Sod installation cost in Georgia
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,450 – $3,200
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $1.95
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $2,400
- Metros covered
- 10
Georgia prices for sod lawn: $1,450 to $3,200 for 1,500 sq ft, or $0.95 to $1.95 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 3% below the national one. Local wages for landscaping and groundskeeping workers are $18.25 an hour.
Inside Georgia, the metros we cover range from $2,100 (Albany) to $2,350 (Atlanta) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Georgia (statewide), standard level
$1,950 to $2,650
About $1.25 to $1.65 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $960 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $920 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,650 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Georgia
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $740 | $1,100 | $1,500 | 48% |
| Labor | $710 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,300 | $3,200 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in Georgia
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Georgia wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,450 to $2,150
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,950 to $2,650
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,500 to $3,200
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $970 – $1,450 | $1,350 – $1,850 | $1,700 – $2,200 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,450 – $2,150 | $1,950 – $2,650 | $2,500 – $3,200 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,850 – $5,500 | $5,100 – $6,750 | $6,350 – $8,000 |
Wages behind the Georgia number
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.94 for Georgia.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $18.25 an hour, which is 3% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $16.52 and $21.33 an hour. BLS counts 25,510 of them working in the state, 52.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is about average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $18.74 an hour, 17% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.93 and $22.57 an hour. About 27,800 work in the state. That is 56.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($21.33 an hour) would add about $150 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($16.52) would take off about $85. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,889,170 jobs across Georgia (May 2025), which is 3.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $16.52 | $18.25 | $21.33 | $18.82 | 0.97 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $16.93 | $18.74 | $22.57 | $22.66 | 0.83 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.94 | |||||
Sod installation: what moves the price in Georgia
Old grass removal
Removing an old lawn first adds $0.50-$2.00 per sq ft, and a full remove-and-resod runs $1.50-$4.00 per sq ft (HomeGuide).
Sod type
Sod alone costs $0.30-$0.80 per sq ft, or $130-$360 per pallet; delivery is $50-$250 per load.
Site prep
The cost listed here assumes leveled, cleared ground. Grading and soil amendments are extra.
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
Which Georgia city is cheapest for sod lawn?
1 of the 10 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 13%. 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 (1,500 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +2% |
| Warner Robins, GA | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Gainesville, GA | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Savannah, GA | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −3% |
| Augusta, GA | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −3% |
| Macon, GA | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −3% |
| Athens, GA | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −4% |
| Dalton, GA | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −4% |
| Columbus, GA | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −6% |
| Albany, GA | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,100 | −10% |
Weather windows across Georgia
Season matters for sod lawn. For each Georgia metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Gainesville has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Georgia at 12 months; Albany has the shortest at 9 (September through May). Rainfall runs from 45 inches a year in Augusta to 55 inches in Dalton.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | 34 | 90 | 48 | 11: August through June |
| Augusta | 40 | 94 | 45 | 9: September through May |
| Savannah | 40 | 92 | 48 | 9: September through May |
| Columbus | 38 | 93 | 49 | 9: September through May |
| Gainesville | 34 | 88 | 52 | 12: all year |
| Athens | 34 | 92 | 49 | 10: September through June |
| Macon | 36 | 94 | 47 | 9: September through May |
| Warner Robins | 36 | 91 | 52 | 10: September through June |
| Dalton | 32 | 91 | 55 | 9: February through June and September through December |
| Albany | 39 | 93 | 47 | 9: September through May |
If you are planning more than one job in Georgia
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Georgia wages and prices. Against national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (−8%) and gravel driveway lowest (−10%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $550 – $1,900 | −9% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,650 – $9,150 | −8% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,250 – $12,400 | −9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,250 – $9,200 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,600 – $102,000 | −10% |
Georgia against its neighbors
Georgia ranks 34 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for sod lawn, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $2,850 and the cheapest Mississippi at $2,100, both for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint. Georgia sits at $2,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 170 miles away | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −4% |
| South Carolina | 180 miles away | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Tennessee | 210 miles away | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| North Carolina | 270 miles away | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | level |
| Kentucky | 320 miles away | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −2% |
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Detailed sod installation report for Georgia, $9
The report lays out the sod installation numbers for Georgia 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.
Sod installation in Georgia: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Georgia?
$1,450 to $3,200 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Georgia can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Georgia is cheapest for sod lawn?
Albany at about $2,100 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). The priciest is Atlanta at $2,350.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Georgia than the US average?
It is 3% cheaper: $2,300 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Georgia?
About 46% ($1,050). Materials are 48%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.94x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Georgia?
The BLS statewide median is $18.25 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.52 to $21.33.
+Where does Georgia rank for sod lawn costs?
34th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,300 for 1,500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Georgia?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,450 to $2,150 and premium work $2,500 to $3,200. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in Georgia?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Georgia metros we cover, Gainesville has the most comfortable months (12 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Sod installation by city in Georgia
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.