Calculate the cost of an asphalt driveway from its size, thickness, and price per square foot or ton, including base, removal, sealcoat, and tax.
Asphalt Driveway Cost Formula
This calculator works two ways: a simple all-in price per square foot, or a more detailed price by the ton plus separate labor. Use whichever set of numbers you have.
All-in price per square foot:
Cost = A * P
By the ton plus labor:
Tons = (A * T/12 * D / 2000) * (1 + W)
Cost = Tons * Pt + A * L + Extras
Largest driveway you can pave for a fixed budget:
A = B / P
- Cost = total installed cost of the driveway, in dollars
- A = paved area in square feet (length times width, or entered directly)
- P = all-in installed price per square foot (material plus paving)
- Tons = tons of hot mix asphalt needed
- T = compacted asphalt thickness in inches
- D = asphalt density in pounds per cubic foot (about 145 lb/ft3 for hot mix)
- W = waste and compaction overage as a decimal (0.05 means 5 percent)
- Pt = asphalt price per ton
- L = paving labor per square foot
- Extras = removal, gravel base, sealcoat, grading, permits, and tax
- B = your total budget in dollars
The square foot mode just multiplies your area by one installed rate, which is the fastest way to get a ballpark. The ton mode splits the job into the asphalt itself and the labor to lay it, then adds the optional line items so the total reflects removal of the old surface, a stone base, a sealcoat finish, grading, permits, and sales tax. The budget mode reverses the math to tell you how much driveway a set amount of money will cover at a given price per square foot.
Typical Asphalt Driveway Prices
These ranges reflect United States pricing and are useful as defaults when you do not have a contractor quote yet. Local rates, haul distance, and site conditions move the numbers.
| Line item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| All-in installed price | $7 to $13 per sq ft |
| Asphalt material only | $2 to $6 per sq ft |
| Paving labor only | $5 to $7 per sq ft |
| Hot mix asphalt by the ton | $100 to $200 per ton |
| Old driveway removal | $1 to $3 per sq ft |
| Gravel / stone base | $1 to $3 per sq ft |
| Sealcoat finish | $0.15 to $0.40 per sq ft |
One ton of hot mix covers a different area depending on thickness, since thicker pavement uses more material per square foot.
| Compacted thickness | Approx. coverage per ton |
|---|---|
| 2 inches | about 80 sq ft |
| 3 inches | about 55 sq ft |
| 4 inches | about 40 sq ft |
Example Problems
Example 1: all-in price per square foot. A driveway is 50 ft long and 12 ft wide, so the area is 50 times 12, which is 600 sq ft. At an installed price of $10 per sq ft, the cost is 600 times 10, which is $6,000.
Example 2: by the ton plus labor. The same 600 sq ft driveway is paved 3 inches thick with asphalt at 145 lb/ft3. The volume is 600 times 3/12, which is 150 cubic feet. The weight is 150 times 145, which is 21,750 lb, or 10.875 tons. Adding 5 percent for waste gives about 11.42 tons. At $150 per ton the asphalt is about $1,713. Adding paving labor of $6 per sq ft, which is $3,600, the cost before extras is about $5,313.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a typical asphalt driveway cost? Most residential asphalt driveways run about $7 to $13 per square foot installed, which puts a common two-car driveway in the $4,000 to $8,000 range. Removal of an old surface, a new stone base, sealcoating, and permits add to that.
Should I price by the square foot or by the ton? The square foot mode is faster and fine for a quick budget. The ton mode is more accurate because it separates the asphalt material from the labor and accounts for thickness, density, and waste, so use it when you have a contractor quote or supplier price.
How thick should an asphalt driveway be? A residential driveway is usually paved 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over a 4 to 8 inch gravel base. Heavier loads or poor soil call for more thickness, which raises the tonnage and the cost.
