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How Much Is a Yard of Concrete? 2026 Concrete Prices Per Yard
Quick answer: A cubic yard of ready-mix concrete costs roughly $140–$195 delivered in 2026, with most estimates landing near $165–$180 per yard for a standard 3,000–4,000 PSI mix. Delivery fees and short-load surcharges are extra and can add 20–50% to a small order.
The per-yard price is the number everyone quotes, and it is also the number that misleads people most, because it is rarely what you end up paying. Below is the base price, then every fee that gets added to it, then the same figures expressed per square foot so you can sanity-check a contractor's bid.
Concrete price per yard in 2026
Published national averages for 2026 vary by source and by what they include, which is why the range is wide. Taken together:
| Source basis | Price per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| Standard 3,000–4,000 PSI, delivered within 20 miles | $140 – $180 |
| Commonly cited national average | $165 – $180 |
| Full published range across sources | $140 – $195+ |
| Rule-of-thumb estimating figure | ~$180 |
Sources: Concrete Network, Concrete Prices 2026; CostFlow AI, 2026 Concrete Costs; Ready Mix Concrete Prices 2026. Figures are national averages retrieved August 2026 and go stale — always confirm with a local plant.
Regional variation is larger than the PSI upgrade
| Region | Typical price per yard |
|---|---|
| West Coast | $190 – $220 |
| National average | $165 – $180 |
| Southeast | $155 – $170 |
Coastal and high-cost metro markets typically run 20–40% above central US markets for comparable work. Upgrading from a 3,000 PSI to a 4,000–4,500 PSI mix adds roughly $10–$40 per yard — less than the swing between two zip codes.
The fees that turn $180 into $300
This is where small residential pours get expensive. The base per-yard price assumes a full truck delivered close to the plant; almost no DIY project meets that description.
| Charge | Typical amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Short-load surcharge | $40 – $150 per order | Ordering less than a full truck (usually under 8–10 yd³) |
| Distance delivery | ~$9.50 per mile | Beyond roughly 20 miles from the plant |
| Extra unloading time | Varies by supplier | Past the included window, often 5–7 minutes per yard |
| Saturday / after-hours | Varies | Outside standard delivery days |
| PSI upgrade | $10 – $40 per yard | 4,000 PSI and above |
Concrete cost per square foot
Contractors bid slabs by the square foot, so this is the figure to compare quotes against. A standard 4-inch residential slab runs $6–$12 per square foot installed in 2026, with a national average near $8.
| Component | Cost per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Materials (concrete, reinforcement, base, forms) | $3 – $7 |
| Labour | $3 – $8 (typically $3–$5 with good access) |
| Total, standard 4 in slab | $6 – $12 |
| Basic shed or utility pad | $4 – $5 |
| Stamped or stained decorative | $20 – $30 |
Sources: Angi, Concrete Slab Cost 2026; Homewyse cost data; CostFlow AI, Concrete Slab Cost 2026.
What a slab actually costs by size
| Slab | Area | Concrete at 4 in | Installed cost at $8/sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 shed pad | 100 sq ft | 1.24 yd³ | ~$800 |
| 12 × 12 patio | 144 sq ft | 1.78 yd³ | ~$1,150 |
| 20 × 20 double garage | 400 sq ft | 4.94 yd³ | ~$3,200 |
| 24 × 24 garage | 576 sq ft | 7.11 yd³ | ~$4,600 |
| 16 × 40 driveway | 640 sq ft | 7.90 yd³ | ~$5,100 |
Volumes above are calculated at 4 inches with no waste factor. Add 5–10% for subgrade irregularity — the ground is never as flat as the drawing. Our concrete cost & yardage calculator does this for any dimensions, and the bag calculator handles small pours.
Footings and slab together
A slab on grade is not the whole cost when the structure carries load. Thickened edges or separate footings add concrete volume and a second pour’s worth of forming labour. As a planning figure, a monolithic slab with a thickened perimeter typically runs 15–30% above a plain 4-inch slab of the same area, and separate footings poured ahead of the slab cost more again because they are a distinct mobilisation.
Frost depth drives this hard. In a cold climate where footings must reach 42–48 inches, the footing concrete can rival the slab itself. Use the footing & sonotube calculator for the volume and check your local frost depth with the building department — it is a local amendment, not a national number.
Bags or ready-mix: where the line sits
An 80 lb bag yields about 0.6 cu ft, so a cubic yard takes roughly 45 bags. At typical retail bag pricing that is comfortably more expensive per yard than ready-mix, before counting the labour of mixing 45 bags.
- Under ~1 cubic yard: bags win. Post holes, small pads, repairs.
- 1–1.5 cubic yards: genuinely close once the short-load fee is included. Mixing capacity and how many hands you have usually decides it.
- Above ~1.5 cubic yards: ready-mix, almost always. Beyond this a bag pour risks cold joints because you cannot place fast enough.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a yard of concrete in 2026?
Roughly $140–$195 delivered, with most national estimates around $165–$180 for a standard 3,000–4,000 PSI mix. Add delivery and short-load fees on top.
How much does a concrete slab cost per square foot?
$6–$12 per square foot installed for a standard 4-inch residential slab, averaging about $8. Decorative finishes run $20–$30.
What is a short load fee?
A surcharge of about $40–$150 applied when you order less than a full truck. On a 2-yard pour it can be a quarter of the total.
Why is my quote higher than these figures?
These are national averages. Site access, removal of an existing slab, subgrade work, reinforcement schedule, finish type, and your local labour market all move the number, and coastal metros run 20–40% above the average.
Related calculators
- Concrete Cost & Yardage Calculator — cubic yards plus ready-mix and installed cost for any slab.
- Concrete Bag Calculator — 60 lb and 80 lb bag counts for small pours.
- Concrete Footing & Sonotube Calculator — round footings, piers, and post holes.
- How Many Bags of Concrete in a Yard? — full bag conversion table.
- How Much Does a Yard of Concrete Weigh? — delivery and disposal weights.
- How Thick Should a Concrete Slab Be? — thickness by application.