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Cost to drill a well in Nebraska: $6,700–$36,100 by county

A drilled, finished water well in Nebraska typically costs $6,700–$36,100, with a midpoint of $19,600. Depth sets most of that price. Domestic wells here have a median depth of 160 ft across 6,589 completion reports filed 2016–2025, priced at national driller rates.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Key figures for Nebraska

ItemFigure
Finished well, typical range (midpoint $19,600) $6,700–$36,1001,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Drilling and casing only (no pump, tank, or hookup) $4,100–$25,0001,2,3,4,5,6
Median well depth (6,589 reports) 160 ft1
Middle half of wells 100 ft to 230 ft1
Drilling rate (national rates) $25–$75/ft3

Estimate a well in Nebraska

Typical total: $6,700–$36,100, midpoint $19,600.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Depths from 6,589 domestic well reports in Nebraska, 2016–2025: 95 ft (25th percentile), 160 ft (median), 230 ft (75th percentile).

Low uses the 25th percentile depth at low rates; high uses the 75th percentile at high rates.
Line itemLowMidHigh
Drilling (per foot of depth) (160 ft × $50/ft)$2,400$8,000$17,3003
Casing, installed (104 ft × $28/ft)$1,000$2,900$4,7004
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$6,700$19,600$36,100

Casing depth of 104 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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Well depth by county in Nebraska

Total depth of domestic wells by county, Nebraska. Bar shows the middle half of wells; tick marks the median.
County Reports Median depth (ft) Middle half (ft) 0 to 590 ft
Lancaster 607 170 120–220
Saunders 429 150 100–200
Buffalo 423 240 190–280
Platte 371 110 90–120
Lincoln 209 220 160–260
Keith 196 220 160–280
Sarpy 177 100 60–190
Butler 159 120 70–250
Seward 149 230 110–360
Dodge 144 60 40–110
Merrick 139 50 40–70
Douglas 132 80 60–250
Madison 132 160 80–220
Hall 122 100 70–140
Dawson 117 220 200–260
Hamilton 117 140 70–170
Washington 117 220 170–280
Holt 111 140 90–170
Howard 110 120 70–170
Cherry 109 180 140–270
Cass 105 90 50–120
Kearney 102 180 140–200
Pierce 90 170 140–230
Adams 85 180 160–200
Polk 85 70 50–120
Custer 82 240 200–300
Antelope 76 240 200–280
Saline 70 160 100–220
Scotts Bluff 70 100 70–140
Boone 66 230 150–270
Cedar 66 120 80–140
Knox 65 120 70–210
Stanton 59 160 70–230
Red Willow 54 130 70–180
Colfax 53 70 40–130
Brown 52 180 120–280
Phelps 49 210 190–260
York 48 150 130–200
Gage 47 140 90–180
Nance 44 120 40–200
Perkins 42 420 380–430
Loup 38 180 140–230
Chase 37 300 280–340
Cheyenne 37 240 160–360
Fillmore 37 200 170–250
Sheridan 37 160 140–180
Dixon 35 160 80–270
Harlan 35 120 60–180
Cuming 33 70 50–130
Valley 33 220 180–260
Otoe 32 110 80–160
Furnas 30 90 50–120
Burt* 29 190 100–280
Clay* 29 180 160–190
Greeley* 28 240 200–260
Richardson* 28 90 70–120
Box Butte* 26 300 300–340
Wayne* 25 210 180–320
Webster* 24 130 90–150
Wheeler* 23 180 100–230
Garden* 22 110 80–200
Garfield* 22 220 190–260
Nuckolls* 22 120 110–150
Thayer* 22 180 130–210
Dakota* 21 240 140–290
Hitchcock* 21 110 70–120
Thomas* 21 60 50–90
Arthur* 20 220 190–240
Morrill* 20 120 90–150
Sherman* 20 240 210–270
Franklin* 19 180 50–260
Frontier* 19 240 220–270
Jefferson* 19 150 130–200
Kimball* 19 260 180–300
Dawes* 18 160 100–240
Grant* 18 160 100–400
Johnson* 18 170 120–190
Rock* 17 160 110–210
Deuel* 16 240 120–260
Gosper* 16 260 230–290
Nemaha* 16 110 60–140
Thurston* 16 160 110–190
Logan* 15 220 200–280
Blaine* 11 130 80–150
Hooker* 11 230 180–270
Keya Paha* 11 140 50–180
Hayes* 10 330 250–340
Sioux* 8 180 110–300
Dundy* 7 170 100–270
McPherson* 7 290 150–330
Pawnee* 7 60 50–160
Banner* 3 250 200–310
Boyd* 1 590 590–590

* 41 counties have fewer than 30 reports. Estimates there use the statewide figures.

Median depth runs from 50 ft in Merrick County to 420 ft in Perkins County. At national rates that difference is worth about $24,800 at the midpoint estimate. 41 of 93 counties have fewer than 30 reports; the calculator uses the statewide figure for those.

Sources1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Where the money goes on a Nebraska well

Drilling is billed by the foot at $25–$75/ft, so the hole alone runs $2,400–$17,300 at the depths above. Casing, the steel or PVC pipe that lines the upper borehole, adds $1,000–$4,700 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 Nebraska

Water wells in Nebraska fall under Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, Water Well Standards and Contractors' Licensing Program. Nebraska's statewide requirement is registration: each water well completed on or after July 1, 2001 must be registered with the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment within sixty days after construction, and the registration is filed by the licensed contractor or by the owner if the owner built the well. Well construction must be done by a licensed water well contractor, but state law lets a person who owns land used for farming, ranching or as their place of abode construct a water well on that land. The contractor or owner who builds a well must keep a water well log, and the registration filed with the department is due within sixty days after construction.

Sources10,11

Groundwater and well construction in Nebraska

Well cap Submersible pump Casing to about 100 ft Total depth about 160 ft Soil and loose rock Open hole in rock
Cross-section of a 160 ft well with casing to 100 ft, the Nebraska median

Most of Nebraska's groundwater sits in the High Plains aquifer system, which runs through central and western Nebraska. Eastern Nebraska is outside that system: glacial till covers most of the northeast and southeast and is underlain by the Dakota Formation aquifer, and yields in these glacial drift areas are hard to predict.

A well at the Nebraska median reaches 160 ft with casing to about 100 ft, a model assumption because the records here do not report casing. Title 178 NAC 12 Chart 1 sets a minimum of 50 feet from any septic tank and 100 feet from any septic lateral field (soil absorption system).

Nebraska Extension tells private well owners to test every year for nitrate and coliform bacteria, and describes arsenic, uranium, manganese and selenium as other common health hazards worth testing for.

Sources12,2,13,14

Nebraska compared with neighboring states

StateMedian depthTypical finished well
Nebraska160 ft$6,700–$36,100
Colorado340 ft$10,300–$60,000
Iowa210 ft$8,100–$42,600
Kansas80 ft$5,400–$25,800
Missouri370 ft$11,200–$55,400
South Dakota200 ft$7,000–$48,500
Wyoming240 ft$6,800–$52,600

Sources15,3,4,5,16,7,8,17,18,2,6,9,19,20,21,22

Common questions

How deep is a typical well in Nebraska?

Half of the 6,589 domestic wells reported in Nebraska from 2016–2025 are between 100 ft and 230 ft deep, and the median is 160 ft. Your county can sit well above or below that, so check the county table on this page before you compare quotes.

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

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 $123/ft at a depth of 160 ft. Per-foot quotes rarely include the pump.

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

Nebraska's statewide requirement is registration: each water well completed on or after July 1, 2001 must be registered with the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment within sixty days after construction, and the registration is filed by the licensed contractor or by the owner if the owner built the well. 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 Nebraska?

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 well drilling costs.

Sources

  1. Registered groundwater wells , Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  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. Water Well Standards and Contractors' Practice Act (WAT324) , Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  11. Neb. Rev. Stat. 46-602, water well registration , Nebraska Legislature. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  12. Water Wise: Managing Low-Capacity Private Drinking Water Wells During Drought (G2188) , University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  13. 178 NAC 12-003, General Requirements (Chart 1 separation distances) , Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (via Cornell LII). Accessed November 9, 2026. Well rules may have been renumbered to Title 134 NAC 4 in 2026.
  14. Nebraska Extension Issues an Important Reminder for Statewide Private Well Drinking Water Testing , University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  15. DWR Well Application Permit , Colorado Division of Water Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  16. C.R.S. 37-92-602 Exemptions; presumptions; legislative declaration (current through Fall 2025) , Colorado Revised Statutes via colorado.public.law. Accessed November 8, 2026. Fee of $100 for a new exempt household well permit application; $60 for a replacement/paragraph (c) application.
  17. Water Testing , El Paso County Public Health Laboratory (CO). Accessed November 8, 2026. 2026. Total coliform/E. coli P/A $23.00; nitrate-N $30.00; real estate package $80.00.
  18. Private Well Tracking System, Wells in Iowa , Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  19. Water Well Completion Records (WWC5) , Kansas Geological Survey. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  20. Water well records (WIMS) , Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  21. Water well completion reports , South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  22. Well and spring permits , Wyoming State Geological Survey (from Wyoming State Engineer's Office permits). Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.

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