How much is a yard of dirt? Fill dirt and topsoil cost (2026)
A cubic yard of fill dirt costs $5 to $25 delivered and a yard of topsoil $10 to $50 in HomeGuide's 2026 figures, plus $50 to $150 for the truck to come; a 10 to 14 yard truckload of fill is $150 to $400 all in. At the calculator's prices (fill $15 a yard, topsoil $30, delivery $100) ten yards of fill delivered is $250 and ten of topsoil $400; the same ten yards in 40 lb bags would be $1,440. The tables price 1 to 30 yards and six common jobs.
Bulk prices, 2026
HomeGuide's national ranges for the United States, quoted as published. Local yards sit inside them; the price per yard drops with the quantity and rises with the distance.
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Fill dirt, per cubic yard delivered | $5 – $25 |
| Fill dirt, per ton | $4 – $15 |
| Fill dirt, truckload | $150 – $400 (10 – 14 yd) |
| Truckload, standard fill dirt | $150 – $250 |
| Truckload, clean fill dirt | $200 – $300 |
| Truckload, structural fill dirt | $250 – $400 |
| Septic fill | $25 – $60 per yd |
| Topsoil, per cubic yard | $10 – $50 |
| Topsoil, bagged | $2 – $6 per 40 lb bag ($35 – $120 per yd) |
| Topsoil, half-yard scoop, self collect | $10 – $30 per half-yard scoop |
| Topsoil, truckload | $150 – $500 (10 – 15 yd) |
| Sand, per cubic yard | $15 – $50 |
| Delivery | $50 – $150 per trip |
| Pickup load of fill, self collect | $15 – $25 for a 1 yd pickup load of fill |
What 1 to 30 yards cost delivered
Priced at the calculator's defaults, fill $15 and topsoil $30 per yard with a $100 delivery per 10-yard load; the bag column is the same volume in 40 lb bags at $4. Change any of them in the topsoil and fill dirt calculator.
| Yards | Loads | Material | Delivery | Delivered | In bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | $15 | $100 | $115 | $144 (36 bags) |
| 2 | 1 | $30 | $100 | $130 | $288 (72 bags) |
| 5 | 1 | $75 | $100 | $175 | $720 (180 bags) |
| 10 | 1 | $150 | $100 | $250 | $1,440 (360 bags) |
| 15 | 2 | $225 | $200 | $425 | $2,160 (540 bags) |
| 20 | 2 | $300 | $200 | $500 | $2,880 (720 bags) |
| 30 | 3 | $450 | $300 | $750 | $4,320 (1,080 bags) |
| Yards | Loads | Material | Delivery | Delivered | In bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | $30 | $100 | $130 | $144 (36 bags) |
| 2 | 1 | $60 | $100 | $160 | $288 (72 bags) |
| 5 | 1 | $150 | $100 | $250 | $720 (180 bags) |
| 10 | 1 | $300 | $100 | $400 | $1,440 (360 bags) |
| 15 | 2 | $450 | $200 | $650 | $2,160 (540 bags) |
| 20 | 2 | $600 | $200 | $800 | $2,880 (720 bags) |
| 30 | 3 | $900 | $300 | $1,200 | $4,320 (1,080 bags) |
Six jobs, priced
The order includes the calculator's settlement: 20% on fill that is tamped, 15% on topsoil that is raked and watered. Spreading is not included.
| Job | To order | Loads | Delivered | In bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low spot, 300 sq ft, 2 in average | 2.2 yd³ | 1 | $133 | $320 |
| Raise 1,000 sq ft by 6 in | 22.2 yd³ | 3 | $633 | $3,200 |
| Shed pad 20 x 40 ft, 8 in | 23.7 yd³ | 3 | $656 | $3,416 |
| New lawn 1,000 sq ft, 4 in topsoil | 14.2 yd³ | 2 | $626 | $2,048 |
| Garden bed 200 sq ft, 8 in topsoil | 5.7 yd³ | 1 | $270 | $820 |
| Top-dress 2,000 sq ft, 1/2 in | 3.5 yd³ | 1 | $206 | $512 |
What moves the price
- Distance: HomeGuide's truckload prices include delivery up to about 10 miles; beyond that it is $50 to $150 a trip, and two half loads cost two deliveries.
- Grade: unscreened fill is cheapest and can hold rocks, roots and brick; clean fill is screened; structural fill is graded to compact under a slab or a road. Septic fill is a specified sand mix.
- Access: a dump truck needs a place to tip. If it cannot reach the spot, the pile is moved by wheelbarrow at about 45 trips per 10 yards, or by a rented machine.
- Quantity: the fill dirt guide has the yards for any area and depth; order to the truck, since the third yard of a load costs nothing extra to deliver.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is a yard of dirt?
- Fill dirt $5 to $25 per cubic yard, topsoil $10 to $50, sand $15 to $50, all delivered in bulk (HomeGuide, 2026); by weight fill is $4 to $15 a ton. A single yard rarely comes alone: add the $50 to $150 delivery, so one yard of fill at the door is about $115 at the calculator's prices, or $15 to $25 if you fetch a pickup load yourself.
- How much is a truckload of dirt?
- $150 to $400 for a 10 to 14 yard dump truck of fill dirt delivered up to about 10 miles, in HomeGuide's 2026 figures: $150 to $250 for standard fill, $200 to $300 for clean fill (screened, no rubble), $250 to $400 for structural fill. A 10 to 15 yard load of topsoil is $150 to $500.
- What does it cost to raise a yard by 6 inches?
- 1,000 square feet raised 6 in takes 22.2 yards of fill with 20% for compaction, 3 truckloads, about $633 delivered at $15 a yard. Spreading and compacting is on top: by hand it is a weekend with a wheelbarrow and a rented plate compactor; a skid steer with an operator is quoted by the hour locally.
- How much does topsoil for a new lawn cost?
- $626 delivered for 1,000 square feet at 4 in (14.2 yards with 15% for settling, 2 loads) at $30 a yard, against $2,048 for the 512 bags of 40 lb it would take at $4 each. HomeGuide's range for bulk topsoil is $10 to $50 a yard and $50 to $150 a delivery, so the same lawn runs from about $242 to $1,010 delivered.
- When are bags cheaper than bulk?
- Only for very small amounts: a 40 lb bag is 0.75 cubic feet, so a yard is 36 bags and $144 at $4 a bag, against $30 plus $100 delivery in bulk. Bags win below 0.9 cubic yards at these prices; a half-yard scoop you collect yourself ($10 to $30) beats both in between.
- Why is fill dirt cheaper than topsoil?
- Fill is subsoil dug out of someone else's site, often free to the hauler; topsoil is screened, sometimes blended with compost, and there is less of it. Fill for anything you will plant is false economy: it needs 4 to 6 in of topsoil on top anyway. Clean fill costs more than unscreened because the rubble and roots are out.
More guides
- How much topsoil do I need? Bags and cubic yards by area
Cubic yards, tons and bags of topsoil for 100 to 2,000 sq ft at 2, 4 and 6 inches deep, the metric version in cubic metres and 40 L bags, and when to buy in bulk.
- How much fill dirt do I need? (yards, tons and truckloads by area)
Cubic yards of fill dirt for 100 to 5,000 sq ft at 3 to 12 in with 20% for compaction, the tons and 10-yard truckloads that is, filling a low spot, and metric.
- How many bags of topsoil in a cubic yard? (40 lb, 1 and 2 cu ft bags)
36 bags of 40 lb (0.75 cu ft) make a cubic yard, 27 of 1 cu ft, 14 of 2 cu ft. Bags for 1 to 10 yards, what they cost against a bulk load, and where bags stop paying.
- How much does a cinder block garage cost? (blocks, mortar, grout and slab for 1, 2 and 3 car)
Blocks, mortar and grout for 1 to 3 car block garages, 12x20 to 36x24 ft, 8 ft walls, doors and windows taken off, plus the 4 in slab, at 2026 prices.
Last updated 2026-09-15. Figures are planning estimates from typical product data: check the yield, size or coverage printed on what you buy and round up.