Sod installation cost in State College, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,500 – $3,300
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $2
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #100
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new sod lawn in the State College area: $1,500 to $3,300 for 1,500 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint lands close to the US figure. Building materials run about 1% above the US average here (BEA goods price index 100.7).
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in State College, PA, standard level
$2,050 to $2,750
About $1.30 to $1.70 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $980 | $1,300 |
| Labor | $980 | $1,300 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $2,050 | $2,750 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in State College, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $760 | $1,150 | $1,500 | 47% |
| Labor | $750 | $1,150 | $1,500 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,400 | $3,300 | 100% |
Where the State College price comes from
Labor is 47% of the midpoint bill here, against 47% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is landscaping and groundskeeping workers (80%), construction laborers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In State College the blended ratio comes out at 1.00.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. State College is at 100.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,150 nationally becomes $1,150 here (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 96.8: $0 to $290.
The best months for sod lawn in State College
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, State College (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in State College are April through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 121 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
State College gets about 42 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 44 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, August and September (4.2 inches in August). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 3.5 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 6 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34 | 21 | 2.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 37 | 22 | 2.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 46 | 28 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Apr | 59 | 39 | 3.5 | Workable |
| May | 69 | 50 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 77 | 59 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 81 | 63 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 79 | 62 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 54 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 61 | 43 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 34 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 38 | 26 | 3.2 | Cold |
Is State College cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (1,500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Harrisburg is the priciest of the group at $2,400. Hagerstown is the cheapest at $2,300.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| State College, PAthis page | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | |
| Altoona, PA35 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −4% |
| Harrisburg, PA60 miles | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | level |
| Chambersburg, PA70 miles | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −2% |
| York, PA90 miles | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | level |
| Hagerstown, MD95 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −5% |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | level |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | level |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, State College ranks #100 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, State College is 0% below the Pennsylvania figure.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +3% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,400 | −1% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $1,500 – $3,350 | $2,400 | +1% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | level |
| Scranton, PA | 255,620 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −2% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is State College against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −6% |
| Traverse City, MI | 68,440 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −4% |
| Wausau, WI | 69,530 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | −4% |
| Dover, DE | 68,080 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −5% |
State College: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to State College. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small yard (1,000 sq ft) to large yard (4,000 sq ft).
Basic
$1,500 to $2,250
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,050 to $2,750
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,600 to $3,300
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,000 – $1,500 | $1,400 – $1,900 | $1,800 – $2,300 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,500 – $2,250 | $2,050 – $2,750 | $2,600 – $3,300 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,000 – $5,750 | $5,300 – $7,050 | $6,600 – $8,350 |
Specs and site conditions that change a State College bid
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.
Who does the work: State College trade wages
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 State College the blend is 1.00.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $18.26 an hour, in line with the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.41 and $22.02 an hour. About 490 work in the metro. That is 71.2 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 $25.68 an hour, which is 13% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.13 and $30.00 an hour. BLS counts 620 of them working in the area, 90.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (landscaping and groundskeeping workers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $180 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $40. That is a swing of roughly 1.7% to 7.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
State College has 68,840 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 263rd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.41 | $18.26 | $22.02 | $18.82 | 0.97 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.13 | $25.68 | $30.00 | $22.66 | 1.13 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Related projects, priced for State College
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same State College wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, retaining wall comes out highest (+5%) and sprinkler system lowest (+1%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $610 – $2,150 | +2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,050 – $10,100 | +1% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,500 – $14,000 | +5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,600 – $10,600 | +4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $37,600 – $117,500 | +4% |
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Detailed sod installation report for State College, PA, $9
The report lays out the sod installation numbers for State College, PA 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 State College: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in State College?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,500 to $3,300 in the State College area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,050 to $2,750. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in State College?
About $1 to $2 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $290 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in State College or Altoona?
Altoona is 35 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,300, which is 4% less than State College ($2,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in State College?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $1,150 out of $2,400. Materials are 47% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in State College?
$1,500 to $3,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in State College?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $290 for fees in the State College area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is State College expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
State College is 0% below the Pennsylvania statewide estimate ($2,400 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Pennsylvania; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in State College?
The BLS median is $18.26 an hour in the State College area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.41 to $22.02.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in State College?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,500 to $2,250 and premium work $2,600 to $3,300. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+When is the best time to lay sod in State College?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. October and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Sod installation near State College
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.