Material prices · updated with August 2026 data

Steel and Rebar Prices

Producer prices for steel mill products, the broad measure for bar, plate, sheet and pipe, with fabricated reinforcing bar and bar joists and fabricated structural metal alongside.

vs. August 2025: +23.4%
vs. last month: +1.7%
vs. 5 years ago: −4.5%

Steel mill products, August 2026 (preliminary). Producer prices, not shelf prices.

Steel mill products, producer price index rebased to 100

September 2024 = 100. A reading of 110 means prices were 10% higher than in September 2024.

What it means for your bids

At producer prices, a steel order that cost $10,000 in August 2025 would cost about $12,344 in August 2026 , and one from August 2021 about $9,551 .

Supplier and retail prices follow producer prices with their own markups and timing, so use the trend to judge how long to hold a bid price and whether to add an escalation clause, and use your supplier’s quote for the number on the bid.

Related materials

Material	vs. last month	vs. a year ago	vs. 5 years ago
Steel mill products BLS WPU1017 , preliminary	+1.7%	+23.4%	−4.5%
Rebar and bar joists BLS WPU1074051 , preliminary	+3.2%	+23.6%	+19.6%
Fabricated structural metal BLS WPU107405 , preliminary	+1.5%	+3.1%	+18.2%

Every material we track is in the August 2026 materials price report, and the material prices page lists them side by side.

Cite or reuse this data

Free to use with credit and a link. The figures are U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, compiled by BuildWorkPro.

BuildWorkPro Price Index: Steel and Rebar Prices, August 2026. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Producer Price Index. https://buildworkpro.com/prices/steel/

Download the data (CSV) How these numbers are built

Price the job

Rebar calculator Sticks to buy from a cut list, and the weight in tons. Concrete block calculator Vertical bars and joint reinforcement for a block wall. Concrete estimate template Rebar grids converted to bars, laps, sticks and chairs. Construction estimate template Line items with steel priced from your latest quote. Markup vs margin calculator Carry a price increase through to the bid at your margin. For concrete contractors Rebar, forming and placement as separate bid lines.

Frequently asked questions

Are steel and rebar prices going up or down?

In August 2026, producer prices for steel mill products rose 1.7% from the month before and rose 23.4% from August 2025. Over five years they fell 4.5%. These are Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, and the latest months are preliminary until BLS revises them four months after release.

How much have steel and rebar prices changed in the last year?

At producer prices, a steel order that cost $10,000 in August 2025 would cost about $12,344 in August 2026, higher by 23.4%. Your supplier’s price follows the same direction with its own markup and timing.

Is this the price I pay at the supplier?

No. The Producer Price Index measures what domestic producers receive, before distribution and retail markups. Supplier and retail prices tend to follow it with a lag. Use it for the trend and for escalation, and get today’s number from your supplier’s quote.

Can I use this index in a price escalation clause?

Many contracts tie material escalation to a named Producer Price Index series, measured from the bid month to the purchase month. This page uses BLS series WPU1017 for steel mill products. Name the exact series and months in the contract, and have your attorney review the clause.