Sod installation cost in New Jersey
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,650 – $3,600
- Per sq ft
- $1.10 – $2.20
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +9%
- US $2,400
- Metros covered
- 3
What does it cost to lay sod in New Jersey? Plan on $1,650 to $3,600 for 1,500 sq ft. Wages (1.12x the US blend), materials (price index 107.1) and permit costs (108.8) put the state above the national midpoint by 9%.
Inside New Jersey, the metros we cover range from $2,400 (Atlantic City) to $2,550 (Trenton) 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 New Jersey (statewide), standard level
$2,250 to $3,000
About $1.40 to $1.85 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,050 | $1,350 |
| Labor | $1,100 | $1,400 |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $230 |
| Total | $2,250 | $3,000 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in New Jersey
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $800 | $1,200 | $1,600 | 46% |
| Labor | $840 | $1,250 | $1,700 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $160 | $330 | 6% |
| Total | $1,650 | $2,600 | $3,600 | 100% |
Which New Jersey city is cheapest for sod lawn?
0 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,600, and the top-to-bottom gap is 5%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton, NJ | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | −3% |
| Vineland, NJ | $1,600 – $3,450 | $2,500 | −4% |
| Atlantic City, NJ | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | −8% |
When New Jersey weather lets you lay
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and New Jersey 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.
Atlantic City has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in New Jersey at 10 months (March through December); Vineland has the shortest at 8 (April through November). Rainfall runs from 43 inches a year in Vineland to 46 inches in Trenton.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | 24 | 86 | 46 | 9: March through November |
| Atlantic City | 30 | 80 | 44 | 10: March through December |
| Vineland | 24 | 86 | 43 | 8: April through November |
New Jersey labor market for sod lawn
New Jersey'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 1.12 times the national level.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $19.88 an hour, 6% above the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.78 and $22.75 an hour. About 30,470 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 $30.80 an hour, which is 36% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.46 and $45.44 an hour. BLS counts 23,590 of them working in the state, 55.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($22.75 an hour) would add about $140 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.78) 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 4,285,720 jobs across New Jersey (May 2025), which is 2.8% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.78 | $19.88 | $22.75 | $18.82 | 1.06 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.46 | $30.80 | $45.44 | $22.66 | 1.36 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.12 | |||||
Why two New Jersey 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.
New Jersey versus the states around it
New Jersey ranks 9 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. New Jersey sits at $2,600. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 60 miles away | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | −12% |
| New York | 100 miles away | $1,650 – $3,650 | $2,650 | +2% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | −8% |
| Maryland | 110 miles away | $1,500 – $3,350 | $2,450 | −7% |
| Connecticut | 150 miles away | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,600 | −2% |
If you are planning more than one job in New Jersey
Each project weights the trades differently, so New Jersey's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, French drain is +27% and retaining wall +19%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $760 – $2,650 | +27% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,850 – $12,100 | +21% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,650 – $15,700 | +19% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,150 – $12,700 | +25% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $44,200 – $138,000 | +22% |
Basic, standard or premium: New Jersey 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
$1,650 to $2,450
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,250 to $3,000
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,800 to $3,600
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,100 – $1,650 | $1,500 – $2,100 | $1,950 – $2,500 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,650 – $2,450 | $2,250 – $3,000 | $2,800 – $3,600 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,400 – $6,250 | $5,800 – $7,650 | $7,200 – $9,100 |
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Detailed sod installation report for New Jersey, $9
Multi-page report for New Jersey: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. 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 New Jersey: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in New Jersey?
$1,650 to $3,600 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside New Jersey can sit above or below that.
+Which city in New Jersey is cheapest for sod lawn?
Atlantic City at about $2,400 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). The priciest is Trenton at $2,550.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in New Jersey than the US average?
It is 9% more expensive: $2,600 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New Jersey?
About 48% ($1,250). Materials are 46%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.12x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in New Jersey?
The BLS statewide median is $19.88 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.78 to $22.75.
+Where does New Jersey rank for sod lawn costs?
9th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,600 for 1,500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in New Jersey?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,650 to $2,450 and premium work $2,800 to $3,600. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in New Jersey?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the New Jersey metros we cover, Atlantic City has the most comfortable months (10 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 New Jersey
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.