How Much Does Concrete Cost?
Ready-mix concrete costs roughly 125 to 160 dollars per cubic yard delivered in 2026, and a finished slab poured and labored runs about 5 to 10 dollars per square foot. Bagged concrete is a few dollars a bag. Here is what those prices include, what pushes them up or down, and how to estimate the cost of your own pour.
Key takeaways
- Ready-mix concrete costs 125 to 160 dollars per cubic yard delivered in 2026 for a 3,000 to 4,000 PSI mix.
- A contractor-poured and finished slab runs 5 to 10 dollars per square foot; decorative finishes reach 10 to 18 dollars.
- Short-load fees of 50 to 150 dollars apply when ordering well under a full 10-yard truck.
- A 6-inch slab uses 50% more concrete than a 4-inch slab, and region alone can swing the price by 30% or more.
Ready-mix by the cubic yard
The headline number most people want is the price of ready-mix delivered by truck. In 2026 that is roughly 125 to 160 dollars per cubic yard for a standard 3,000 to 4,000 PSI mix, before delivery and any fees. Prices vary by region, by the strength and additives you specify, and by fuel and material costs, so treat any single figure as a starting point and get a local quote for the real number.
Short-load and delivery fees
A concrete truck holds about 10 cubic yards, and suppliers price most efficiently when you fill it. Order much less than a full load and a short-load fee applies, often 50 to 150 dollars or more, to cover the trip.
There can also be fees for a long unloading time, Saturday delivery, or a pump if the truck cannot reach the pour. This is why small jobs sometimes cost more per yard than large ones, and why bagged concrete can win for pours under about half a yard.
Bagged concrete cost
For small jobs, bagged concrete mix runs a few dollars per 80 lb bag in 2026. Since it takes about 45 bags to make a cubic yard, the material cost of a yard in bags lands well over a hundred dollars, plus a lot of mixing labor. Bags make sense for a few post holes or a small pad, but the math turns against them quickly. The concrete calculator shows the bag count so you can compare both ways.
Installed cost per square foot
If you are hiring a contractor to form, pour and finish the concrete, the price is usually quoted per square foot rather than per yard. A plain broom-finished slab typically runs 5 to 10 dollars per square foot installed in 2026, with the material being only part of that.
Decorative work, stamping, coloring and exposed aggregate push it higher, often 10 to 18 dollars or more. The labor, the finish and the site conditions drive most of the difference, not the concrete itself.
What changes the price
Several things move a concrete quote up or down. Thickness is direct: a 6 inch slab uses 50% more concrete than a 4 inch one. Reinforcement with rebar or mesh adds material and labor costs. Site access matters: if the truck cannot reach the pour, a pump or wheelbarrowing adds cost.
Base preparation, removing old concrete, a sloped or soft site, and a special finish all add up. And region alone can swing the per-yard price by 30% or more.
Ways to keep the cost down
A few choices meaningfully lower a concrete bill. Order a full truck rather than a short load where you can, or combine nearby pours into one delivery to avoid repeat trips and short-load fees.
Keep the pour reachable so the truck can chute directly into the forms instead of paying for a pump. Choose a plain broom finish over a decorative one, since the finish is often a bigger line item than the concrete itself.
Pour the standard 4 inch thickness where a driveway only carries cars, rather than over-building to 6 inches without a reason. Schedule in the off-season if you can, since busy summer weeks command a premium. Get more than one quote: regional and contractor pricing varies enough that a second or third bid often pays for itself.
Estimate your own cost
The reliable way to estimate is to work out your volume first, then multiply by a local price. Enter your dimensions in the concrete calculator, add a price per cubic yard from a local supplier, and it returns the cost along with the yards and bag counts.
For a driveway specifically, see how much a concrete driveway costs. Knowing your yardage also makes contractor quotes easy to sanity-check.