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?

Far more than most tables admit, because job size drives it. All-in — excavation, base, hot mix, labor and mobilization — a job under 500 ft² runs $9.40–11.90 per square foot and a 500–1,000 ft² driveway $5.85–8.10 per square foot. Material is only 40–50% of either; the rest is trucking, crew, paver and roller time. Above 1,000 ft² we do not publish a rate — larger jobs keep getting cheaper per square foot as fixed costs spread, but the drop depends on site access and haul distance — get them quoted.

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 is cheaper to install — a 500–1,000 ft² asphalt driveway runs $5.85–8.10 per square foot all-in. We are re-sourcing our concrete per-square-foot figures, so we are not quoting a concrete rate until we have one we can stand behind. What is not in doubt is the shape of the trade: asphalt costs less on day one, then wants sealcoating every 3–5 years and an overlay around year 15–20, while concrete costs more up front and asks for very little afterwards. The full head-to-head is in the concrete vs asphalt 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: $5.85–8.10/ft²
per ft², 500–1,000 ft² job: 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. That is well below the per-square-foot rate of the smaller jobs on this site precisely because the fixed costs, mobilization above all, are spread over 1,200 ft² instead of a few hundred. 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.