Sod installation cost in Utah
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,500 – $3,300
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $2
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $2,400
- Metros covered
- 5
Across Utah, a new sod lawn costs about $1,500 to $3,300 for 1,500 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 0% below the US figure of $2,400. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median $19.59 an hour in Utah (US: $18.82).
Inside Utah, the metros we cover range from $2,300 (Logan) to $2,450 (Salt Lake City) 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 Utah (statewide), standard level
$2,050 to $2,750
About $1.30 to $1.70 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $1,000 | $1,300 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $210 |
| Total | $2,050 | $2,750 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Utah
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 45% |
| Labor | $770 | $1,150 | $1,550 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $300 | 6% |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,400 | $3,300 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in Utah
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Utah 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 $3,300
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,000 – $1,500 | $1,400 – $1,900 | $1,750 – $2,300 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,500 – $2,200 | $2,050 – $2,750 | $2,550 – $3,300 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,000 – $5,700 | $5,300 – $7,000 | $6,550 – $8,300 |
Other Utah jobs that often go with sod lawn
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Utah wages and prices. Against national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (−1%) and retaining wall lowest (−3%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $590 – $2,100 | −1% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,900 – $9,750 | −2% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,900 – $13,100 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $10,000 | −2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,300 – $110,500 | −2% |
How Utah compares with nearby states
Utah ranks 23 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. Utah sits at $2,400. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
Which Utah city is cheapest for sod lawn?
1 of the 5 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,400, and the top-to-bottom gap is 7%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,450 | +3% |
| Ogden, UT | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −1% |
| Provo, UT | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −1% |
| St. George, UT | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | −3% |
| Logan, UT | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −4% |
When Utah weather lets you lay
Season matters for sod lawn. For each Utah metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Salt Lake City has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Utah at 7 months (March through June and September through November); St. George has the shortest at 5 (March through May and October through November). Rainfall runs from 9 inches a year in St. George to 17 inches in Provo.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | 24 | 94 | 16 | 7: March through June and September through November |
| Provo | 24 | 95 | 17 | 6: March through June and September through October |
| Ogden | 21 | 91 | 16 | 7: March through June and August through October |
| St. George | 28 | 102 | 9 | 5: March through May and October through November |
| Logan | 14 | 89 | 17 | 7: April through October |
What landscaping and groundskeeping workers and the other trades earn in Utah
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 1.03 for Utah.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $19.59 an hour, which is 4% above the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.91 and $22.51 an hour. BLS counts 12,850 of them working in the state, 74.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $22.38 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.63 and $26.56 an hour. About 20,950 work in the state. That is 120.7 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 ($22.51 an hour) would add about $140 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.91) would take off about $80. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,735,590 jobs across Utah (May 2025), which is 1.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.91 | $19.59 | $22.51 | $18.82 | 1.04 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.63 | $22.38 | $26.56 | $22.66 | 0.99 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.03 | |||||
Sod installation: what moves the price in Utah
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.
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Sod installation in Utah: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Utah?
$1,500 to $3,300 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Utah can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Utah is cheapest for sod lawn?
Logan at about $2,300 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). The priciest is Salt Lake City at $2,450.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Utah than the US average?
It is 0% cheaper: $2,400 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Utah?
About 48% ($1,150). Materials are 45%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.03x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Utah?
The BLS statewide median is $19.59 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.91 to $22.51.
+Where does Utah rank for sod lawn costs?
23rd 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 Utah?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,500 to $2,200 and premium work $2,550 to $3,300. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in Utah?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Utah metros we cover, Salt Lake City 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 Utah
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.