Shower pan cost in Iowa
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1 pan)
- $910 – $2,650
- Per pan
- $882 – $2,225
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $1,850
- Metros covered
- 7
What does it cost to install a shower pan in Iowa? Plan on $910 to $2,650 for 1 pan. Wages (0.99x the US blend), materials (price index 93.7) and permit costs (87.8) put the state below the national midpoint by 4%.
Inside Iowa, the metros we cover range from $1,750 (Sioux City) to $1,950 (Cedar Rapids) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in Iowa (statewide), standard level
$1,450 to $2,150
About $1,285 to $1,822 per pan before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $670 |
| Labor | $920 | $1,150 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $320 |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,150 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in Iowa
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $520 | $890 | 29% |
| Labor | $740 | $1,050 | $1,350 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $25 | $230 | $440 | 13% |
| Total | $910 | $1,800 | $2,650 | 100% |
Why two Iowa quotes can differ
Pre-made versus custom
Pre-made trays are $500-$1,550 installed; a custom tile pan is $900-$3,500; a custom stone pan is $1,200-$2,000 or more (HomeGuide).
Extras
Benches, trench drains and curb changes add $100-$600.
Tile
Tile for the shower costs $10-$50 per square foot installed, and that comes on top of the pan.
Permit
Plumbing permits are $30-$500, and many cities require one to replace a shower pan.
If you are planning more than one job in Iowa
Each project weights the trades differently, so Iowa's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, kitchen backsplash is −5% and kitchen remodel −6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,200 | −5% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,000 – $13,200 | −6% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,300 – $14,300 | −5% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,400 – $29,600 | −6% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $290 – $1,450 | −5% |
How Iowa compares with nearby states
Iowa ranks 31 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for shower pan, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Massachusetts at $2,350 and the cheapest Arkansas at $1,500, both for 1 pan at the midpoint. Iowa sits at $1,800. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 190 miles away | $930 – $2,700 | $1,800 | +2% |
| Missouri | 220 miles away | $970 – $2,800 | $1,900 | +6% |
| Wisconsin | 230 miles away | $1,050 – $3,000 | $2,050 | +13% |
| Minnesota | 240 miles away | $1,200 – $3,300 | $2,250 | +26% |
| Illinois | 240 miles away | $1,250 – $3,350 | $2,300 | +28% |
Shower pan cost by metro in Iowa
3 of the 7 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $1,800, and the top-to-bottom gap is 11%. 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 (1 pan) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $1,000 – $2,850 | $1,950 | +9% |
| Davenport, IA | $980 – $2,800 | $1,900 | +6% |
| Des Moines, IA | $980 – $2,800 | $1,900 | +6% |
| Iowa City, IA | $890 – $2,650 | $1,800 | −1% |
| Waterloo, IA | $900 – $2,650 | $1,750 | −1% |
| Dubuque, IA | $890 – $2,650 | $1,750 | −1% |
| Sioux City, IA | $890 – $2,650 | $1,750 | −1% |
Basic, standard or premium: Iowa prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from one shower pan to one shower pan.
Basic
$910 to $1,600
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,450 to $2,150
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$1,950 to $2,650
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $910 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,150 | $1,950 – $2,650 |
Iowa labor market for shower pan
Iowa's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.99 times the national level.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 50% of the weighting: a median of $30.72 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $24.95 and $41.02 an hour. About 5,730 work in the state. That is 36.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 50% of the weighting: a median of $26.13 an hour, in line with the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $23.11 and $34.11 an hour. About 240 work in the state. That is 1.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters ($41.02 an hour) would add about $180 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($24.95) would take off about $100. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,559,240 jobs across Iowa (May 2025), which is 1.0% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 50% | $24.95 | $30.72 | $41.02 | $30.67 | 1.00 | state |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $23.11 | $26.13 | $34.11 | $26.77 | 0.98 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.99 | |||||
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Shower pan in Iowa: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in Iowa?
$910 to $2,650 for 1 pan, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Iowa can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Iowa is cheapest for shower pan?
Sioux City at about $1,750 (midpoint, 1 pan). The priciest is Cedar Rapids at $1,950.
+Is shower pan cheaper in Iowa than the US average?
It is 4% cheaper: $1,800 against $1,850 for 1 pan at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Iowa?
About 58% ($1,050). Materials are 29%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.99x the national wage level.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Iowa?
The BLS statewide median is $30.72 an hour, against $30.67 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.95 to $41.02.
+Where does Iowa rank for shower pan costs?
31st most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $1,800 for 1 pan. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in Iowa?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $910 to $1,600 and premium work $1,950 to $2,650. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan by city in Iowa
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.