How Much Is a Yard of Concrete?
A yard of ready-mix concrete costs roughly $140 to $200 delivered in 2026, depending on your region and the strength of the mix. A standard 3,000 psi mix sits near the bottom of that range and 5,000 psi near the top.
Small orders cost more per yard: under about 3–5 yards, expect a short-load fee of $40–$60 per yard or $100–$180 flat on top of the concrete.
| Mix strength | Typical use | Price per yard |
|---|---|---|
| 3,000 psi | Patios, walkways, shed pads | $140–$160 |
| 3,500 psi | Residential slabs, footings | $150–$170 |
| 4,000 psi | Driveways, garage floors | $160–$180 |
| 4,500 psi | Heavy driveways, structural | $170–$185 |
| 5,000 psi | Commercial, freeze-thaw exposure | $178–$200 |
National averages for material plus local delivery. Coastal and metro markets run higher; ask two suppliers for a quote before budgeting.
What is actually in that price
The per-yard number a supplier quotes usually covers the concrete and delivery within about 20 miles. Everything else is added on the invoice:
- Short-load fee: $40–$60 per yard, or a flat $100–$180, when you order less than the 3–5 yard minimum
- Fuel and environmental surcharge: $25–$50 per load
- Standby / wait time: $2–$4 per minute after the first 45–60 minutes on site
- Saturday or after-hours delivery: often $100+
- Admixtures: fibre, accelerator, retarder, or air entrainment, $5–$15 per yard each
A one-yard order can easily land at $300 all-in, which is why very small pours often go to bags instead.
What a yard buys you
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. It covers:
- 81 sq ft at 4 inches thick — a 9 × 9 pad
- 65 sq ft at 5 inches
- 54 sq ft at 6 inches
At $170 per yard, a 4-inch slab works out to roughly $2.10 per square foot in concrete alone — before base, forms, reinforcement, and labour.
Bags vs ready-mix for one yard
One cubic yard takes 45 bags of 80 lb mix, about $225–$315 at typical retail prices. That looks cheaper than a $300 short-load delivery until you count the day of mixing and the risk of cold joints in a slab.
The rough rule: under half a yard, use bags. Over one yard, order ready-mix. In between, decide on whether you can pour continuously. Full comparison on bags of concrete per yard.
How to keep the cost down
- Combine small pours into one delivery to clear the short-load minimum.
- Book mid-week and mid-morning; weekend and early slots carry premiums.
- Have the site formed, based, and ready before the truck arrives — standby time is expensive.
- Order only the strength your job needs; paying for 5,000 psi on a garden path is wasted money.
- Get quotes from two or three plants. Spreads of $20–$30 per yard within a single metro are common.
Estimating notes
- Prices here are 2026 national averages for the United States and move with cement and fuel costs. Treat them as a budgeting range, not a quote.
- "A yard of concrete" always means a cubic yard — 27 cubic feet, about 4,050 lb wet.
- Cost per square foot for a finished, poured slab is much higher once labour is included.