Sod installation cost in North Dakota
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,500 – $3,250
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $2
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $2,400
- Metros covered
- 2
North Dakota prices for sod lawn: $1,500 to $3,250 for 1,500 sq ft, or $1 to $2 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 1% below the national one. Local wages for landscaping and groundskeeping workers are $19.61 an hour.
Inside North Dakota, the metros we cover range from $2,500 (Fargo) to $2,500 (Bismarck) at the midpoint.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in North Dakota (statewide), standard level
$2,050 to $2,750
About $1.30 to $1.70 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $930 | $1,200 |
| Labor | $1,000 | $1,350 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $190 |
| Total | $2,050 | $2,750 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in North Dakota
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 45% |
| Labor | $780 | $1,150 | $1,550 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $130 | $270 | 6% |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,400 | $3,250 | 100% |
Sod installation: what moves the price in North Dakota
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.
North Dakota metro-by-metro prices
2 of the 2 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,400, and the top-to-bottom gap is 1%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, ND | $1,600 – $3,450 | $2,500 | +6% |
| Fargo, ND | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +4% |
North Dakota against its neighbors
North Dakota ranks 24 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. North Dakota sits at $2,400. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | 220 miles away | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −6% |
| Minnesota | 270 miles away | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +11% |
| Nebraska | 410 miles away | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | −3% |
| Iowa | 450 miles away | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −3% |
| Wyoming | 500 miles away | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | −3% |
When North Dakota weather lets you lay
Season matters for sod lawn. For each North Dakota metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Every North Dakota metro on the list has 6 comfortable months, though rainfall ranges from 19 inches a year in Bismarck to 24 in Fargo.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | 0 | 82 | 24 | 6: May through October |
| Bismarck | 2 | 85 | 19 | 6: May through October |
Quality levels and sizes in North Dakota
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide North Dakota wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,500 to $2,200
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,050 to $2,750
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,550 to $3,250
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,000 – $1,500 | $1,400 – $1,900 | $1,750 – $2,250 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,500 – $2,200 | $2,050 – $2,750 | $2,550 – $3,250 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,000 – $5,700 | $5,300 – $7,000 | $6,550 – $8,250 |
North Dakota labor market for sod lawn
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 1.04 for North Dakota.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $19.61 an hour, which is 4% above the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.23 and $24.22 an hour. BLS counts 2,100 of them working in the state, 48.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $23.59 an hour, 4% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.96 and $29.17 an hour. About 5,050 work in the state. That is 117.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($24.22 an hour) would add about $220 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.23) would take off about $110. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 429,430 jobs across North Dakota (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.23 | $19.61 | $24.22 | $18.82 | 1.04 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $21.96 | $23.59 | $29.17 | $22.66 | 1.04 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
Other North Dakota jobs that often go with sod lawn
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide North Dakota wages and prices. Against national midpoints, retaining wall comes out highest (+5%) and sprinkler system lowest (−1%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | −1% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,950 – $9,900 | −1% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,600 – $13,900 | +5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,200 | level |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $37,000 – $115,500 | +2% |
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Detailed sod installation report for North Dakota, $9
Multi-page report for North Dakota: 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 North Dakota: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in North Dakota?
$1,500 to $3,250 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside North Dakota can sit above or below that.
+Which city in North Dakota is cheapest for sod lawn?
Fargo at about $2,500 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). The priciest is Bismarck at $2,500.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in North Dakota than the US average?
It is 1% cheaper: $2,400 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in North Dakota?
About 49% ($1,150). Materials are 45%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.04x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in North Dakota?
The BLS statewide median is $19.61 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.23 to $24.22.
+Where does North Dakota rank for sod lawn costs?
24th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in North Dakota?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,500 to $2,200 and premium work $2,550 to $3,250. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in North Dakota?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the North Dakota metros we cover, Fargo has the most comfortable months (6 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 North Dakota
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.