# Asphalt Driveway Cost Calculator: Tons and Price

Canonical URL: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/asphalt-driveway-cost/
Plain text: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/asphalt-driveway-cost/llms.txt
Publisher: SimplyWise, Inc. (https://www.simplywise.com)
Published: September 9, 2026
Updated: October 23, 2026
Category: Project Cost Guides
Summary: Driveway paving cost from tonnage: a calculator that turns drive size and depth into tons of hot mix, sub-base tons, and a dated state contract price band.

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## Asphalt Driveway Cost Calculator: Tons and Price

Asphalt driveway cost starts with tonnage, not dollars: area times depth times 145 pounds per cubic foot. Set the drive below; tons and driveway paving cost update as you type.

Size the drive, see the tons and the price

Driveway length (ft)

Driveway width (ft)

Asphalt depth

2 to 3 in overlay, 4 to 6 in full depth. New York DOT builds residential at 3 in.

Sub-base depth (in) 6 in under a paved residential drive

Tear out the old drive

removal by the square yard

Extra for waste (%) plan tonnage is compacted in place

Your hot mix quote ($ per ton)

8.7 tons of hot mix asphalt

Paved area480 sq ft at 3 in

Order to the next full ton9 tons

Sub-base aggregate16.4 tons

Tear outnot included

Materials and placement$852 to $1,239

Wisconsin DOT fiscal 2025 contract averages published Oct 21, 2025, tear out blended with Montana DOT 2025. Public contracts, not a residential quote. Local prices vary.

At a glance

1. Asphalt driveway cost is a tonnage problem: area times depth times 145 lb per cu ft.
2. A 40 by 12 drive at 3 in takes 8.7 tons, so order 9.
3. Wisconsin DOT fiscal 2025: hot mix $75.11 to $99.75 per ton, dense base $12.07 to $22.56.
4. That drive costs $852 to $1,239 placed, about $1.78 to $2.58 a square foot.
5. Tear out adds $4.14 to $14.69 per square yard.

## How the asphalt driveway cost calculator works

Area times depth gives cubic feet. Cubic feet times 145 pounds gives pounds, and pounds over 2,000 gives tons.

Iowa DOT writes the 145 figure into its specifications. Sub-base is the second material, at Wisconsin DOT’s in place factor of 1.85 tons per cubic yard.

## Worked example: a 40 by 12 driveway

Paved area 480 sq ft. At 3 in that is 120 cubic feet, 17,400 pounds, 8.7 tons of hot mix, so order 9. Under it, 6 in of dense base is 8.89 cubic yards, 16.4 tons. At fiscal 2025 Wisconsin DOT averages, the two placed run $852 to $1,239. Add tear out, 53.3 square yards, and it moves to $1,073 to $2,022.

## Common driveway sizes at a glance

All rows: 3 in hot mix, 6 in base, no tear out.

| Driveway | Area | Hot mix | Base | Material and placement |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 20 by 10 | 200 sq ft | 3.6 tons | 6.9 tons | $355 to $516 |
| 40 by 12 | 480 sq ft | 8.7 tons | 16.4 tons | $852 to $1,239 |
| 50 by 12 | 600 sq ft | 10.9 tons | 20.6 tons | $1,065 to $1,549 |
| 60 by 16 | 960 sq ft | 17.4 tons | 32.9 tons | $1,704 to $2,478 |

Price your own asphalt driveway job
Snap a photo on site and SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns it into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, with every line editable.

Free to try. Set your own prices and send the quote from the job.

## What asphalt driveway cost per ton actually buys

The band here is a public paving contract price. Wisconsin DOT’s Average Unit Price List put fiscal 2025 light traffic hot mix at $75.11 to $99.75 per ton, and section 460.5 makes that full compensation for the mix including binder and for the foundation prep. Placement is inside it.

Montana DOT’s calendar 2025 catalog reads $45.95 to $68.36 per ton. However, Montana bids binder as its own line at $628.91 to $641.09, so the states are shown separately.

## Turn the tonnage into a signed quote

Tonnage is the easy half. Mobilization, grading, compaction, edges, and margin are the half that wins or loses the job. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized, branded estimate in about 6 seconds. Pricing is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, about $20/mo on annual, with a 7-day free trial.

## Overlay or full depth: pick the depth first

Tonnage is linear in depth, so 6 in costs double 3 in. For example, New York DOT builds a residential driveway at 3 in of hot mix over 6 in of subbase. A minor commercial one gets 4 in.

## Why driveway paving cost starts with tons, not dollars

A supplier quotes per ton over the phone, so driveway paving cost starts there. However, a square foot figure only holds for one depth and base. Ours is therefore tied to 3 in on 6 in. State contracts buy thousands of tons, so a 9 ton drive prices higher per ton.

## Run the asphalt driveway cost estimate in this order

1. Measure the drive, then the apron Length times width, plus turnarounds, pads, and the flare.
2. Set the depth first 2 to 3 in overlay, 4 to 6 in full depth.
3. Convert to tons, then order up Cubic feet times 145, over 2,000, rounded up.
4. Bid base and tear out separately Aggregate by the ton, removal by the square yard.

## Keep reading

- Cost to Pour a Concrete Driveway (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/cost-to-pour-concrete-driveway/)
- Contractor Labor Rates (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/contractor-hourly-labor-rates-by-trade/)
- Hardscape Pricing Guide (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/hardscape-pricing-guide/)
- Asphalt vs Concrete Driveway (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/asphalt-vs-concrete-driveway/)
- Cost Guides (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/cost-guides/)
- Construction Calculators for Contractors (https://www.simplywise.com/blog/construction-calculators/)

## Sources

- Wisconsin DOT, Average Unit Price List (https://wisconsindot.gov/hccidocs/contracting-info/average-unit-price.pdf), 10/21/2025. FY2025 hot mix LT $75.11 and $99.75 per ton; dense base $12.07 and $22.56; removal $4.14 per sq yd.
- Wisconsin DOT, Standard Spec 460 (https://wisconsindot.gov/rdwy/stndspec/ss-04-60.pdf). Price covers the mix including binder plus foundation prep.
- Wisconsin DOT, Standard Spec 305 (https://wisconsindot.gov/rdwy/stndspec/ss-03-05.pdf). Dense base, 1.85 tons per cubic yard in place.
- Montana DOT, Weighted Average Prices (https://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/webdata/external/contractplans/contract/Archives/Average_prices/2025.pdf), 01/02/2026, calendar 2025. Plant mix $45.95 to $68.36 per ton; binder bid separately at $628.91 and $641.09; removal $14.69 per sq yd.
- Iowa DOT, Standard Specifications 2303 (https://ia.iowadot.gov/erl/current/GS/content/2303.htm), 04/21/2026. Unit weight 145 pounds per cubic foot.
- USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-stone-crushed.pdf). Crushed stone $18.50 per metric ton for 2025, $16.78 per short ton.
- New York DOT, Standard Sheet 608-03 (https://www.dot.ny.gov/main/business-center/engineering/cadd-info/drawings/standard-sheets-us-repository/608-03_050120.pdf). Residential driveway 3 in on 6 in of subbase.
- BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 47-2071 (https://data.bls.gov/oesprofile/). Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators, May 2025 release, $28.37 mean hourly.
- SimplyWise Cost Estimator, App Store (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simplywise-cost-estimator/id6670619664), 4.8. Re-verified 2026-08-06.

## Common questions on asphalt driveway cost

**How many tons of asphalt does a 40 by 12 driveway need?**

480 sq ft at 3 in is 120 cubic feet, 17,400 pounds, 8.7 tons. Order 9.

**What is the cost of paving a driveway per ton?**

Wisconsin DOT paid $75.11 to $99.75 per ton in fiscal 2025, placement included. Residential jobs price higher.

**How thick should an asphalt driveway be?**

New York DOT: 3 in of hot mix over 6 in of subbase residential, 4 in minor commercial, 10 in under heavy trucks.

**How much does it cost to tear out an old asphalt driveway?**

$4.14 to $14.69 per square yard, blending Wisconsin DOT fiscal 2025 with Montana DOT calendar 2025. A 480 sq ft drive is 53.3 sq yd.

**Does the calculator include labor?**

Placement sits inside the state contract price per Wisconsin spec 460.5, so no separate labor line is added. Paving operators averaged $28.37 an hour in May 2025.

**Can SimplyWise price a paving job from a photo?**

Yes. It turns a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. Free to try, $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr.

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