Well Pump Replacement Cost Calculator
The pump is rarely the expensive part — on a deep well, the pipe and wire going down to it are.
Installed cost
$3,767.50
- Pump
- $900.00
- Labor (5.0 h)
- $575.00
- Drop pipe and wire — 200 ft at $6.00/ft
- $1,200.00
- Tank, test and other items
- $750.00
- Contingency (10%)
- $342.50
- Install only, pump supplied by you
- $2,525.00
Several far cheaper faults produce the same symptoms as a dead pump. Have the system tested before anybody pulls it.
Replacing the water heater too? Price that swap →
How this is calculated
equipment = pump price for the type
labor = hours × rate
drop = well depth × (pipe $/ft + wire $/ft)
— submersibles only
extras = pressure tank + water test + cap
+ electrical + permit
total = (equipment + labor + drop + extras)
× (1 + contingency%)The drop line only applies to pumps that live at the bottom of the well. A submersible hangs on drop pipe with its wire strapped alongside, so replacing it means pulling and usually replacing both for the full depth — at six dollars a foot, a 400 foot well carries $2,400 of pipe and wire before the pump is counted. A jet pump sits at the surface and draws water up, so the depth field is displayed but not charged.
Install-only is shown for the same reason as on the water heater page: pumps are widely available and some homeowners supply their own. Note that it keeps the drop pipe, because that is materials the contractor supplies and installs, not part of the pump you would buy.
Cost by pump type and well depth
| Pump type | 100 ft well | 200 ft well | 400 ft well |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submersible (deep well) | $3,107.50 | $3,767.50 | $5,087.50 |
| Jet pump (shallow well, under 25 ft) | $1,699.50 | $1,699.50 | $1,699.50 |
| Jet pump (deep well, two-pipe) | $2,101.00 | $2,101.00 | $2,101.00 |
| Constant pressure system | $4,664.00 | $5,324.00 | $6,644.00 |
Every figure runs through the same function as the calculator, with a pressure tank, a water test and a 10% contingency. Read across the jet pump rows: they do not move, because depth costs them nothing. Then read across the submersible row, which nearly doubles between 100 and 400 feet. That contrast is the whole reason this page asks for depth at all.
Symptoms that are not always the pump
| What happens | Could be the pump | But check first |
|---|---|---|
| No water at all | Pump failed or lost prime | Breaker, pressure switch, control box |
| Pump runs constantly | Worn pump losing capacity | Leak in the line, dropping water table |
| Clicks on and off every few seconds | Rarely the pump | Waterlogged pressure tank |
| Pressure swings while showering | Rarely the pump | Pressure switch or tank charge |
| Sputtering, air in the lines | Pump drawing air | Water level, foot or check valve |
| Dirty or sandy water | Pump set too low | Well screen, water table, casing |
The middle column is the honest one. Three of these six symptoms are more often something costing a couple of hundred dollars than a pump costing thousands, and a waterlogged pressure tank in particular is both a common cause and the thing that destroys the replacement pump if it is not fixed at the same time.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace a well pump?
A shallow jet pump swap is commonly $800 to $1,800. A submersible in a 200 foot well is more often $2,000 to $4,500, because the pump is at the bottom and replacing it means pulling and usually replacing the drop pipe and wire all the way down. Constant pressure systems start higher still. Depth is the variable that separates those numbers, not the pump itself.
Why does well depth change the price so much?
Only for submersibles, and it is the pipe rather than the pump. A submersible hangs at the bottom of the well on drop pipe with wire strapped alongside, so a 400 foot well needs twice the pipe and wire of a 200 foot one, plus the rig time to pull and lower it. A jet pump sits at the surface and draws water up, so depth barely touches its bill — which is why the calculator only applies the per-foot cost where it belongs.
Should the pressure tank be replaced at the same time?
Usually yes if it is old or waterlogged, and it is the cheapest thing to do while the system is already open and drained. A failed tank makes the pump short-cycle, which is what kills pumps early, so replacing a pump and leaving a bad tank often means buying the pump twice. Tanks run a few hundred dollars against a job that is already in the thousands.
How do I know the pump is the problem?
Common signs are no water at all, water that sputters, pressure that swings wildly, or a pump that runs constantly or clicks on and off every few seconds. But those symptoms also fit a bad pressure switch, a waterlogged tank, a failed check valve or a dropping water table, and several of those are far cheaper. A well contractor can test the pump before anybody pulls it.
How long does a well pump last?
Eight to fifteen years for a submersible, often longer in good water, and less where sediment or hard water is present or where a failing pressure tank has made it short-cycle. Jet pumps are more accessible and easier to service, so they tend to be repaired rather than replaced. Nothing about age alone requires replacement while it is working.
Should I test the water after the work?
Yes, and many jurisdictions require it after a well is opened. Pulling and lowering equipment introduces surface contamination, so the well is usually chlorinated and then tested for bacteria before the system returns to normal use. It is a small line item on a job of this size and the only way to know the water is safe afterwards.
Results are planning estimates built from typical price ranges, not quotes. Rates vary by region and by how accessible the wellhead is, and equipment prices move with the market. Have the system diagnosed before assuming the pump has failed, and have the water tested after any work that opens the well.