How much does asphalt cost per ton in 2026?

Hot mix runs $100–150 per ton at the plant, with commodity swings tracking the price of PG binder — the oil-derived glue that is only 5–6% of the mix by weight but a third of its cost. Cold patch in bags costs several times more per ton; millings a fraction. Pickup price excludes trucking.

How much does asphalt paving cost per square foot?

Installed, $2.50–5 per square foot for typical residential and light commercial work at 2–3 in over a prepared base. Material is only 40–50% of that; the rest is trucking, crew, paver and roller time. Jobs under about 2,000 ft² land at or above the top of the range because mobilization amortizes badly.

Why do small asphalt jobs cost so much per square foot?

Fixed costs. Moving a paver, roller and crew to your site costs $1,500 or more before the first ton hits the ground, and plants charge minimum-load fees on partial trucks. Spread $1,500 over 600 ft² and mobilization alone adds $2.50/ft² — which is why patching one driveway costs double the per-foot rate of paving a whole street.

What share of an asphalt job is the material?

Typically 40–50% of the installed price on residential work. A 600 ft² driveway at 3 in needs about 11.5 tons; at $125/ton that is $1,440 of mix on a job quoting around $3,000–3,300. The balance is labor, equipment, trucking and base work. On large commercial tonnage, material share rises past 60%.

Is it cheaper to DIY an asphalt driveway?

No, and mostly it is not possible. Hot mix arrives at 300°F and must be laid and rolled within a tight temperature window by a paver and a multi-ton roller — equipment you cannot meaningfully rent for a weekend. DIY territory is cold-patch repairs and sealcoating. For new pavement, competitive quotes are the cost lever, not your labor.

How do asphalt and concrete driveway costs compare?

Asphalt installs for $2.50–5/ft² versus roughly $7–12 for concrete — asphalt wins day one by a wide margin. Over 30 years the gap narrows because asphalt needs sealcoating every 3–5 years and an overlay around year 15–20. The full head-to-head is in the asphalt vs concrete comparison.

Asphalt · Cost Guide

What asphalt actually costs

Per-ton prices are easy to find; what jobs actually cost is decided by fees and fixed costs. Here are the 2026 numbers, line by line.

$100–150
per ton, hot mix at the plant: $2.50–5
per ft² installed: 40–50%
of installed price is material: $1,500+
typical crew mobilization

Contents

1.Price per ton by mix type
2.Installed price per square foot
3.Fees: trucking, mobilization, minimums
4.Thickness drives the installed price
5.Worked example: full driveway budget

Price per ton by mix type

Plant pickup pricing, mid-2026. Binder (oil) price swings move hot mix $10–20/ton year to year — get quotes dated.
Item	Unit	Low	High	Average
Hot mix asphalt (surface course)Finer aggregate; the visible layer	ton	$100	$150	$125
Hot mix asphalt (binder/base course)Larger stone, slightly cheaper	ton	$90	$130	$110
Warm mix asphaltPrice parity with hot mix at most plants	ton	$100	$150	$125
Cold patch (bagged)Repair material — never for new paving	ton	$300	$500	$400
Recycled millingsBase or rural surfacing; availability varies	ton	$10	$30	$20

Installed price per square foot

US national ranges, mid-2026, including base preparation where noted. Regional labor moves these ±25%.
Item	Unit	Low	High	Average
Overlay on sound existing asphalt (1.5–2 in)	ft²	$2	$3	$2
New residential driveway (3 in over 6 in base)The standard section	ft²	$3	$5	$4
Parking lot, new (4 in over base)	ft²	$3	$6	$5
Full-depth reclamation + repaveExisting pavement recycled in place	ft²	$4	$8	$6
Small patch workMobilization dominates below ~500 ft²	ft²	$6	$12	$9

Weighing pavements against each other? Concrete's equivalent line items — per-yard ready-mix, delivery and finishing — are laid out the same way in the concrete cost guide.

Fees: trucking, mobilization, minimums

The lines that never appear in per-ton price searches but always appear on the invoice. Ask for each one itemized.
Item	Unit	Low	High	Average
Trucking from plantRises fast past ~25 miles — mix cools	load	$100	$200	$150
Crew + equipment mobilizationPaver, roller, crew to site and back	job	$1,500	$3,000	$2,250
Minimum-load fee (partial truck)	load	$75	$200	$138
Tack coat on existing surface	ft²	$0	$0	$0
Permit / traffic control (if on ROW)	job	$100	$500	$300

Thickness drives the installed price

Typical installed cost per ft² by compacted thickness

2 in (overlay duty)2.75USD/ft²

3 in (residential standard)3.75USD/ft²

4 in (parking / heavy drives)4.75USD/ft²

Each extra inch adds roughly $0.90–1.00/ft² — pure material and rolling time, since the crew and mobilization are already on site. This is why upgrading from 3 in to 4 in costs far less than the 33% the thickness suggests, and why skimping an inch saves less than people hope.

Worked example: full driveway budget

Worked example

A 1,200 ft² driveway (12 × 100 ft), new construction: 3 in compacted hot mix over 6 in aggregate base.

1
Hot mix tonnage
1,200 × 0.25 × 145 ÷ 2,000 × 1.05 = 22.8 → 23 tons
2
Hot mix at $120/ton
23 × $120 = $2,760
3
Aggregate base (6 in ≈ 33 tons)
≈ $600 delivered
4
Trucking, two tandem loads
2 × $150 = $300
5
Crew, paver and rollers (one day)
≈ $1,540
6
Mobilization
≈ $1,200

Result: ≈ $6,400 installed — about $5.33/ft², at the top of the range because fixed costs amortize over only 1,200 ft². Material share: 43% for the hot mix alone.

Frequently asked questions

Budget your own job

The cost calculator turns area, thickness and your local per-ton quote into a material budget.

Asphalt Cost Calculator

Related cost guides

Asphalt Price Per Ton2026 plant pricing and what moves it.Guide Cost Per Square FootInstalled $/ft² by thickness and job size.Guide Regional Price FactorsWhy the same driveway varies 40% by state.Guide

Comparing with concrete?

Concrete Cost GuideReady-mix, bagged and delivered prices with real math.

Sources & references

[1]Asphalt Pavement Design Guide (APD-1) — National Asphalt Pavement Association, 2020
[2]MS-4: The Asphalt Handbook, 7th ed. — Asphalt Institute, 2007