How much does asphalt cost?
How much does asphalt cost?
$0.75 – $2.00 cost per square foot (materials)
$40 – $80 cost per ton (materials)
$3 – $7 cost per square foot (installed)
Asphalt prices
Asphalt costs $40 to $80 per ton or $80 to $160 per cubic yard. The cost of asphalt is $0.75 to $2.00 per square foot for hot-mix. Blacktop asphalt materials for a 2-car (24’x24’) driveway cost $600 to $1,100. Asphalt prices depend on the quality, volume, delivery fees, and if it's hot-mix, cold-mix, porous, recycled, or crushed.
One pound of cold-mix asphalt costs $0.15 to $0.40 or $8 to $20 per 50-pound bag. Asphalt delivery costs $4 to $9 per ton.
| Unit | Price range* |
|---|---|
| Per ton | $40 – $80 |
| Delivery per ton | + $4 – $9 |
| Per cubic yard | $80 – $160 |
| Per square foot (3” – 5” depth) | $0.75 – $2.00 |
*Hot-mix asphalt material cost only.
This guide covers asphalt material costs only. Check out asphalt paving costs for materials and labor.
Asphalt is more cost-effective than concrete but requires more maintenance. Concrete prices are $119 to $147 per yard.
Asphalt lasts 15 to 30 years, while concrete lasts 30 to 40 years.
Asphalt cost calculator
Enter the length and width of your project in feet below to estimate the cost of asphalt materials.
Average cost of asphalt
The following table covers the average cost of asphalt per ton, not including delivery.
| National Average Cost | $60 |
| Minimum Cost | $40 |
| Maximum Cost | $150 |
| Average Range | $40 to $80 |
Asphalt prices by unit
Asphalt material costs depend on crude oil prices, asphalt-mixture quality, volume, and delivery fees. Check with asphalt contractors or production plants for current asphalt prices.
Asphalt cost per ton
Asphalt costs $40 to $80 per ton on average, depending on the mix and material ingredients. One ton of asphalt covers 30 to 80 square feet. A 2-car driveway needs 7.5 to 18 tons of asphalt, depending on the thickness.
| Asphalt thickness (inches) | Square feet per ton (coverage) |
|---|---|
| 2 | 80 |
| 3 | 55 |
| 4 | 40 |
| 5 | 30 |
Asphalt cost per cubic yard
Asphalt costs $80 to $160 per cubic yard. A cubic yard typically contains 2 tons, depending on the mixture's density. One cubic yard covers 65 to 110 square feet with an asphalt layer 3 to 5 inches deep.
Pound of asphalt cost
Cold-mix asphalt costs $0.15 to $0.40 per pound or $8 to $20 per 50-pound bag. Hot-mix asphalt costs $40 to $80 per ton (2,000 pounds), and minimum orders are typically 2 tons.
Bag of asphalt cost
A 50 lb. bag of cold-patch asphalt costs $8 to $20 and covers 5 to 7 square feet at a 1" depth. Cold-patch asphalt is the only DIY-friendly option that cures by compaction alone.
Bulk asphalt cost per truckload
A bulk truckload of asphalt costs $500 to $1,800, including delivery fees. Tandem trucks carry 13 to 20 tons of asphalt that cover 550 to 850 square feet with a layer 3 to 5 inches thick. Prices vary according to the delivery distance.
| Truck size (tons) | Material cost | Material + delivery cost |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | $500 – $1,050 | $550 – $1,150 |
| 20 | $800 – $1,600 | $850 – $1,800 |
Asphalt delivery cost
Asphalt delivery costs $40 to $80 per hour or $4 to $9 per ton within 15 to 20 miles of asphalt plants. Costs increase for greater distances because hot-mix asphalt must stay at precise temperatures for immediate paving on delivery.
Asphalt delivery is typically part of material costs in project estimates.
Asphalt cost per square foot
Asphalt costs $0.75 to $2.00 per square foot when spread 3" to 5" thick. A ton of asphalt covers 30 to 80 square feet. An average 2-car driveway requires 10 to 18 tons of asphalt, costing $600 to $1,100 for asphalt materials or $1,700 to $4,000 including installation.
| Project | Tons needed | Material cost | Installed cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driveway (24’x24’) | 10 – 18 | $600 – $1,100 | $1,700 – $4,000 |
| Driveway (24’x40’) | 18 – 30 | $1,100 – $1,800 | $2,900 – $6,700 |
| Private road (12’x100’) | 22 – 37 | $1,300 – $2,200 | $3,600 – $8,400 |
| Parking space (300 SF) | 5 – 9 | $300 – $550 | $900 – $2,100 |
| 10-Car parking lot | 55 – 92 | $3,300 – $5,500 | $9,000 – $21,000 |
| Garden path (3’x100’) | 3 – 4 | $180 – $240 | $900 – $2,100 |
| Sidewalk or walkway (4’x50’) | 2 – 3 | $120 – $180 | $600 – $1,400 |
| Patio (10’x15’) | 3 - 5 | $180 – $300 | $450 – $1,050 |
| Playground (15’x15’) | 4 – 7 | $240 – $420 | $675 – $1,575 |
| Sport court (30’x50’) | 28 – 46 | $1,700 – $2,750 | $4,500 – $10,500 |
Prep work before paving asphalt
Remove and haul old asphalt driveway: $1 to $3 per square foot.
Excavation and grading costs $1 to $3 per square foot.
Dispose of a tree: $180 to $500
Tree stump removal costs $80 to $250
Gravel prices are $1 to $3 per square foot to install and compact a base as asphalt support.
Cost of asphalt by type
Asphalt prices vary depending on the type, grade, and layers of asphalt.
| Type | Average cost per ton* |
|---|---|
| Hot-mix | $40 – $80 |
| Cold-mix | $90 – $130 |
| Porous | $50 – $95 |
| Recycled | $10 – $20 |
| Warm-mix | $45 – $90 |
| Colored | $60 – $120 |
| Coarse grade / basecoat / binder layer | $40 – $70 |
| Surface mix / topcoat / fine grade | $50 – $80 |
*Not including delivery or installation.
Cold-mix vs. hot-mix asphalt cost
Hot-mix asphalt costs $40 to $80 per ton on average. Hot-asphalt paving is best for driveways, large surfaces, and permanent repairs. Hot-mix asphalt comes in base or surface-layer grades. New asphalt stays at 250°F to 350°F during transportation for immediate paving on delivery.
Cold-mix asphalt costs $90 to $130 per ton or between $8 to $20 per 50 lb. bag. Cold mix is ideal for quick and temporary asphalt repairs when outside temperatures are too cold for hot-asphalt paving.
Recycled or crushed asphalt cost
Recycled asphalt costs $10 to $20 per ton or $12 to $32 per cubic yard, depending on the screening quality and location. A crushed asphalt driveway also requires a gravel subgrade. Road base driveway material costs $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot or between $18 and $31 per ton.
Additional costs apply for steamroller compaction and sealant application to create a long-lasting driveway.
Reclaimed asphalt is lighter in color than new black asphalt.
Recycling old asphalt on-site with a crusher reduces material costs.
Warm-mix asphalt cost
Warm-mix asphalt costs $45 to $90 per ton. While hot-mix asphalt relies on high temperatures of 250°F to 350°F to bind the pavement, warm-mix asphalt (WMA) has special additives for paving at only 150°F to 250°F.
Warm-mix asphalt pros and cons:
Slower cooling allows for longer-distance deliveries and paving in cooler climates.
Less heating makes WMA more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly to produce.
Reducing paving temperatures decreases the amount of paving fumes.
Paving with WMA is typically faster than paving with hot-mix asphalt.
Adding extra binding additives costs more in materials than hot-mix asphalt.
WMA is not available everywhere as it’s a newer pavement type.
Porous asphalt cost
Porous asphalt costs $50 to $95 per ton for materials only. Water filters through the porous asphalt into a double layer of crushed stone beneath that drains underground. Porous asphalt decreases stormwater runoff and reduces the need for driveway drains.
Porous asphalt pros and cons:
Doesn’t need sealing like traditional asphalt
Works well on gentle slopes with deep water tables and well-draining soil
Needs a deeper gravel sub-grade base that costs more to install
Requires cleaning to prevent dirt from clogging the inner-pavement drainage
Only works with liquid de-icers in winter as sand or salt will clog the driveway
Coarse-graded asphalt (binder or base-course layers)
Coarse-graded hot asphalt costs $40 to $70 per ton. This sub-surface asphalt typically comes in particle sizes from 0.75 inches (19 mm) to 2.00 inches (50 mm). The base and binder asphalt layers give the pavement surface its strength and stability.
Paving companies install 2 or 3 asphalt layers, depending on the strength of the driveway foundation.
A highly stable gravel-base foundation only needs an asphalt binder layer followed by a fine-grade asphalt surface.
Some properties need an asphalt base layer, an intermediate binder layer, and a surface-asphalt layer.
Surface-mix asphalt cost
Surface-mix hot asphalt costs $50 to $80 per ton on average. The smooth finish asphalt layer has particles from 0.19 inches (4.75 mm) to 0.50 inches (12.50 mm) in size mixed with extra liquid asphalt. The top layer of surface asphalt requires a supporting binder or base layer.
Asphalt paving FAQs
Asphalt vs. blacktop
The terms “asphalt” and “blacktop” are slightly different. Highway pavers use asphalt, which contains less stone than real blacktop. Blacktops are used for residential areas with less traffic, are easier to repair, and more durable than asphalt.
What is the difference between asphalt and concrete?
Asphalt and concrete both contain stones and sand, but asphalt also has a bitumen binder, a petroleum byproduct. Concrete has more cement binder, making it stiffer than asphalt. Asphalt is cheaper but requires more maintenance. Concrete lasts longer but stains easily.
Asphalt paver rental cost
Renting an asphalt paving machine costs $750 to $3,600 per day. Asphalt roller rental costs $120 to $700 per day for ride-on compactors 3 to 4-foot wide.
Renting asphalt paving machinery sometimes requires a commercial driver’s license and additional training.
| Period | Paving machine* | Roller* |
|---|---|---|
| Daily rates | $750 – $3,600 | $120 – $700 |
| Weekly rates | $1,900 – $9,000 | $265 – $2,100 |
| Monthly rates | $5,700 – $22,000 | $700 – $6,300 |
*Total rental costs depend on the machine size and location.
Hiring an asphalt company
Before hiring an asphalt company, be sure to:
Get at least three in-person estimates to compare.
Avoid companies offering discounts on leftover old asphalt.
Select certified companies affiliated with local asphalt-training programs, such as your state's Department of Transportation.
Seek contractors who have 5+ years of paving experience.
Review their feedback on HomeGuide and Google.
Request copies of the contract, a detailed estimate, and the warranty.
Make sure the workers compact a stone-based foundation before paving.
Never pay in full before delivery or construction starts. Always negotiate a payment schedule.
Questions to ask asphalt contractors
How much ground preparation is necessary before spreading the new asphalt?
What type of asphalt do you use, and how long should this paving last?
Does this paving quote include all materials and labor?
How much parking space do you need for equipment and large trucks?
Can I see your company’s business license, insurance, and bond guarantees?
Will you pull permits for this job? Building departments require permits for all areas near public roads and sidewalks.
What does your warranty include?