Contractor costs in Seattle, WA

Services indexed

5

Hourly range, avg

$91–$152/hr

Seattle median

$122/hr

Most affordable: Landscaper · Premium: Accountant

The Seattle contractor market

Seattle indexes 5 services across 4 categories, with hourly rates spanning $55/hr (Landscaper) to $311/hr (Accountant). The city median of $122/hr runs 42% above the national average across all indexed cities. Construction is the largest service block here (2 of 5 services).

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data adjusted for Seattle cost of living. Read the methodology.

Home Repair & Maintenance

1 service
Electrician Seattle, WA

Electrician Cost in Seattle 2026: Real Rates by Neighborhood

Seattle electrician rates $87-$145/hr (avg $116). Neighborhood breakdown, L&I licensing, SDCI permits, and how Craftsman knob-and-tube shifts pricing.

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Construction

2 services
Basement Waterproofing Seattle, WA

Basement Waterproofing Cost in Seattle 2026: Real Rates by Neighborhood

Seattle basement waterproofing runs $68-$114/hr (avg $91). Neighborhood breakdown, L&I + SDCI permit costs, and why hillside daylight basements cost more.

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Carpenter Seattle, WA

Carpenter Cost in Seattle 2026: Real Rates by Neighborhood

Seattle carpenter rates $60-$99/hr (avg $80). Neighborhood breakdown, L&I contractor registration, SDCI permits, and Craftsman trim restoration pricing.

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Outdoor & Landscaping

1 service
Landscaper Seattle, WA

Landscaper Cost in Seattle 2026: Real Rates by Neighborhood

Seattle landscaper rates run $55-$91/hr (avg $73). Neighborhood breakdown, L&I licensing, SDCI tree permits, and how Pacific NW climate moves pricing.

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Professional Services

1 service
Accountant Seattle, WA

Accountant Cost in Seattle 2026: Real Rates by Service Type

Seattle accountant rates $187-$311/hr (avg $249). Tax prep $300-$8K, bookkeeping $400-$3K/mo, fractional CFO $200-$500/hr. RSU and B&O specialty.

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Frequently asked

7 answers

What's the average hourly rate for home services in Seattle?

Across the 5 home and professional services we index in Seattle, the median consumer rate is $122/hr. Hourly rates span $91/hr at the affordable end to $152/hr at the premium end, depending on service type and contractor.

Which service is most expensive in Seattle?

Accountant carries the highest typical rate in Seattle at $186.75–$311.25/hr. Premium professional and licensed services consistently command the highest rates across our index.

Which service is most affordable in Seattle?

Landscaper sits at the lower end of the Seattle index at $54.78–$91.3/hr. Routine maintenance and cleaning categories typically cluster at the bottom of any city's price spread.

How do Seattle rates compare to the national average?

Seattle is 42% above the national average of $86/hr across our 49-city corpus. Local wage data and cost of living drive most of this difference — see the geographic precision note for the underlying data.

Which service category has the broadest coverage in Seattle?

Construction has the most indexed services in Seattle (2 guides), reflecting both local demand and the breadth of BLS wage data available for that segment.

Are these prices what consumers pay, or what workers earn?

Consumer-facing rates. We apply industry-standard 1.5–2.5× multipliers to BLS hourly wages to account for business overhead, insurance, licensing, employer costs, and profit margin. The full calculation is documented in the methodology.

How often is Seattle pricing data updated?

Pricing reflects the BLS OEWS May 2024 release. The next refresh lands when May 2025 data is published in April 2026. Cadence is documented in the update schedule.

Data: BLS OEWS May 2024 · Methodology · Last refreshed January 2026