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Cost to drill a well in Maryland: $6,800–$42,500

A drilled, finished water well in Maryland typically costs $6,800–$42,500, with a midpoint of $22,300. Depth sets most of that price. Maryland does not publish its well completion reports as a bulk download, so this estimate uses the national depth model of 100 ft to 300 ft, priced at national driller rates.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Maryland has no bulk well-record download we could use, so this page shows statewide estimates from the national depth model and no county figures.

Key figures for Maryland

ItemFigure
Finished well, typical range (midpoint $22,300) $6,800–$42,5001,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Drilling and casing only (no pump, tank, or hookup) $4,200–$31,4001,2,3,4,5,6
Drilling rate (national rates) $25–$75/ft3

Estimate a well in Maryland

Typical total: $6,800–$42,500, midpoint $22,300.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

No usable well records for this area, so depths use the national model (100 ft to 300 ft).

Low uses the 25th percentile depth at low rates; high uses the 75th percentile at high rates.
Line itemLowMidHigh
Drilling (per foot of depth) (200 ft × $50/ft)$2,500$10,000$22,5003
Casing, installed (130 ft × $28/ft)$1,000$3,600$5,9004
Rig mobilization and setup ($550–$2,500)$600$1,500$2,5005
Well permit ($50–$500)$100$300$5006
Pump, wire, and drop pipe, installed ($1,000–$4,000)$1,000$2,500$4,0007
Pressure tank and switch, installed ($500–$1,800)$500$1,200$1,8007
Trench, water line, and electrical to the house ($1,000–$5,000)$1,000$3,000$5,0008
Water quality test ($50–$250)$100$200$3009
Total$6,800$22,300$42,500

Casing depth of 130 ft is a model assumption; the records for this area do not report casing.2

No state rate survey yet, so national driller rates are used.

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Where the money goes on a Maryland well

Drilling is billed by the foot at $25–$75/ft, so the hole alone runs $2,500–$22,500 at the depths above. Casing, the steel or PVC pipe that lines the upper borehole, adds $1,000–$5,900 at $10–$45/ft. Rig setup is a flat $600–$2,500.

The pump, pressure tank, and trench to the house add $2,500–$10,800 on top of the hole. A quote that looks low next to the range above often leaves those three out, so ask for it itemized.

Sources3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Permits and driller licensing in Maryland

Water wells in Maryland fall under Maryland Department of the Environment, with local health departments as approving authorities. Local health departments and other local permitting agencies issue well construction permits under authority delegated by MDE. A licensed well driller applies to the local approving authority. Well drillers must hold a State of Maryland license, and the State Board of Well Drillers keeps a roster of qualified companies and individuals. After the well is completed, the driller submits a completion report to the local approving authority.

Sources10

Groundwater and well construction in Maryland

Well cap Submersible pump Casing to about 130 ft Total depth about 200 ft Soil and loose rock Open hole in rock
Cross-section of a 200 ft well with casing to 130 ft, the Maryland median

Maryland spans the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont, and USGS describes a Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system and a surficial aquifer system for the region.

A well at the Maryland median reaches 200 ft with casing to about 130 ft, a model assumption because the records here do not report casing.

Sources11,2

Maryland compared with neighboring states

StateMedian depthTypical finished well
Marylandno records$6,800–$42,500
Delaware60 ft$5,200–$23,200
Pennsylvaniano records$10,800–$37,600
Virginiano records$6,800–$42,500
West Virginia150 ft$6,500–$40,200

Sources12,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,1,2,13,14,15,16

Common questions

How much does it cost per foot to drill a well in Maryland?

Drilling alone runs $25–$75/ft on the rates we compiled. Spread across a whole finished well, including casing, pump, tank, and hookup, the midpoint estimate works out to about $112/ft at a depth of 200 ft. Per-foot quotes rarely include the pump.

Do you need a permit to drill a well in Maryland?

Local health departments and other local permitting agencies issue well construction permits under authority delegated by MDE. A licensed well driller applies to the local approving authority. The driller usually files the paperwork, but the permit is tied to your property, so ask for a copy.

How much do a well pump and pressure tank add in Maryland?

An installed submersible pump with wire and drop pipe runs $1,000–$4,000, and a pressure tank with its switch runs $500–$1,800. Together they are often the line items missing from a drilling quote, so a quote for the hole alone will look $3,700 cheaper than a finished well.

Related pages

For every state side by side and the national range, see costtodrillawell.com.

Sources

  1. National depth distribution, median of state percentiles , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median across states with records of each state's 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile depth.
  2. Default casing share of well depth , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median of state casing_p50 / depth_p50 across states that report casing. Used only where no local casing median exists.
  3. Water Well Installation: Complete Guide, Cost and Tips for Success , Stevens Drilling (La Vernia, TX). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2025-10-27. Drilling $25-$65/ft; pumps $500-$2,000; pressure tank $300-$1,500; permit/licensing $100-$750; total $7,500-$17,000+.
  4. Cost to Drill a Water Well in Northern California , Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. (Sebastopol, CA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-04-30. Drilling $35-$130/ft; steel casing $20-$45/ft; pump and pressure tank $3,500-$9,000; permitting $500-$2,500.
  5. D-203(5) Statewide Drilling Services, Exhibit D Price Schedule (Thein Well Co., contract 226711) , Minnesota Office of State Procurement. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2023 state-contract unit rates from a licensed MN driller: 6-in borehole $30-$31/ft (mud rotary/auger), $75/ft air rotary in rock; 6-in casing $28/ft (code) to $48/ft (black steel); mobilization $1,000/project; 34-gal pressure tank installed $1,000, 62-gal $1,450; submersible pump 3/4-1 hp $1,250-$1,350 each; drop pipe $7/ft; pitless and lateral $2,000; trench $20/LF. Agency-buyer rates, not retail quotes.
  6. Compilation of fetched state and county well permit fees (research/rates/NOTES.md, section permit) , costtodrillawell.com research. Accessed November 8, 2026. Internal compilation used only for the national permit fallback. Component sources: ok-owrb-well-driller-fact-sheet ($0), fl-nwfwmd-well-fees through fl-manatee-water-wells-2026 ($35-$265), ny-dutchess-dbch-fees ($45), wi-dnr-well-notification ($50.50), ga-pierce-well-permit-2024 ($70), idaho-code-42-235 ($75), crs-37-92-602 ($100), az-ars-45-596 ($100-$150), nmac-19-27-5 ($125), wa-rcw-18-104-055 ($200), nc-wayne-private-wells through nc-gaston-eh-fees ($225-$450), mi-grand-traverse-fees-2026 and mi-delta-menominee-fees-2025 ($240-$334), mt-dnrc-form-613-2025 ($250-$400), pa-chester-county-health-fees ($300), mn-stat-103i-208 ($325), oh-logan-fees-2024 through oh-summit-fees-2025 ($350-$594), or-hb2808-2025 ($490), blanco-pedernales-gcd-fees-2025 ($500), ca-calaveras-fees-2026 ($693), ny-nyc-well-water-permit ($1,090 outlier).
  7. How Much Does a Well Pressure Tank Cost? , Mid Atlantic Water LLC (water-system supplier, nationwide). Accessed November 8, 2026. Updated 2026-10-14; prices live as of 2026-09. Tank replaced by plumber $800-$1,800 all-in (20-44 gal); labor $200-$500; submersible pump job $1,000-$2,500; tank plus pump $2,500-$5,000+. Supplier, not an installer.
  8. What Are the Cost Factors of Drilling a Santa Fe Water Well? , Boylan Water Well Service (Santa Fe, NM). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-06-25. Drilling incl. PVC casing $28-$65/ft; submersible pump $850-$2,500; casing and grouting $1,500-$4,000; pressure tank and controls $500-$1,800; electrical hookup and trenching $1,000-$3,500; permits and lab testing $300-$1,000; turn-key $12,000-$30,000+.
  9. DSHS Austin Laboratory Fee Schedule, effective 2026-09-01 , Texas Department of State Health Services. Accessed November 8, 2026. Potable Water (coliform) MZZ0441A $18.39; Nitrate-N EZZ0048A $30.00; Routine Water Mineral Group $155; All Metals $165; VOCs $150.
  10. Well Construction , Maryland Department of the Environment. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  11. Ground Water Atlas of the United States, Segment 11 (HA 730-L): Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia , USGS. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  12. Well Permits , Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  13. Well Drilling Cost in Bucks County, PA (2026 Guide) , CS Garber & Sons, Inc. (southeastern PA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-02-04. Drilling plus 6-inch steel casing $35-$55/ft; mobilization $750-$1,500; grouting $8-$14/ft; submersible pump install (1/2-1 hp, complete) $3,500-$6,500; pressure tank $900-$1,800 installed; yield test and water sample $250-$500; turnkey $12,000-$22,000.
  14. Fee schedule , Chester County Health Department (PA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Undated. New well permits $300; second or additional well $175; alteration $100.
  15. Drinking Water Testing , Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory. Accessed November 8, 2026. Undated (2026 site). Bacteria (total coliform and E. coli) $40; nitrate-nitrogen $15; WD01 standard package $60; WD04 standard plus nitrate $70.
  16. Monitoring locations: West Virginia groundwater sites (Water Data API) , U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed November 9, 2026. All groundwater sites in the USGS inventory for West Virginia; no water-use field. Used: wells with a construction year 1980 to 2025 and a depth of 20 to 3,000 ft (n=747).

How these figures are built: methodology. Updated November 2026.