The short answer
Architectural asphalt shingles install for about $6–$9 per square foot and last around 30 years. Standing-seam metal runs $10–$16 per square foot — roughly 1.7× the upfront cost — but lasts 50+ years. The whole comparison turns on one question: how long will you own the house? Over a long horizon, one metal roof can outlive two asphalt roofs; over a short one, asphalt almost always wins because the next owner inherits metal's longevity.
The figures below are planning ranges, not bids — installed cost including tear-off-ready labor, underlayment, and flashing allowances, before regional variation. Price your exact footprint, pitch, and material in the roofing cost calculator, then get two or three local quotes.
| Material | Per sq ft installed | Lifespan | Notes |
|---|
| Asphalt 3-tab | $4.50 – $7.50 | 20 – 25 yr | Cheapest sound roof; flat, thinner look |
| Architectural asphalt | $6 – $9 | 30 yr | The default American roof; dimensional look |
| Metal, exposed-fastener (R-panel) | $6 – $10 | 40 – 50 yr | Budget path into metal; screws need re-tightening |
| Metal, standing-seam | $10 – $16 | 50+ yr | Concealed clips, longest-lived, lowest upkeep |
Asphalt: cheapest to install, replaced more often
Asphalt shingles cover roughly four out of five American homes because they are inexpensive, every roofer installs them, and they do the job. 3-tab shingles are the budget tier at $4.50–$7.50 per square foot installed with a 20–25 year life; architectural (dimensional) shingles cost $6–$9 per square foot, carry a thicker, layered look, and last about 30 years.
The trade is simply that you will do this again. Over a 50-year stretch in one house, an asphalt roof is a once-or-twice event; each cycle brings another tear-off ($1–$1.75 per square foot plus a $300–$600 dumpster) and another install. None of that is a defect — it is the cost structure you accept for the lowest sticker price. Model your exact footprint and pitch in the roofing calculator.
Metal: pay more once, replace rarely
Metal roofing splits into two very different price points. Standing-seam — the premium version — hides its fasteners under concealed clips, so there are no exposed screws to work loose; it runs $10–$16 per square foot installed and lasts 50+ years. Exposed-fastener (R-panel) metal screws through the panel face and is the budget path into metal at $6–$10 per square foot with a 40–50 year life — the catch is gasketed screws that need periodic inspection and eventual re-tightening.
Beyond longevity, metal brings benefits asphalt can't: better hail and fire resistance, cleaner snow shedding, and lighter weight. Two honest caveats: metal's upfront premium is real, and a metal roof needs installers who specialize in it — a crew that mostly does shingles is the wrong crew for standing-seam.
The 2,000 sq ft comparison
Roof area is larger than the home's footprint because pitch adds surface — a typical 2,000 sq ft footprint carries about 2,200 sq ft of roof (roughly 22 squares) on a moderate pitch. Run that through the calculator's installed ranges and the gap is stark:
| 2,000 sq ft footprint (~22 sq) | Installed cost | Lifespan |
|---|
| Asphalt 3-tab | $9,900 – $16,500 | 20 – 25 yr |
| Architectural asphalt | $13,200 – $19,800 | 30 yr |
| Standing-seam metal | $22,000 – $35,200 | 50+ yr |
The metal roof costs roughly $8,800–$15,400 more than architectural asphalt on this house. Whether that is money well spent is not a materials question — it is an ownership-horizon question, which the next section works through.
The long-horizon math: does metal pay for itself?
Upfront, architectural asphalt wins every time. Stretch the timeline and the comparison flips. A metal roof lasts 50+ years; architectural asphalt about 30. So over a long enough stay, the asphalt roof reaches the end of its life and gets torn off and replaced — a second full roofing bill — while the metal roof is still only halfway through its life.
Put concretely: if you plan to be in the house for 25–40+ years, one standing-seam roof can replace two asphalt roofs, and once you add the second tear-off and install into the asphalt column, the lifetime costs move much closer together. If you expect to sell within about ten years, architectural asphalt almost always pencils out better — you pay far less upfront, and the next owner captures most of a metal roof's longevity premium without paying you for it. Exposed-fastener metal is the hedge in between: much of metal's life at a price that overlaps the top of the asphalt range.
Frequently asked questions
Is a metal roof worth the extra cost over asphalt?
It depends on how long you will own the house. Standing-seam metal runs $10–$16 per square foot installed versus $6–$9 for architectural asphalt, but it lasts 50+ years against about 30. Over a long ownership horizon one metal roof can outlive two asphalt roofs, and it adds hail, fire, and snow-shedding benefits. If you expect to sell within about ten years, asphalt usually pencils out better because the next owner captures most of metal's longevity premium.
How much more does a metal roof cost than asphalt?
Standing-seam metal is roughly 1.7 times the upfront cost of architectural asphalt per square foot. On a typical 2,000 sq ft footprint (about 22 roofing squares), architectural asphalt runs about $13,200–$19,800 installed, while standing-seam metal runs about $22,000–$35,200. Exposed-fastener metal panels at $6–$10 per square foot are the budget path into metal and can overlap the top of the asphalt range.
How long does a metal roof last vs asphalt?
Standing-seam metal lasts 50+ years and exposed-fastener metal 40–50 years, versus about 20–25 years for 3-tab asphalt and 30 years for architectural asphalt. That is the core of the value case: a metal roof is often a once-in-ownership purchase, while asphalt is replaced once or twice over the same span.
What is the difference between standing-seam and exposed-fastener metal?
Standing-seam metal ($10–$16 per square foot installed) hides its fasteners under concealed clips, so there are no exposed screws to fail; it is the premium, longest-lived metal roof. Exposed-fastener (R-panel) metal ($6–$10 per square foot) screws through the panel face with gasketed screws that need periodic inspection and eventual re-tightening. Exposed-fastener is cheaper; standing-seam is lower-maintenance and longer-lived.
Is a metal roof noisy in the rain?
Far less than the reputation suggests. A metal roof installed over solid decking and underlayment, with attic insulation below, is not meaningfully louder in rain than asphalt. The drum-on-a-barn sound comes from metal over open framing with no decking, which is not how a house roof is built.
When is asphalt the better choice?
When upfront budget is the constraint, when you expect to sell within about ten years, or when neighborhood or HOA norms favor shingles. Architectural asphalt at $6–$9 per square foot installed and a 30-year life is the default American roof for good reason, and 3-tab at $4.50–$7.50 is the cheapest way to get a sound roof over your head.
Which should you pick?
- Tightest budget, or a sound roof fast? 3-tab asphalt — the cheapest way to get covered, 20–25 years.
- Staying 10–20 years, want the standard look? Architectural asphalt — the default for a reason: $6–$9/sf and a 30-year life.
- This is your forever home (25–40+ years)? Standing-seam metal — one roof instead of two, plus hail, fire, and snow benefits.
- Want metal's life without the standing-seam price? Exposed-fastener metal — 40–50 years at $6–$10/sf, if you'll keep an eye on the screws.
- Selling within a few years? Architectural asphalt — don't pre-pay for a roof life the next owner captures.
Whichever way you lean, price your exact footprint, pitch, and material — then check any contractor quote against the band with the built-in bid check:
Roofing cost calculator →
