Cost Guides · Ready-Mix Concrete
Concrete Cost Per Yard in 2026: Delivered Ready-Mix Prices
Concrete cost per yard from the four publishers that print a number: two producer price lists, the NRMCA benchmark, and a producer index, plus every fee that rides on the yard.
In a hurry? Turn a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds.
What is the concrete cost per yard right now?
Concrete cost per yard depends on who is quoting. Two ready-mix producers post a public price list. They put a 3,000 PSI mix at $127.05 to $148.00 per cubic yard, before delivery and fees. Gehring charges mileage only one way over 20 miles, so a close haul rides on the yard price. Supreme bills delivery by zone on every trip, $363.88 for close-in Zone A in the worked example on its own price list. Industry averages run higher because they fold in commercial mixes. NRMCA members averaged $160 in 2023, and the Concrete Financial Insights index reached $179.95 in 2025. So plan a residential pour at $127 to $180 per yard, then add delivery and fees.
Concrete cost per yard: what the publishers post
| Publisher | Basis | Per cubic yard | Captured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Concrete (Los Angeles, New York) | Posted menu, 3,000 PSI | $127.05 (4,000 PSI $132.00; 5,000 PSI $137.50) | Sept 14, 2026 |
| Gehring Construction (Columbus, Nebraska) | List effective Jan 1, 2026, 6 bag 3,000 PSI | $148.00 (full menu $140.00 to $164.00) | Sept 14, 2026 |
| NRMCA Benchmarking Survey | Member average, 2023 | $160 (quartiles $150.03 to $170.66) | Sept 14, 2026 |
| Concrete Financial Insights Index | Four public producers, full year 2025 | $179.95 (from $113.08 in 2016) | Sept 14, 2026 |
Why does the price per yard move?
Cement drives it. USGS puts the average mill value of cement at $160 per metric ton for 2025, up from $152 in 2023, and 70 to 75 percent of it goes to ready-mix producers. Materials made up $89.01 of the $159.68 average yard in the NRMCA survey.
Concrete Financial Insights reports its index rose 4 percent in 2025, after 8 percent in 2024 and 13 percent in 2023. Volume fell 1.7 percent to 373 million cubic yards.
Turn a slab photo into an itemized estimate, free →
The fees that ride on the yard
These fees are where a small pour gets expensive, and both posted lists print them.
| Charge | Posted amount | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Small load, under 4 yards | $50.00 per load | Gehring, Jan 1, 2026 list |
| Mileage, one way over 20 miles | $3.00 per mile per load | Gehring |
| Truck held on site over 1 hour | $120.00 per hour | Gehring |
| Environmental fee | $55 per trip | Supreme, Sept 2026 |
| Delivery, charged by zone | Quoted per trip by ZIP; $363.88 for close-in Zone A in Supreme’s own 10 yard example | Supreme, Sept 2026 |
| Pumping | $300 setup plus $13 per yard | Supreme |
A 10 by 20 foot slab at 4 inches is 2.47 cubic yards; add the NRMCA allowance and order 3. At Gehring’s $148.00 that is $444. Add the $50 small load charge because 3 sits under 4, and you are at $494 before tax, mileage, or delivery.
How to price a pour from the yard price
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Measure the pour and convert to yards
Length times width times thickness in feet, divided by 27. Our concrete cubic yard calculators and concrete slab cost calculator do the math.
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Add the ordering allowance and round to the truck
Add 4 to 10 percent for uneven subgrade and spillage, per NRMCA CIP 31. Anything under the plant minimum draws the short-load fee.
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Price the mix by name, not by average
Ask for PSI, aggregate size, and bag count. Gehring’s list moves $4 per yard per half bag of cement.
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Add the fees and the labor line
Short load, mileage, zone delivery, waiting, and pumping go on as separate lines. The yard price covers the mix itself; placing and finishing is your crew.
What the crew costs on top of the yard
Cement masons and concrete finishers earn a $28.87 mean and $27.41 median hourly wage, construction laborers $25.02 and $22.66 (BLS, May 2025). Those are wages paid, not rates billed. Burden, overhead, and margin ride on top, as our contractor hourly labor rates by trade page explains.
SimplyWise Cost Estimator for concrete cost per yard
SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a job-site photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. Material, labor, and fee lines are editable. Enter your supplier’s yard price and send a branded quote the client signs to approve. It is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, about $20/mo on annual, with a 7-day free trial.
Keep reading
- Concrete Slab Cost Calculator: yards, bags, and a cost line.
- Concrete Contractor Pricing Guide: from yard price to a bid.
Sources
- Supreme Concrete, price list, captured 2026-09-14.
- Gehring Construction, Ready-Mix Products and Pricing, effective 2026-01-01, captured 2026-09-14.
- NRMCA Performance Benchmarking Survey, captured 2026-09-14.
- Concrete Financial Insights, US Concrete Industry Data, captured 2026-09-14.
- NRMCA CIP 31, Ordering Ready Mixed Concrete, captured 2026-09-14.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Cement, captured 2026-09-14.
- QUIKRETE Concrete Mix data sheet 1101, captured 2026-09-14.
- BLS OEWS, May 2025 national estimates, 47-2051 and 47-2061, verified 2026-09-14.
- SimplyWise Cost Estimator on the App Store, 4.8 rating, verified 2026-09-14.
Frequently asked questions about concrete cost per yard
The price
How much does concrete cost per yard in 2026?
Posted producer lists put a 3,000 PSI mix at $127.05 (Supreme Concrete) and $148.00 (Gehring Construction) per cubic yard, before delivery. Gehring charges mileage only one way over 20 miles; Supreme bills delivery by zone on every trip. Industry averages run $160 to $179.95. Plan on $127 to $180 per yard, then add delivery and fees.
The fees
What is a short-load fee on concrete?
A flat charge for a truck carrying less than the plant minimum. Gehring Construction posts $50 per load under 4 yards, about 11 percent on a 3 yard pour at $148.
How many bags of concrete make a cubic yard?
About 45 bags of 80 lb mix. QUIKRETE’s data sheet lists a yield of 0.60 cubic feet per 80 lb bag. Divide 27 by 0.60 and you get 45.
Estimating the pour
Can I measure a slab with my phone camera instead of a tape?
Tape or wheel an outdoor slab and enter the dimensions. SimplyWise Cost Estimator then turns a job-site photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. On a Pro iPhone, the room scan captures interior measurements with LiDAR.
Does SimplyWise Cost Estimator price concrete by the yard?
It builds material, labor, and fee line items, each with unit, quantity, and price per unit. Enter your supplier’s yard price and fees, then set the labor line. Send a branded quote the client signs to approve. Pricing is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, with a 7-day free trial.
Turn a yard price into a bid that holds margin.
Snap a photo and get an itemized estimate with editable lines. Free to try, then $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr after a 7-day trial.