Home › Rates by job › Hay & forage
Baling large square bales: custom rates by state
Large square bales, per bale. Rates are per bale.
States with data
6
Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, North Dakota
Lowest survey average
$12.00
North Dakota (2024)
Highest survey average
$16.25
Nebraska (2026)
Survey averages, not quotes. These are averages of what people reported in extension surveys. Use them as a starting point for a conversation, not as a price. Survey years differ (2024, 2025, 2026); values are not adjusted for inflation or diesel prices.
| State · survey wording | Average | Range | Responses | Median / mode | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa 2026 Hay baling - large square bales |
$14.90/bale | $13.00 – $18.00 | 7 | median $14.25 | PDF p. 4 · calculate |
| Nebraska 2026 Baling large square bales, (average lbs/bale = 900#) few responses |
$16.25/bale | $15.00 – $18.00 | 4 | most common $15.00 | PDF p. 13 · calculate |
| Ohio 2026 Large square bales - Baled and Left in Field |
$12.91/bale | $10.00 – $16.00 | 11 | median $13.00 | PDF p. 7 · calculate |
| Indiana 2025 Large Rectangular Bales (over 1000 lbs.) |
$13.17/bale | not published | 6 | — | PDF p. 3 · calculate |
| Wisconsin 2025 Baling square bales - Large (>250 pounds) |
$13.22/bale | $8.00 – $16.50 | 9 | median $14.00 | PDF p. 4 · calculate |
| North Dakota 2024 Baling (Wire or Twine Included) - Large Square Bales, Over 250 lbs few responses |
$12.00/bale | $8.00 – $15.00 | 4 | most common $15.00 | PDF p. 2 · calculate |
Minnesota and Illinois: no state survey, so they are not listed or counted separately. Iowa’s 2026 rate above is often used as a reference there.
Bar: shaded = published range, dark tick = average (scaled to the highest value on this page). “Few responses” = fewer than 5.
Ad slot — placeholderResponsive ad unit (e.g. 320×100 phone / 728×90 desktop). Nothing is sold here yet.
What’s included and how ranges differ
- Indiana: Where shown, the range is the average ± one standard deviation (only published when 30+ responses).
- Iowa: Range excludes the single lowest and single highest response.
- Nebraska: Range is the minimum and maximum reported. “Most common” (mode) also shown.
- North Dakota: Range is the minimum and maximum reported. “Most frequent” (mode) also shown.
- Ohio: Range is the minimum and maximum reported.
- Wisconsin: Range is the lowest and highest reported.
All included surveys say their rates cover fuel and the operator unless otherwise noted; rental items exclude them.
Sponsor slot — placeholderReserved for a single clearly-labeled sponsor of this job page (for example a local equipment dealer or ag lender). No sponsor yet.