Shower pan cost in Madison, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 pan)
- $1,100 – $3,050
- Per pan
- $1,079 – $2,579
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +12%
- US $1,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #36
- 1 = most expensive
A shower pan in Madison, WI usually costs $1,100 to $3,050 for 1 pan. That works out to about $1,079 to $2,579 per pan before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $220 more. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $40.94 an hour in the Madison area, 33% above the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 1 pan in Madison, WI, standard level
$1,700 to $2,500
About $1,529 to $2,129 per pan before permits. Labor is about 63% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $670 |
| Labor | $1,150 | $1,450 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $350 |
| Total | $1,700 | $2,500 |
Cost breakdown for 1 pan in Madison, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $520 | $890 | 25% |
| Labor | $940 | $1,300 | $1,700 | 63% |
| Permits and fees | $30 | $260 | $490 | 12% |
| Total | $1,100 | $2,100 | $3,050 | 100% |
What is behind the Madison number
The wage side of the estimate leans on plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $40.94 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Madison is 1.25 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 63% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Madison 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 97.3: $30 to $490.
Why two Madison quotes can differ
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: shower pan pricing in Madison
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Madison. 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
$1,100 to $1,900
Pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan
Standard
$1,700 to $2,500
Tile-ready pan with tile finish
Premium
$2,300 to $3,050
Custom mud or stone pan
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one shower pan | $1,100 – $1,900 | $1,700 – $2,500 | $2,300 – $3,050 |
Is Madison cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Madison. Dubuque is the lowest at about $1,750 (midpoint, 1 pan), 80 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WIthis page | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,100 | |
| Janesville, WI40 miles | $1,050 – $2,950 | $2,000 | −4% |
| Rockford, IL60 miles | $1,150 – $3,150 | $2,150 | +4% |
| Dubuque, IA80 miles | $890 – $2,650 | $1,750 | −15% |
| Oshkosh, WI85 miles | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,050 | −1% |
| La Crosse, WI85 miles | $1,100 – $3,000 | $2,050 | −3% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $1,050 – $3,000 | $2,050 | −3% |
| United States | $930 – $2,800 | $1,850 | −11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Madison ranks #36 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Madison is 3% above the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,050 | −1% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,100 | level |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $1,150 – $3,100 | $2,100 | +1% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $1,100 – $3,050 | $2,050 | −1% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $1,150 – $3,100 | $2,100 | +1% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $1,100 – $3,000 | $2,050 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Madison against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $910 – $2,650 | $1,800 | −14% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $860 – $2,650 | $1,750 | −17% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $820 – $2,550 | $1,700 | −20% |
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $1,100 – $3,100 | $2,100 | level |
What local crews earn in Madison
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 Madison the blend is 1.25.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 50% of the weighting: a median of $40.94 an hour, 33% above the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $29.54 and $51.62 an hour. About 1,590 work in the metro. That is 39.0 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 $31.22 an hour, 17% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $28.31 and $37.00 an hour. About 50 work in the metro. That is 1.2 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 $180 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $200. That is a swing of roughly 9.4% to 8.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Madison has 408,070 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 61st 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% | $29.54 | $40.94 | $51.62 | $30.67 | 1.33 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 50% | $28.31 | $31.22 | $37.00 | $26.77 | 1.17 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.25 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Madison
Jobs that often go together with shower pan are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Madison wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+7%) and kitchen remodel lowest (−2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,000 – $24,900 | +7% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,200 – $14,400 | +2% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,750 – $15,300 | +3% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,100 – $30,900 | −2% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $310 – $1,550 | +3% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed shower pan report for Madison, WI, $9
The report lays out the shower pan numbers for Madison, WI 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 Madison: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a shower pan in Madison?
For 1 pan, expect $1,100 to $3,050 in the Madison area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,700 to $2,500. Small jobs usually cost more per pan and large ones less.
+What is the price per pan for shower pan in Madison?
About $1,079 to $2,579 per pan for materials and labor, plus $30 to $490 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $900 to $2,300.
+Is shower pan cheaper in Madison or Janesville?
Janesville is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 1 pan there is $2,000, which is 4% less than Madison ($2,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Madison?
About 63% at the midpoint, or $1,300 out of $2,100. Materials are 25% and permits 12%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would one shower pan cost in Madison?
$1,100 to $3,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does shower pan need a permit in Madison?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $30 to $490 for fees in the Madison area (our national range of $30 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Madison expensive for shower pan compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Madison is 3% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($2,050 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Madison?
The BLS median is $40.94 an hour in the Madison area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.54 to $51.62.
+What do basic and premium shower pan work cost in Madison?
For 1 pan, basic work runs $1,100 to $1,900 and premium work $2,300 to $3,050. Basic means: pre-made acrylic or fiberglass pan. Premium means: custom mud or stone pan.
Shower pan near Madison
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.