Concrete Cost per Cubic Yard: How to Work Out Your Total

Concrete cost = billable order volume × quoted yard rate, plus charges not already included. Measure the job, agree the contingency and ordering increment, then compare the same mix and scope. A national per-yard average is a budget reference, not a delivered or installed quote. Small loads, access, waiting time and placement can change the total substantially.¹, ²

National concrete cost benchmarks*

Source and scope	Published figure*	How to use it
Concrete Network, updated July 14, 2026	Reported 2025 nationwide ready-mix average: $179.95/yd³; published range $160-$195 or more/yd³.	Historical national reference reported by an industry information site, not a 2026 local quote.
LatestCost, October 3, 2026	National planning average near $150/yd³; full-load standard-mix range $125-$180/yd³.	Planning guide assumes ordinary access, no pumping or placement labor.
LatestCost small-load planning range	$175-$300/yd³; minimum-load fees may apply.	Check whether a quoted small-load rate already includes any surcharge.

Concrete Network reports its 2025 average with attribution to Concrete Financial Insights. LatestCost gives a different 2026 planning figure.¹, ² Do not average these into a supposedly measured current price; the dates, assumptions and methods differ. Both can be useful for budgeting, but only a local quote settles the actual mix, quantity and delivery scope.

*National references from the named publications, not guaranteed prices or an independent survey by MeasureScout. The $179.95 figure is a reported 2025 average, while $150 is a 2026 planning estimate. Delivery inclusion, order size, taxes, access and placement vary. Confirm current local terms before ordering.

Measure volume at full precision

Net cu ft = length (ft) × width (ft) × thickness (in) ÷ 12.
Net cu yd = area (sq ft) × thickness (in) ÷ 324. Split non-overlapping sections with different thicknesses and add unrounded volumes. Account for measured thickened edges, footings and other concrete separately. The selected dimensions below do not approve slab thickness, reinforcement or mix design.

NRMCA CIP 31 recommends ordering 4-10% above a plan-dimension estimate for contingencies and says to avoid excessive orders and small cleanup loads.³ Agree the actual allowance with the contractor/producer based on site measurements and placement. A percentage is not a replacement for measuring over-excavation or changing the required design. Supplier order/billing increments are a separate final step.

Net volume chart

Selected footprint	Selected thickness	Net cu ft	Net cu yd
10 × 10 ft	4 in	33.333	1.234568
10 × 20 ft	4 in	66.667	2.469136
20 × 20 ft	4 in	133.333	4.938272
20 × 20 ft	5 in	166.667	6.172840
30 × 40 ft	6 in	600.000	22.222222

Geometry only. No contingency, order increment or price is included. Keep full precision through the final count/cost calculation.

Quote checklist: compare the same scope

• Use the specified mix and performance requirements. Do not choose a cheaper strength, remove required air entrainment or assume fiber replaces reinforcement just to lower the price. NRMCA says mixture requirements should follow the project design and be communicated to the producer.³
• Confirm ordered versus billed volume, actual sales increment, minimum purchase and short-load method. A minimum-volume bill and an additional fee are different charges.
• Check whether the yard rate already includes delivery, fuel, environmental charges, unloading time or any small-load surcharge. Do not add them a second time.
• Ask about allowed unloading time, overtime/waiting rates, delivery window, weekend charges, cancellation and returned-concrete handling.
• Price pumping/conveying, placement, finishing, forms, reinforcement, base preparation, demolition and disposal separately when not included. Confirm taxes and any deposits.

NRMCA describes concrete as sold by volume in its freshly mixed, unhardened condition and stresses delivery scheduling and suitable truck access.³ A generic truck-capacity range does not prove access, bridge/driveway support or a safe unloading plan. Arrange the actual delivery with the producer and contractor.

Cost equation

Total quote = billable quantity × mix rate + separately charged per-yard add-ons + separately charged per-load/per-order fees + placement/equipment/labor + applicable taxes. Include only items not already inside the rate. If taxes apply to different items, use the quoted taxable base rather than applying a guessed percentage to everything. Calculate each supplier using its own confirmed billing rules and the same project scope.

Three checked examples

1. A 10 × 10-foot slab: ready-mix versus bags

At a selected 4-inch thickness, net volume is 33.333333 cu ft = 1.234568 cu yd. With a separately selected 10% contingency, target volume is 36.666667 cu ft = 1.358025 cu yd. Suppose the producer sells quarter-yard increments: round up to 1.5 yd³. At the national $150/yd³ planning benchmark, that is $225 for the yard-rate component, not $204 from a prematurely rounded 1.36. If a hypothetical quote separately adds $125 short-load and $75 delivery, the subtotal is $425 before taxes and installation. Fee numbers are fictional example inputs, not national benchmarks.

QUIKRETE Concrete Mix No. 1101’s manufacturer sheet states approximate yield of 0.60 cu ft per 80-lb bag.⁴ For the same 36.666667-cu-ft target, round (36.666667 ÷ 0.60) up to 62 bags. The fetched Home Depot listing showed $6.47/bag, giving $401.14 for bags only.⁵ That is a dated listing observed October 9, 2026, not a national retail average or verified price for your store. Mixing equipment, labor, transport, water and tax are excluded. The 1.5-yd ready-mix order includes more geometric surplus than the rounded bag count; compare the real procurement choices, not just equal rounded display figures.

2. A 20 × 20-foot slab using a quote

At a selected 5-inch thickness, net volume = 166.666667 cu ft = 6.172840 cu yd. A selected 5% contingency gives 6.481481 yd³. At hypothetical quarter-yard increments, round to 6.5 yd³. With a made-up $180/yd³ quote, the yard-rate component is $1,170. If that rate includes standard delivery, do not add delivery again. A separately quoted hypothetical $100 charge gives $1,270 before tax and other excluded work.

3. A larger pour and effective delivered price

A selected 30 × 40-foot slab at 6 inches contains 600 cu ft = 22.222222 cu yd. A selected 5% contingency gives 23.333333 yd³; quarter-yard rounding gives 23.5 yd³. At a hypothetical $170/yd³ rate, mix cost is $3,995. If the actual delivery plan hypothetically requires three loads with a separate $90 fee per load, fees total $270 and subtotal is $4,265, or $181.489362 per ordered yd³. Load count, rate and fees are example quote inputs, not a truck-capacity promise. Pumping, labor and tax remain separate.

Bags or ready-mix: cost is not the only constraint

The right choice depends on yield, total mixing/placement work, equipment and the required mix. QUIKRETE’s data sheet gives different yields by bag size; do not substitute a 60-lb bag into an 80-lb count.⁴ Confirm the exact product and current price. A listed 4,000-psi packaged mix alone does not approve every slab, exposure or structural use.

FAQ

What is the national average per yard?

Concrete Network reports $179.95/yd³ for 2025; LatestCost uses about $150 as a 2026 national planning estimate.¹, ² They are different references, not interchangeable current quotes. Keep the asterisk and scope with the number.

Does the per-yard rate include delivery?

Sometimes. Ask the producer and itemize only additional charges. Comparing a delivery-included rate with a material-only rate directly is misleading.

Should I order a full load to avoid a fee?

Compare the actual totals, including unwanted concrete and handling. NRMCA advises avoiding excessive orders as well as cleanup loads.³

Can I multiply the displayed yards by the price?

Use full-precision geometry, agreed contingency and the confirmed billing increment first. Price the billable order, not a rounded net-volume display.

Related tools and guides

Concrete volume calculator | Bag yields and whole-bag counts | 20 × 20 slab quantities | Concrete curing and load timing

Sources

1. Concrete Network: Concrete Prices (updated July 14, 2026; reported 2025 average and scope)
2. LatestCost: Concrete Cost Per Yard in the U.S. 2026 (October 3, 2026 planning ranges; not a local quote)
3. NRMCA CIP 31: Ordering Ready Mixed Concrete (order volume, contingency, project requirements and delivery readiness)
4. QUIKRETE: Concrete Mix No. 1101 Data Sheet (manufacturer approximate bag yields and product requirements)
5. Home Depot: QUIKRETE 80-lb Concrete Mix ($6.47 listing observed October 9, 2026; not a local/national price guarantee)