2026 Concrete Price Report
U.S. prices for ready-mix, bagged concrete, labor, pumps, reinforcement and finishes, the installed slab costs they add up to, and how they vary by state. Free to cite, with the full data as a CSV.
Modelled U.S. average estimates, not survey results. Our editors set a typical price for each item, and every installed cost here is calculated from those prices with the same line items as our calculator. Local prices can be well above or below them. How the figures are derived.
Key Findings
- A 4-inch concrete slab costs about $7 to $13 per sq ft installed and $2.50 to $4.50 per sq ft in DIY materials at U.S. average prices.
- Ready-mix concrete at 3,000 PSI costs about $135 to $160 per cubic yard before delivery; each 500-PSI step up adds $4 to $10 per yard.
- Labor is the biggest line item: on a 20 x 20 ft slab it is 49% of the direct cost, against 23% for the concrete itself including delivery.
- Small slabs cost more per square foot: about $8.50 to $15.00 for an 8 x 10 ft slab against $6.50 to $12.50 for a 40 x 60 ft slab, because delivery and setup are spread over less area.
- Bagged concrete is cheaper than a ready-mix truck only below about 1.3 cubic yards (with a rented mixer), roughly a 4-inch slab of 110 sq ft.
- Location matters: the same 20 x 20 ft slab runs about $2,460 to $4,500 in Mississippi and $3,360 to $5,940 in California and Hawaii, about 34% more.
- A stamped finish raises an installed patio to about $13 to $22 per sq ft, against $7 to $13 for a plain broom finish.
Ready-mix concrete
| Item | Unit | Price range | Calculator default |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,500 PSI | per cubic yard, before delivery | $131 – $150 | |
| 3,000 PSI | per cubic yard, before delivery | $135 – $160 | $150 |
| 3,500 PSI | per cubic yard, before delivery | $139 – $170 | |
| 4,000 PSI | per cubic yard, before delivery | $143 – $180 | |
| 4,500 PSI | per cubic yard, before delivery | $147 – $190 | |
| 5,000 PSI | per cubic yard, before delivery | $151 – $200 | |
| Delivery fee | per load | $120 | $120 |
| Short-load fee (flat) | per load under the plant minimum | $80 – $200 | |
| Short-load fee (per yard) | per missing cubic yard | $30 – $45 | |
| Fiber admixture | per cubic yard | $8 – $15 | |
| Accelerator | per cubic yard | $5 – $10 | |
| Hot water (winter) | per cubic yard | $5 – $10 |
Plants commonly set a minimum load of 4–10 yd³ (often 5–6); smaller orders pay the short-load fee. A truck carries 8–10 yd³. See concrete cost per cubic yard.
Bagged concrete
| Item | Unit | Price range | Calculator default |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80-lb bag | per bag | $6 – $8 | $6.50 |
| 60-lb bag | per bag | $5.25 | $5.25 |
| 50-lb bag | per bag | $4.75 | $4.75 |
| 40-lb bag | per bag | $3.95 | $3.95 |
| Drum mixer rental | per day | $50 – $100 |
An 80-lb bag makes 0.6 ft³ of concrete, so a cubic yard takes about 45 bags: about $293 per yard at the typical bag price. Compare with your own prices in the bags vs. ready-mix calculator.
Labor
| Item | Unit | Price range | Calculator default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place and finish a slab | per sq ft | $3.50 – $7 | $5 |
| Finisher | per hour | $40 – $70 | |
| Crew of 3-4 | per hour | $120 – $280 | $140 |
Concrete pump
| Item | Unit | Price range | Calculator default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line pump | per residential job | $400 – $800 | |
| Boom pump | per residential job | $900 – $1,800 | |
| Line pump hourly | per hour | $100 – $175 | |
| Boom pump hourly | per hour | $150 – $350 |
Site work
| Item | Unit | Price range | Calculator default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excavation and grading | per sq ft | $1 – $2.50 | $1.50 |
| Gravel base | per cubic yard | $35 – $55 | $45 |
| Gravel base | per ton | $25 – $40 | |
| Forms | per linear ft | $1.50 – $3 | $2.20 |
| Vapor barrier | per sq ft | $0.25 – $0.45 | $0.35 |
| Old slab removal (4 in) | per sq ft | $3 – $4 | $3.50 |
| Permit (small residential slab) | per permit | $50 – $350 |
Reinforcement
| Item | Unit | Price range | Calculator default |
|---|---|---|---|
| #4 rebar grid at 18 in | per sq ft | $1 – $1.75 | $1.25 |
| 6x6 welded wire mesh | per sq ft | $0.40 – $0.70 | $0.50 |
| Wire mesh sheet 5 x 10 ft | per sheet | $12 – $20 |
Finishes
| Item | Unit | Price range | Calculator default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broom finish | per sq ft | $0.50 – $0.80 | $0.75 |
| Smooth trowel finish | per sq ft | $1 – $1.50 | $1.25 |
| Exposed aggregate | per sq ft | $2.50 – $4.50 | $3.50 |
| Stamped finish | per sq ft | $6 – $12 | $7.50 |
| Sealer | per sq ft | $1 – $3 |
Installed cost
| Item | Unit | Price range | Calculator default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab, 4 in (20 x 20 ft) | per sq ft | $7 – $13 | |
| Concrete driveway, 5 in (20 x 40 ft) | per sq ft | $7 – $13 | |
| Garage floor, 5 in (24 x 24 ft) | per sq ft | $7 – $14 | |
| Stamped patio, 4 in (20 x 20 ft) | per sq ft | $13 – $22 | |
| Monolithic slab foundation (30 x 40 ft) | per sq ft | $7 – $14 | |
| Concrete steps, 4 ft wide | per step | $300 – $700 | |
| DIY slab materials, 4 in (20 x 20 ft) | per sq ft | $2.50 – $4.50 | |
| Asphalt driveway (for comparison) | per sq ft | $3 – $7 |
Installed low end: plain broom-finish slab with ready-mix at $150/yd³ plus a $120 delivery fee, forms and labor at $3.50/sq ft. High end: the calculator's default scope (adds a vapor barrier and #4 rebar at 18 in, labor at $5.00/sq ft) plus 25% contractor overhead and profit. DIY materials: the cheaper of ready-mix or $6.50 80-lb bags, plus forms, up to vapor barrier and rebar. Site excavation and a gravel base are extra (about $1.40 to $3.30 per sq ft).
Installed Cost by Slab Size
| Size | Thickness | Concrete (+10%) | Installed | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8x8 | 4 in | 0.87 yd³ | $590 – $990 | $9.00 – $15.50 |
| 8x10 | 4 in | 1.09 yd³ | $700 – $1,190 | $8.50 – $15.00 |
| 10x10 | 4 in | 1.36 yd³ | $840 – $1,430 | $8.00 – $14.50 |
| 10x12 | 4 in | 1.63 yd³ | $970 – $1,680 | $8.00 – $14.00 |
| 12x12 | 4 in | 1.96 yd³ | $1,130 – $1,970 | $7.50 – $14.00 |
| 10x16 | 4 in | 2.17 yd³ | $1,240 – $2,170 | $7.50 – $14.00 |
| 12x15 | 4 in | 2.44 yd³ | $1,370 – $2,410 | $7.50 – $13.50 |
| 12x16 | 4 in | 2.61 yd³ | $1,450 – $2,560 | $7.50 – $13.50 |
| 10x20 | 4 in | 2.72 yd³ | $1,510 – $2,660 | $7.50 – $13.50 |
| 12x20 | 4 in | 3.26 yd³ | $1,770 – $3,140 | $7.00 – $13.50 |
| 12x24 | 4 in | 3.91 yd³ | $2,090 – $3,730 | $7.00 – $13.00 |
| 16x20 | 4 in | 4.35 yd³ | $2,290 – $4,100 | $7.00 – $13.00 |
| 16x24 | 4 in | 5.21 yd³ | $2,710 – $4,880 | $7.00 – $13.00 |
| 20x20 | 4 in | 5.43 yd³ | $2,810 – $5,060 | $7.00 – $13.00 |
| 20x24 | 5 in | 8.15 yd³ | $3,580 – $6,330 | $7.00 – $13.50 |
| 12x40 | 5 in | 8.15 yd³ | $3,610 – $6,370 | $7.50 – $13.50 |
| 24x24 | 5 in | 9.78 yd³ | $4,250 – $7,540 | $7.00 – $13.50 |
| 20x30 | 5 in | 10.19 yd³ | $4,420 – $7,850 | $7.00 – $13.50 |
| 24x30 | 5 in | 12.22 yd³ | $5,250 – $9,350 | $7.00 – $13.00 |
| 20x40 | 5 in | 13.58 yd³ | $5,820 – $10,380 | $7.00 – $13.00 |
| 24x36 | 5 in | 14.67 yd³ | $6,260 – $11,170 | $7.00 – $13.00 |
| 30x30 | 6 in | 18.33 yd³ | $6,960 – $12,190 | $7.50 – $14.00 |
| 30x40 | 6 in | 24.44 yd³ | $9,190 – $16,140 | $7.50 – $13.50 |
| 24x50 | 6 in | 24.44 yd³ | $9,210 – $16,170 | $7.50 – $13.50 |
| 30x50 | 6 in | 30.56 yd³ | $11,430 – $20,100 | $7.50 – $13.50 |
| 40x40 | 6 in | 32.59 yd³ | $12,160 – $21,400 | $7.50 – $13.50 |
| 40x60 | 6 in | 48.89 yd³ | $18,090 – $31,920 | $7.50 – $13.50 |
Cost by State
The same 4-inch slab, priced with each state's location factor (U.S. average = 1.00). The five most and least expensive states in our model:
| Most expensive | Factor | Per sq ft | Least expensive | Factor | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1.25 | $8.00 – $15.00 | Mississippi | 0.84 | $6.00 – $11.50 |
| Hawaii | 1.25 | $8.00 – $15.00 | Arkansas | 0.85 | $6.00 – $11.50 |
| Alaska | 1.22 | $8.00 – $15.00 | Oklahoma | 0.86 | $6.00 – $11.50 |
| New York | 1.20 | $8.00 – $14.50 | Louisiana | 0.86 | $6.00 – $11.50 |
| Massachusetts | 1.18 | $8.00 – $14.50 | Alabama | 0.86 | $6.00 – $11.50 |
All 50 states, DC and 13 metro areas are on the concrete slab cost by state page, with guides for California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, Washington, Colorado.
Method
- Unit prices. Each item above has a typical U.S. price and a range, set by our editors and kept in one data file that every page and calculator on this site reads. They are editorial estimates of typical 2026 prices. They are not averages from a survey of contractors or suppliers, and no sample size applies.
- Installed costs. Slab costs are calculated, not collected. Concrete volume is length × width × thickness plus 10% waste; the low end is a plain broom-finish slab with labor at $3.50/sq ft; the high end adds a vapor barrier and #4 rebar, labor at $5.00/sq ft and 25% contractor overhead and profit. Excavation, gravel base, pumping and permits are listed separately.
- Location. Each state and metro has one approximate location factor, set by our editors to reflect typical construction cost differences and weighted toward the state's main metro areas. It is applied to ready-mix and labor only, as in the calculator. It is not a measured price for each place.
- Updates. When a price in the data file changes, this report, the CSV, the calculator, the size pages and the state pages all change together. The date above is the last review.
Formulas for volume, bags, rebar and joints are on the methodology page.
Download & Cite
The full data, including every size and every state, is in one CSV file: concrete-price-report-2026.csv. You may reuse it under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license: credit SlabCostCalculator.com and link to this page.
Suggested citation:
SlabCostCalculator.com, "2026 Concrete Price Report", October 2026, https://slabcostcalculator.com/concrete-price-report/
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Questions About This Report
About $135 to $160 per cubic yard for 3,000 PSI ready-mix at U.S. average prices, before a delivery fee of about $120 and any short-load fee ($80 to $200) on small orders. 4,000 PSI runs about $143 to $180.
About $7 to $13 per sq ft installed for a 4-inch slab, $7 to $13 for a 5-inch driveway and $7 to $14 for a 5-inch garage floor. DIY materials run about $2.50 to $4.50 per sq ft.
They are modelled estimates. Our editors set typical U.S. unit prices for each item (ready-mix, labor, rebar, forms and so on) and the installed costs are calculated from those, with the same line items as the calculator. They are not the results of a survey of contractors or suppliers.
Yes. The data is free to reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license: credit SlabCostCalculator.com and link to this report. A suggested citation is on this page.
When the prices in our cost model change. The date at the top of the page and in the CSV shows the last update; the calculator, size pages and state pages always use the same figures as this report.