Roof replacement cost in Baton Rouge, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $5,450 – $11,300
- Per sq ft of roof
- $2.70 – $5.40
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #201
- 1 = most expensive
A new roof in Baton Rouge, LA usually costs $5,450 to $11,300 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. That works out to about $2.70 to $5.40 per sq ft of roof before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $930 less. Roofers earn a median of $23.70 an hour in the Baton Rouge area, 11% below the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Baton Rouge, LA, standard level
$7,200 to $9,550
About $3.50 to $4.60 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,450 | $3,750 |
| Labor | $4,550 | $5,450 |
| Permits and fees | $200 | $340 |
| Total | $7,200 | $9,550 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Baton Rouge, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,500 | $3,100 | $4,700 | 37% |
| Labor | $3,850 | $5,000 | $6,150 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $270 | $450 | 3% |
| Total | $5,450 | $8,350 | $11,300 | 100% |
What is behind the Baton Rouge number
Labor is 60% of the midpoint bill here, against 61% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is roofers (85%), construction laborers (15%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Baton Rouge the blended ratio comes out at 0.88.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Baton Rouge is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,300 nationally becomes $3,100 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 90.8: $90 to $450.
What local crews earn in Baton Rouge
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 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 Baton Rouge the blend is 0.88.
Roofers (47-2181), 85% of the weighting: a median of $23.70 an hour, 11% below the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $21.03 and $26.21 an hour. About 220 work in the metro. That is 5.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $18.58 an hour, which is 18% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.59 and $22.72 an hour. BLS counts 6,300 of them working in the area, 153.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (roofers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $460 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $490. That is a swing of roughly 5.8% to 5.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Baton Rouge has 409,690 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 60th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $21.03 | $23.70 | $26.21 | $26.65 | 0.89 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $16.59 | $18.58 | $22.72 | $22.66 | 0.82 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Is Baton Rouge cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (2,000 sq ft of roof), priced for the nearest metros. Baton Rouge is the priciest of the group. Hattiesburg is the cheapest at $7,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LAthis page | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,350 | |
| Lafayette, LA70 miles | $5,350 – $11,100 | $8,250 | −2% |
| Slidell, LA70 miles | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,350 | −1% |
| Houma, LA85 miles | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −1% |
| Alexandria, LA100 miles | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −1% |
| Hattiesburg, MS120 miles | $5,050 – $10,700 | $7,900 | −6% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −1% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Baton Rouge ranks #201 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Baton Rouge is 1% above the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,350 | level |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $5,350 – $11,100 | $8,250 | −2% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −1% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $5,500 – $11,400 | $8,450 | +1% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,350 | −1% |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $5,350 – $11,100 | $8,250 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Baton Rouge against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,250 | −2% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $6,500 – $13,000 | $9,750 | +16% |
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $5,400 – $11,300 | $8,350 | −1% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,200 | −2% |
Baton Rouge weather and the roof replacement calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Baton Rouge Ryan Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Baton Rouge are September through May: 9 of 12. Outside them, June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Baton Rouge gets about 62 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, June and August (6.5 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and November are the driest, at 4.4 and 3.9 inches. The station averages about 96 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 | 62 | 42 | 6.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 45 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 51 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 57 | 5.1 | Workable |
| May | 86 | 65 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 72 | 6.5 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 5.1 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 6.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 69 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 81 | 58 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 71 | 48 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 64 | 43 | 5.3 | Workable |
Related projects, priced for Baton Rouge
Jobs that often go together with roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Baton Rouge wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, attic insulation comes out highest (−6%) and metal roof lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $9,000 – $29,400 | −10% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,150 – $3,800 | −10% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,650 – $22,900 | −9% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $940 – $3,750 | −6% |
Baton Rouge: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Baton Rouge. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small (1,200 sq ft of roof) to very large (3,600 sq ft of roof).
Basic
$5,450 to $7,800
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$7,200 to $9,550
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$8,950 to $11,300
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $3,300 – $4,750 | $4,400 – $5,850 | $5,500 – $6,950 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $5,450 – $7,800 | $7,200 – $9,550 | $8,950 – $11,300 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $7,600 – $10,800 | $10,000 – $13,200 | $12,400 – $15,600 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $9,750 – $13,800 | $12,800 – $16,900 | $15,900 – $20,000 |
Why two Baton Rouge quotes can differ
Tear-off
Removing the old roof is $1-$5 per sq ft depending on the material and number of layers (HomeGuide). Check that your quote includes it.
Permit
Roof replacement permits run $100-$500 depending on the location.
Shingle type
3-tab asphalt is $3-$5 per sq ft installed; architectural is $4-$6 (HomeGuide). Metal, tile and slate are separate projects with much higher ranges.
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Detailed roof replacement report for Baton Rouge, LA, $9
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Roof replacement in Baton Rouge: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Baton Rouge?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $5,450 to $11,300 in the Baton Rouge area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,200 to $9,550. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of roof and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of roof for roof in Baton Rouge?
About $2.70 to $5.40 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $90 to $450 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in Baton Rouge or Lafayette?
Lafayette is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $8,250, which is 2% less than Baton Rouge ($8,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Baton Rouge?
About 60% at the midpoint, or $5,000 out of $8,350. Materials are 37% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in Baton Rouge?
$7,600 to $15,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in Baton Rouge?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $90 to $450 for fees in the Baton Rouge area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Baton Rouge expensive for roof compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Baton Rouge is 1% above the Louisiana statewide estimate ($8,300 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Baton Rouge?
The BLS median is $23.70 an hour in the Baton Rouge area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.03 to $26.21.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Baton Rouge?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $5,450 to $7,800 and premium work $8,950 to $11,300. Basic means: 3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof. Premium means: heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs.
+When is the best time to replace a roof in Baton Rouge?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. September 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.
Roof replacement near Baton Rouge
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 Roof Replacement 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 = HomeGuide's asphalt shingle price of $80-$250 per roofing square (100 sq ft), i.e. $0.80-$2.50 per sq ft. The rest of the installed price covers roofer labor ($1.50-$3.00/sq ft), tear-off, disposal, underlayment and contractor overhead.