Sod installation cost in Nebraska
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
- 2
Nebraska 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 $18.82 an hour.
Inside Nebraska, the metros we cover range from $2,300 (Lincoln) to $2,500 (Omaha) at the midpoint.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Nebraska (statewide), standard level
$1,950 to $2,650
About $1.25 to $1.65 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $920 | $1,200 |
| Labor | $980 | $1,300 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $190 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,650 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Nebraska
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $710 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 46% |
| Labor | $750 | $1,150 | $1,500 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $270 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,300 | $3,200 | 100% |
How Nebraska compares with nearby states
Nebraska ranks 33 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. Nebraska sits at $2,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 190 miles away | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| South Dakota | 220 miles away | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −3% |
| Kansas | 220 miles away | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| Missouri | 270 miles away | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,400 | +2% |
| Minnesota | 320 miles away | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +14% |
Basic, standard or premium: Nebraska 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 small yard (1,000 sq ft) to large yard (4,000 sq ft).
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) | $3,900 – $5,550 | $5,150 – $6,800 | $6,400 – $8,050 |
Nebraska metro-by-metro prices
1 of the 2 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 9%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +7% |
| Lincoln, NE | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
Why two Nebraska quotes can differ
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.
If you are planning more than one job in Nebraska
Each project weights the trades differently, so Nebraska's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, inground pool is −4% and French drain −4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $580 – $2,000 | −4% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,600 | −4% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,850 – $12,900 | −4% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,400 – $9,850 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,800 – $109,000 | −4% |
Weather windows across Nebraska
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Nebraska is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Every Nebraska metro on the list has 7 comfortable months, though rainfall ranges from 29 inches a year in Lincoln to 32 in Omaha.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | 15 | 88 | 32 | 7: April through October |
| Lincoln | 14 | 89 | 29 | 7: April through October |
Nebraska labor market for sod lawn
Nebraska'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 1.00 times the national level.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $18.82 an hour, in line with the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.61 and $22.84 an hour. About 7,280 work in the state. That is 71.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $22.72 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.38 and $26.71 an hour. BLS counts 8,530 of them working in the state, 83.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($22.84 an hour) would add about $190 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.61) would take off about $60. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,024,370 jobs across Nebraska (May 2025), which is 0.7% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.61 | $18.82 | $22.84 | $18.82 | 1.00 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $19.38 | $22.72 | $26.71 | $22.66 | 1.00 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
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Detailed sod installation report for Nebraska, $9
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Sod installation in Nebraska: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Nebraska?
$1,450 to $3,200 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Nebraska can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Nebraska is cheapest for sod lawn?
Lincoln at about $2,300 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). The priciest is Omaha at $2,500.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Nebraska 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 Nebraska?
About 49% ($1,150). Materials are 46%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.00x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Nebraska?
The BLS statewide median is $18.82 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.61 to $22.84.
+Where does Nebraska rank for sod lawn costs?
33rd 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 Nebraska?
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 Nebraska?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Nebraska metros we cover, Omaha has the most comfortable months (7 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 Nebraska
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.