wall face comes to $5,050, compared with $5,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.0) and land at $45 to $410.
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 Bismarck. The wage table below marks each row.
Climate in Bismarck: timing your retaining wall job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bismarck (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
May through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Bismarck (6 of 12 months). January, February, March, April, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, April, November 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 184 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Bismarck gets about 19 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 51 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (3.4 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 1.7 and 1.4 inches. The station averages about 21 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | 2 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 28 | 7 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 19 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 30 | 1.3 | Cold |
| May | 68 | 42 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 53 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 58 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 56 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 46 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 57 | 33 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 41 | 19 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 28 | 8 | 0.6 | Cold |
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Bismarck
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Bismarck wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$7,650 to $10,200
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,500 to $12,100
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$11,400 to $13,900
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,850 – $5,150 | $4,850 – $6,200 | $5,850 – $7,200 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,100 – $4,200 | $3,900 – $5,000 | $4,750 – $5,800 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,100 – $8,150 | $7,650 – $9,700 | $9,200 – $11,200 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $9,150 – $12,100 | $11,400 – $14,400 | $13,700 – $16,700 |
Planning more than one job in Bismarck?
Because every project leans on different trades, Bismarck's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs +7% and concrete driveway level.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | level |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,200 – $5,850 | +7% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,600 – $9,200 | level |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,600 – $3,450 | +5% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,050 – $10,200 | +2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $37,300 – $116,500 | +3% |
How Bismarck compares
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Bismarck. Rapid City is the lowest at about $9,900 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 210 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, NDthis page | $7,650 – $13,900 | $10,800 | |
| Fargo, ND190 miles | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | −6% |
| Rapid City, SD210 miles | $6,850 – $12,900 | $9,900 | −8% |
| Sioux Falls, SD305 miles | $6,900 – $13,000 | $9,950 | −8% |
| St. Cloud, MN325 miles | $8,250 – $14,700 | $11,500 | +7% |
| Sioux City, IA380 miles | $7,150 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −5% |
| North Dakota (statewide) | $7,600 – $13,900 | $10,800 | level |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −5% |
Across 300 US metros, Bismarck comes in at #93 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $13,500; the cheapest is El Paso, TX at $8,850 (midpoints, 200 sq ft of wall face). Statewide, Bismarck is 0% above the North Dakota figure.
Other North Dakota metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND | 148,660 jobs | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | −6% |
Cities with a workforce like Bismarck's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bismarck against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redding, CA | 71,550 jobs | $7,900 – $14,700 | $11,300 | +5% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $6,900 – $13,300 | $10,100 | −7% |
| Bozeman, MT | 72,210 jobs | $7,050 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −6% |
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $7,800 – $14,100 | $10,900 | +1% |
Bismarck labor market for retaining wall
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Bismarck is 1.17 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Bismarck metro, so we used the North Dakota statewide median: $38.43 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $27.65 and $39.59 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $23.93 an hour, 6% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.87 and $29.41 an hour. About 620 work in the metro. That is 87.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 20%) the local median is $29.88 an hour, which is 4% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.67 and $35.15 an hour. BLS counts 580 of them working in the area, 81.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the brickmasons and blockmasons on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($39.59 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $90. At the 25th percentile ($27.65) it shrinks by about $850. The total moves by 0.8% or 7.9%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 71,270 jobs in the Bismarck area. That makes it the 258th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $27.65 | $38.43 | $39.59 | $29.87 | 1.29 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $21.87 | $23.93 | $29.41 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $25.67 | $29.88 | $35.15 | $28.78 | 1.04 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.17 | |||||
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Bismarck
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.
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $9,500 to $12,100 for Bismarck, ND is attached.
Detailed retaining wall report for Bismarck, ND, $9
The report lays out the retaining wall numbers for Bismarck, ND 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 Bismarck: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Bismarck?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $7,650 to $13,900 in the Bismarck area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,500 to $12,100. 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 Bismarck?
About $38 to $67.50 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 Bismarck or Fargo?
Fargo is 190 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $10,100, which is 6% less than Bismarck ($10,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bismarck?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $5,500 out of $10,800. 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 Bismarck?
$6,100 to $11,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Bismarck?
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 Bismarck area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bismarck expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of North Dakota?
Bismarck is 0% above the North Dakota statewide estimate ($10,800 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in North Dakota; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Bismarck?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $38.43 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.65 to $39.59.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Bismarck?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,650 to $10,200 and premium work $11,400 to $13,900. 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 Bismarck?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through October. September and October 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 Bismarck
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.