Asphalt driveway cost in Montana
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (600 sq ft)
- $3,000 – $7,400
- Per sq ft
- $4.95 – $12
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $5,250
- Metros covered
- 3
Montana prices for asphalt driveway: $3,000 to $7,400 for 600 sq ft, or $4.95 to $12 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 1% below the national one. Local wages for paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators are $26.89 an hour.
Inside Montana, the metros we cover range from $5,100 (Billings) to $5,250 (Bozeman) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Montana (statewide), standard level
$4,300 to $6,050
About $7.05 to $9.85 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 43% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,450 | $3,250 |
| Labor | $1,750 | $2,700 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $150 |
| Total | $4,300 | $6,050 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Montana
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $2,850 | $3,800 | 55% |
| Labor | $1,050 | $2,250 | $3,400 | 43% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $120 | $190 | 2% |
| Total | $3,000 | $5,200 | $7,400 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in Montana
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Montana wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$3,000 to $4,750
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,300 to $6,050
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$5,650 to $7,400
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,250 – $1,950 | $1,800 – $2,500 | $2,350 – $3,050 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,050 – $3,200 | $2,900 – $4,100 | $3,800 – $5,000 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $3,000 – $4,750 | $4,300 – $6,050 | $5,650 – $7,400 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $5,000 – $7,850 | $7,150 – $10,000 | $9,300 – $12,200 |
Which Montana city is cheapest for asphalt driveway?
2 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $5,200, and the top-to-bottom gap is 4%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (600 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | $3,050 – $7,500 | $5,250 | +1% |
| Missoula, MT | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | +1% |
| Billings, MT | $2,950 – $7,200 | $5,100 | −2% |
Asphalt driveway: what moves the price in Montana
New versus overlay
Resurfacing an existing driveway runs $3-$7 per sq ft; a full new driveway runs $5-$12+ (HomeGuide). Tearing out and replacing one is higher still.
Base work
Four to eight inches of compacted aggregate under the asphalt is where cheap quotes cut corners. Base typically runs $1-$3 per sq ft.
Small jobs cost more per foot
Paving crews move a paver, roller and trucks to your address, so a 400 sq ft driveway carries more mobilization per square foot than a 1,000 sq ft one.
Hot-mix price
Hot-mix asphalt is $100-$200 per ton delivered and moves with oil prices (PaveGauge).
Sealcoating
Sealing is $1-$2 per sq ft and is a maintenance cost, not part of the install.
Related projects, priced for Montana
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Montana wages and prices. Against national midpoints, concrete driveway comes out highest (+3%) and French drain lowest (level), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,700 – $9,450 | +3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,200 | level |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,000 – $5,450 | level |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | level |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,450 – $5,200 | level |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,050 | +1% |
Optional extras in Montana
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Montana by the average of the local wage index (1.05) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 1.00. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $600 – $1,200 |
Montana labor market for asphalt driveway
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 3 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.05 for Montana.
For paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071, weighted 40%) the local median is $26.89 an hour, which is 5% above the national $25.64. The middle half of them earn between $23.50 and $32.78 an hour. BLS counts 260 of them working in the state, 5.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $23.96 an hour, 6% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $20.80 and $28.24 an hour. About 4,590 work in the state. That is 89.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $29.61 an hour, which is in line with the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $27.07 and $34.68 an hour. BLS counts 3,750 of them working in the state, 73.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators ($32.78 an hour) would add about $200 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.50) would take off about $110. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 511,580 jobs across Montana (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) | 40% | $23.50 | $26.89 | $32.78 | $25.64 | 1.05 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $20.80 | $23.96 | $28.24 | $22.66 | 1.06 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $27.07 | $29.61 | $34.68 | $28.78 | 1.03 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.05 | |||||
How Montana compares with nearby states
Montana ranks 24 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for asphalt driveway, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $7,500 and the cheapest Mississippi at $4,600, both for 600 sq ft at the midpoint. Montana sits at $5,200. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 270 miles away | $3,150 – $7,750 | $5,450 | +5% |
| Utah | 400 miles away | $2,950 – $7,150 | $5,050 | −3% |
| Wyoming | 460 miles away | $3,000 – $7,350 | $5,150 | level |
| Washington | 500 miles away | $3,600 – $9,050 | $6,350 | +22% |
| Colorado | 550 miles away | $3,100 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +2% |
Montana seasons and asphalt driveway
Season matters for asphalt driveway. For each Montana metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Billings has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Montana at 7 months (April through October); Missoula has the shortest at 5 (May through September). Rainfall runs from 14 inches a year in Missoula to 20 inches in Bozeman.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | 18 | 87 | 14 | 7: April through October |
| Bozeman | 15 | 82 | 20 | 5: May through September |
| Missoula | 18 | 85 | 14 | 5: May through September |
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Asphalt driveway in Montana: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Montana?
$3,000 to $7,400 for 600 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Montana can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Montana is cheapest for asphalt driveway?
Billings at about $5,100 (midpoint, 600 sq ft). The priciest is Bozeman at $5,250.
+Is asphalt driveway cheaper in Montana than the US average?
It is 1% cheaper: $5,200 against $5,250 for 600 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Montana?
About 43% ($2,250). Materials are 55%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.05x the national wage level.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Montana?
The BLS statewide median is $26.89 an hour, against $25.64 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.50 to $32.78.
+Where does Montana rank for asphalt driveway costs?
24th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $5,200 for 600 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Montana?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,000 to $4,750 and premium work $5,650 to $7,400. Basic means: new topcoat over a sound base, flat lot. Premium means: full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth.
+Does the season matter for asphalt driveway in Montana?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Montana metros we cover, Billings has the most comfortable months (7 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add a sealcoat" add in Montana?
$600 to $1,200 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway by city in Montana
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Paving an Asphalt Driveway Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- PaveGauge: Asphalt Driveway Cost (2026): Price by Size (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = hot-mix asphalt ($2.30-$3.60/sq ft at 3 in) plus aggregate base ($1-$3/sq ft) from PaveGauge's component table.