What public wage data says
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage estimates for the occupation "Fence Erectors" (47-4031). From the May 2023 national estimates:
| Measure (May 2023, national) | Value |
|---|---|
| Employment | 21,470 |
| Mean hourly wage | $22.43 |
| Median hourly wage | $21.35 |
| 10th percentile hourly | $15.44 |
| 90th percentile hourly | $30.85 |
| Mean annual wage | $46,650 |
Wages vary by state. In the same release, mean hourly wages include $23.86 in California, $19.19 in Texas, and $23.26 in Florida, and the top paying state listed is New Jersey at $33.87. BLS notes the estimates do not include self-employed workers, which leaves out a lot of small fence shop owners who work on the crew. BLS has published newer OEWS releases since May 2023; check bls.gov for the latest table before quoting a wage.
What the cost guides publish for labor
| Material | Fixr labor per LF (Jan 31, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Vinyl | $5 – $10 |
| Aluminum | $5 – $10 |
| Steel | $5 – $10 |
| Chain link | $6.75 – $15 |
| Wrought iron | $9 – $10 |
| Wood | $10 – $20 |
| Composite | $13 – $15 |
| Barbed wire | $0.92 – $5 |
Fixr says general fence labor runs $5 to $20 per linear foot for most types and lists $40 to $150 of labor to install a single post. HomeAdvisor says labor runs about $1,600, roughly half of the total project, and climbs with stump removal or leveling. HomeGuide's install-time table lists 13 to 16 hours per 100 feet for picket or privacy, 10 to 12 for split rail, 6 to 10 for chain link, and 19 to 22 for replacements.
Why wage is not your labor rate
A homeowner who sees a $22 hourly wage and a 15 hour job sometimes does the math out loud. Be ready to explain, without inventing numbers, what the price of an hour actually covers:
- Payroll taxes and workers compensation insurance on every crew member.
- General liability insurance, which homeowners should ask to see.
- Trucks, trailers, augers, skid steers, fuel, and maintenance.
- Drive time, material pickup, and the time to stage and clean up.
- Office time: estimates, locates, permits, scheduling, and invoicing.
- Warranty callbacks, which are free to the customer but not free to the shop.
- Profit, so the shop is still around to honor the warranty.
The honest way to set your own rate is to total those costs from your books and divide by billable crew hours. Measure your own production per material and soil, then price from that. Our crew planning prompt helps size jobs from your own production numbers, and the estimating habits page covers keeping a lost bid file.
Labor surprises to price up front
Rock, roots, and old footings are labor problems first. HomeGuide lists terrain and location among the factors that raise labor. Put a written rock and buried debris clause on every quote so a bad dig is a known change order, not a fight.