Crushed stone and construction aggregate cost about $10–$50 per ton for common products in 2026, with driveway and base stone at $20–$45 per ton, sand at $10–$40, and specialty stone like riprap reaching $75+. Delivery adds a flat $50–$150 per load, and full truckloads price lower per ton than small drops.
What counts as aggregate?
Aggregate is the industry word for any processed mineral that gets mixed, spread or compacted in construction: crushed stone (machine-crushed and screened rock), sand (natural or crushed fine aggregate), gravel (naturally rounded stone), plus slag and recycled concrete. The same quarry that sells "crusher run" to a homeowner sells it as "dense-graded aggregate, spec 21A" to a paving crew — same stone, different label.
Aggregate is sold by gradation, meaning the mix of particle sizes it is certified to contain (the ASTM D448 / AASHTO numbering behind #57, #411 and similar labels). If a quote references a number you do not recognize, the gravel sizes and types chart decodes the common grades, and 21A vs 21B covers the state-spec base blends.
Stone prices per ton (2026)
Typical US quarry and pit prices for the material at the yard. Washed, screened and specialty products sit at the top of each range; plain run-of-crusher stone at the bottom.
| Product | Price / ton | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Recycled concrete aggregate | $10–$25 | Base, fill, drainage |
| Fill sand | $10–$25 | Backfill, bedding |
| Crusher run (crush & run) | $20–$35 | Driveway & patio bases |
| Crushed stone #57 | $25–$45 | Driveways, drainage, concrete |
| Crushed limestone | $25–$40 | Bases, paths, pavers |
| Concrete / mason sand | $15–$40 | Concrete, paver bedding |
| Pea gravel | $30–$60 | Paths, patios, play |
| Riprap (heavy stone) | $30–$75 | Erosion control, slopes |
| Decorative / colored stone | $50–$160 | Feature landscaping |
For gravel-specific detail — per-yard conversions, bagged equivalents and project budgets — the gravel cost per ton guide is the deep dive; the crush and run cost guide prices the most popular base stone line by line.
What moves aggregate prices?
- Processing steps. Every wash, screen and sort adds cost: plain crusher run is one pass through the machine, while washed #57 or colored decorative stone is handled repeatedly.
- Haul distance. Aggregate is heavy and cheap per ton, so trucking is a large share of delivered cost. Within 20 miles of a quarry you get the bottom of the range.
- Load size. Delivery is usually a flat fee per truck, so a 15-ton load can cost a third less per ton than a 3-ton drop of identical stone.
- Local geology. Regions without hard rock nearby (coastal plains, some plains states) import stone and pay noticeably more.
- Spec and certification. State-approved material with gradation test sheets costs a little more than "run of crusher" — relevant mostly to driveway and commercial work that gets inspected.
Recycled concrete vs virgin aggregate
Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is demolition concrete crushed and screened to gravel sizes. At $10–$25 per ton it is usually the cheapest hard base material in its region, and it performs well under driveways, parking pads and walkways. Two caveats: it can hold embedded steel fragments and its drainage is poorer than clean stone, so keep it under a surface layer rather than as the finish. Availability follows demolition activity — plentiful near cities, absent in others.
How aggregate is sold: by ton, load or spec
Quarries sell by the weighed ton (the weighbridge ticket is your receipt), landscape yards often sell by the bucket or cubic yard (about 1.4–1.5 tons of stone each), and bagged stone at big-box stores is priced by volume. For anything over half a yard, the per-ton quarry route plus a delivery fee is almost always the cheapest. When you call for quotes, ask three things: the per-ton price, the delivery minimum and fee, and whether the stone meets the gradation your project wants — then size the order with the gravel calculator so you buy one full load instead of two small ones.
What aggregate costs by project
Putting material and typical delivery together at mid-range prices:
| Project | Aggregate | Material cost |
|---|---|---|
| Parking pad (12 × 20 ft, 6" base) | ~7.5 tons crusher run | $240–$400 |
| French drain (50 ft × 1 ft × 1 ft) | ~2.6 tons #57 | $115–$220 |
| Shoreline erosion patch (20 ft) | ~4 tons riprap | $220–$450 |
| Paver patio base (14 × 14 ft, 4") | ~4.6 tons aggregate + screenings | $150–$280 |
Driveway projects take the most stone by far — a full single-car build runs 15–22 tons. The driveway calculator sizes every layer, and the cost per cubic yard guide converts any of these tonnages into yards and bags.