Shower pan cost in Cincinnati, OH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $870 – $2,600
- Per pan
- $838 – $2,145
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #168
- 1 = most expensive
A shower pan in Cincinnati, OH usually costs $870 to $2,600 for 1 pan. That works out to about $838 to $2,145 per pan before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $120 less. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $31.33 an hour in the Cincinnati area, 2% above the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in Cincinnati, OH, standard level
$1,400 to $2,100
About $1,230 to $1,753 per pan before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $670 |
| Labor | $860 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $340 |
| Total | $1,400 | $2,100 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in Cincinnati, OH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $520 | $890 | 30% |
| Labor | $700 | $980 | $1,250 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $30 | $250 | $480 | 14% |
| Total | $870 | $1,750 | $2,600 | 100% |
What is behind the Cincinnati number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters at 50%, tile and stone setters at 50%. Weighted together, Cincinnati wages are 0.93 times the national level. Labor makes up about 56% of the midpoint estimate (56% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Cincinnati is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $550 nationally becomes $520 here (midpoint, 1 pan). Permits follow the all-items index of 95.4: $30 to $480.
What local crews earn in Cincinnati
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 Cincinnati the blend is 0.93.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 50% of the weighting: a median of $31.33 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $24.18 and $40.74 an hour. About 3,640 work in the metro. That is 33.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 50% of the weighting: a median of $22.42 an hour, 16% below the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $19.12 and $27.45 an hour. About 110 work in the metro. That is 1.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $160 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $120. That is a swing of roughly 7.0% to 9.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Cincinnati has 1,101,030 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 32nd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 50% | $24.18 | $31.33 | $40.74 | $30.67 | 1.02 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $19.12 | $22.42 | $27.45 | $26.77 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.93 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Cincinnati bid
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.
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).
Planning more than one job in Cincinnati?
Jobs that often go together with shower pan are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Cincinnati wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen cabinets comes out highest (−3%) and kitchen backsplash lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,100 | −5% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,050 – $13,600 | −3% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,350 – $14,400 | −4% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,500 – $29,800 | −5% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $270 – $1,350 | −10% |
How Cincinnati compares
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Cincinnati. Dayton is the lowest at about $1,700 (midpoint, 1 pan), 55 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OHthis page | $870 – $2,600 | $1,750 | |
| Dayton, OH55 miles | $850 – $2,600 | $1,700 | −2% |
| Lexington, KY65 miles | $860 – $2,600 | $1,750 | level |
| Louisville, KY90 miles | $930 – $2,750 | $1,850 | +5% |
| Indianapolis, IN100 miles | $960 – $2,800 | $1,900 | +8% |
| Columbus, OH105 miles | $860 – $2,600 | $1,750 | −1% |
| Ohio (statewide) | $850 – $2,600 | $1,700 | −2% |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | +7% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Cincinnati ranks #168 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Cincinnati is 2% above the Ohio figure.
Elsewhere in Ohio
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $860 – $2,600 | $1,750 | −1% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $880 – $2,650 | $1,750 | level |
| Dayton, OH | 372,660 jobs | $850 – $2,600 | $1,700 | −2% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $860 – $2,600 | $1,750 | −1% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $870 – $2,600 | $1,750 | −1% |
| Canton, OH | 163,080 jobs | $830 – $2,550 | $1,700 | −4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Cincinnati against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, IN | 1,105,170 jobs | $960 – $2,800 | $1,900 | +8% |
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $830 – $2,600 | $1,700 | −2% |
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $860 – $2,600 | $1,750 | −1% |
| Kansas City, MO | 1,096,110 jobs | $1,000 – $2,850 | $1,950 | +11% |
Cost by quality level and size in Cincinnati
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Cincinnati. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from one shower pan to one shower pan.
Basic
$870 to $1,550
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,400 to $2,100
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$1,900 to $2,600
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $870 – $1,550 | $1,400 – $2,100 | $1,900 – $2,600 |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed shower pan report for Cincinnati, OH, $9
The report lays out the shower pan numbers for Cincinnati, OH 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.
Shower pan in Cincinnati: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in Cincinnati?
For 1 pan, expect $870 to $2,600 in the Cincinnati area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,400 to $2,100. Small jobs usually cost more per pan and large ones less.
+What is the price per pan for shower pan in Cincinnati?
About $838 to $2,145 per pan for materials and labor, plus $30 to $480 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $900 to $2,300.
+Is shower pan cheaper in Cincinnati or Dayton?
Dayton is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $1,700, which is 2% less than Cincinnati ($1,750). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Cincinnati?
About 56% at the midpoint, or $980 out of $1,750. Materials are 30% and permits 14%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in Cincinnati?
$870 to $2,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in Cincinnati?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $30 to $480 for fees in the Cincinnati area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Cincinnati expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of Ohio?
Cincinnati is 2% above the Ohio statewide estimate ($1,700 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Ohio; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Cincinnati?
The BLS median is $31.33 an hour in the Cincinnati area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.18 to $40.74.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in Cincinnati?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $870 to $1,550 and premium work $1,900 to $2,600. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near Cincinnati
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.