Concrete Cost Per Cubic Yard Explained (2026 Ready-Mix Pricing)
Quick answer: standard 3,000 PSI ready-mix concrete costs about $135 to $160 per cubic yard in 2026 before delivery, and 4,000 PSI about $143 to $180. Small orders cost far more per yard once delivery and short-load fees are added: 2 yards works out to about $250 to $310 per yard delivered. Bagged concrete in 80-lb bags works out to about $293 per yard.
The price per cubic yard is the number every concrete supplier quotes, but it is rarely the number you pay. Strength grade, the size of your order, delivery fees, how long the truck waits and whether you need a pump all change the real cost. This guide walks through each piece so you can read a ready-mix quote and know what it should total.
Ready-Mix Price by PSI Grade
PSI is the compressive strength the mix reaches at 28 days. Each 500-PSI step up adds roughly $4 to $10 per yard, mostly for extra cement.
| Strength | Price per yd³ | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 2,500 PSI | $131 to $150 | Footings and interior slabs not exposed to weather |
| 3,000 PSI | $135 to $160 | Patios, walkways, shed floors in mild climates |
| 3,500 PSI | $139 to $170 | Garage floors, driveways, porches and steps in freeze-thaw areas |
| 4,000 PSI | $143 to $180 | Driveways that see de-icing salt, RV and truck pads |
| 4,500 PSI | $147 to $190 | Heavy equipment, shop floors with forklifts, commercial aprons |
| 5,000 PSI | $151 to $200 | Heavy-duty shop floors and structural foundations |
The International Residential Code (Table R402.2) sets minimums for homes: 2,500 PSI where concrete is protected from weather, 3,000 PSI for exposed work in mild climates, and 3,500 PSI with 5% to 7% entrained air for garage floors, porches and steps where weathering is severe. Where road salt is used, many contractors step up to 4,000 PSI. The jump from 3,000 to 4,000 PSI adds only $8 to $20 per yard, so it is rarely worth skimping on a driveway.
What You Actually Pay Per Yard
Every load carries a delivery charge, and orders below the plant's minimum (commonly 5 to 6 yards, anywhere from 4 to 10 depending on the plant) usually add a short-load fee. Spread over a small order, those fees swamp the concrete price.
| Order size | Concrete at $150/yd³ | Short-load fee? | Total delivered | Effective cost per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yd³ | $150 | Yes, $80 to $200 | $350 to $470 | $350 to $470 |
| 2 yd³ | $300 | Yes, $80 to $200 | $500 to $620 | $250 to $310 |
| 3 yd³ | $450 | Yes, $80 to $200 | $650 to $770 | $217 to $257 |
| 4 yd³ | $600 | Yes, $80 to $200 | $800 to $920 | $200 to $230 |
| 6 yd³ | $900 | No | $1,020 | $170 |
| 8 yd³ | $1,200 | No | $1,320 | $165 |
| 10 yd³ | $1,500 | No | $1,620 | $162 |
Some plants charge the short-load fee per missing yard instead: $30 to $45 for each yard you are below the minimum. Either way, the lesson is the same. If you can combine pours (a patio and a walkway, or a slab and its footings) into one order, the cost per yard drops quickly.
Truck Capacity, Order Steps and Unloading Time
- Truck size: a standard transit mixer carries 8 to 10 yards. A 30x40 shop floor at 4 inches needs 16.3 yd³ with waste, so plan on 2 trucks or more, scheduled so the second arrives as the first finishes.
- Order steps: plants sell in steps of 0.25 or 0.5 yard. Round your order up, never down. Running short mid-pour leaves a cold joint and a second delivery fee.
- Free unloading time: most plants allow about 5 to 8 minutes per yard. After that, waiting time is billed. Have forms, tools and helpers ready before the truck arrives.
- Time limit: ASTM C94, the standard for ready-mixed concrete, calls for the load to be discharged within 90 minutes of batching unless the buyer agrees otherwise. Long drives from the plant eat into your working time.
Common Add-Ons and Surcharges
| Item | Typical cost | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery fee | $120 per load (calculator default) | Every order |
| Short-load fee | $80 to $200 flat, or $30 to $45 per yard short | Orders below the plant minimum |
| Fuel or environmental surcharge | $10 to $50 per load | Most plants, varies with fuel prices |
| Synthetic fiber | $8 to $15 per yd³ | Helps control plastic shrinkage cracks; not a substitute for rebar |
| Set accelerator | $5 to $10 per yd³ | Cool weather, faster finishing |
| Hot water (winter) | $5 to $10 per yd³ | Pours near or below 40°F |
| Pump mix (smaller stone) | $5 to $10 more per yd³ | Line pumps |
| Line pump | $400 to $800 per job | Truck cannot get within 15 to 20 ft of the forms |
| Boom pump | $900 to $1,800 per job | Large slabs, over a house or fence |
Air entrainment is usually built into the exterior mix price in cold regions, but ask. A pump is billed by the job with an hourly minimum, so it costs about the same for 3 yards as for 10. On a small slab, a few helpers with wheelbarrows are often cheaper.
Bagged Concrete: Cost Per Yard Equivalent
Bags are priced per bag, but converting them to a yard makes the comparison fair.
| Bag size | Yield per bag | Bags per yd³ | Price per bag | Cost per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 lb | 0.600 ft³ | 45 | $6.50 | $293 |
| 60 lb | 0.450 ft³ | 60 | $5.25 | $315 |
| 50 lb | 0.375 ft³ | 72 | $4.75 | $342 |
| 40 lb | 0.300 ft³ | 90 | $3.95 | $356 |
So bagged concrete costs roughly twice as much per yard as ready-mix. It still wins on very small jobs because there is no delivery fee or short-load fee. Below about 1 yard, bags usually come out ahead; above about 1.5 yards, the truck usually does. Our ready-mix vs. bagged concrete guide has the full break-even table.
Worked Example: 24x24 Garage Slab at 4,000 PSI
To see what that means per square foot: one cubic yard covers 81 sq ft at 4 inches, so $150 concrete is about $1.85 per sq ft before waste. Concrete is usually less than a third of an installed slab's price. The cost per square foot matrix shows the rest.
How to Get an Accurate Ready-Mix Quote
- Measure and calculate the volume with waste. The concrete yard calculator does this in seconds, and our guide on how to calculate concrete for a slab explains the math.
- Specify the mix: PSI, air entrainment for exterior work in cold climates, slump (how wet), and stone size if you are pumping.
- Ask for the full price: price per yard, delivery fee, minimum load, short-load fee, fuel surcharge, free unloading time and the overtime rate.
- Confirm access: tell the dispatcher how close the truck can get. A loaded truck is heavy and can crack a driveway or sink into a soft lawn.
- Get two or three quotes. Prices and fees vary more between plants than most people expect.
Once you have numbers, plug them into the ready-mix concrete calculator or the full slab cost calculator. If a contractor has quoted the whole job, run it through the concrete quote checker.
Extra water on site makes concrete easier to place but lowers its strength and raises shrinkage cracking. If the mix is too stiff, ask for a plasticizer when you order, or agree on the slump in advance.
Sources and Method
PSI prices follow this site's rule: 3,000 PSI at $135 to $160 per yard, plus $4 to $10 per 500-PSI step. Delivery, short-load and pump figures are typical US ranges; your local plant sets its own (see our methodology). Strength minimums come from the International Residential Code, Table R402.2. Delivery time limits come from ASTM C94, Standard Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete, and bag mixes are covered by ASTM C387. Cold-weather guidance follows ACI 306R.
Frequently Asked Questions
About $135 to $160 per cubic yard for standard 3,000 PSI ready-mix, before delivery. 4,000 PSI runs about $143 to $180. Add a delivery fee (around $120), a fuel surcharge of $10 to $50, and a short-load fee of $80 to $200 if you order less than the plant minimum.
It depends on the plant. Minimums range from 4 to 10 cubic yards and are commonly 5 to 6. You can usually order less, but expect a short-load fee of $80 to $200 flat or $30 to $45 per yard below the minimum.
A standard transit mixer carries 8 to 10 cubic yards. Larger pours need more than one truck, scheduled back to back.
No. Bagged concrete in 80-lb bags costs about $293 per cubic yard, about twice the price of ready-mix. Bags only win on small jobs, roughly under 1 yard, because they avoid delivery and short-load fees.
About $8 to $20 more per cubic yard. On a typical driveway or garage slab that is a small share of the total, and it buys better resistance to freeze-thaw and road salt.
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