Asphalt driveway cost in Albany, NY
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,250 – $8,050
- Per sq ft
- $5.35 – $13
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +8%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #65
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an asphalt driveway in the Albany area: $3,250 to $8,050 for 600 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 8% higher than the US figure. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $28.74 an hour in the Albany area, 12% above the US median of $25.64.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Albany, NY, standard level
$4,700 to $6,600
About $7.65 to $10.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,550 | $3,350 |
| Labor | $2,000 | $3,100 |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $150 |
| Total | $4,700 | $6,600 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Albany, NY
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,950 | $2,950 | $3,950 | 53% |
| Labor | $1,200 | $2,550 | $3,900 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $120 | $200 | 2% |
| Total | $3,250 | $5,650 | $8,050 | 100% |
Why Albany prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators, who do 40% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $28.74 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Albany is 1.20 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 45% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Albany is at 99.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $2,950 nationally becomes $2,950 here (midpoint, 600 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 99.6: $50 to $200.
Who does the work: Albany trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Albany the blend is 1.20.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071), 40% of the weighting: a median of $28.74 an hour, 12% above the US median of $25.64. The middle half of them earn between $24.17 and $31.83 an hour. About 240 work in the metro. That is 5.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $25.45 an hour, which is 12% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.03 and $36.39 an hour. BLS counts 2,700 of them working in the area, 60.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $39.68 an hour, 38% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.01 and $54.69 an hour. About 1,000 work in the metro. That is 22.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $100 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $150. That is a swing of roughly 2.7% to 1.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Albany-Schenectady-Troy has 449,410 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 55th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) | 40% | $24.17 | $28.74 | $31.83 | $25.64 | 1.12 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.03 | $25.45 | $36.39 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.01 | $39.68 | $54.69 | $28.78 | 1.38 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.20 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Albany
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Albany. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft to long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft.
Basic
$3,250 to $5,150
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,700 to $6,600
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$6,100 to $8,050
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,350 – $2,150 | $1,950 – $2,750 | $2,550 – $3,350 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,200 – $3,500 | $3,150 – $4,450 | $4,100 – $5,400 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $3,250 – $5,150 | $4,700 – $6,600 | $6,100 – $8,050 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $5,400 – $8,550 | $7,750 – $10,900 | $10,100 – $13,300 |
Why two Albany quotes can differ
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.
The best months for asphalt driveway in Albany
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Albany Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Albany are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, November and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 136 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Albany gets about 41 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 59 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and October (4.5 inches in July). Inside the workable window, April and May are the driest, at 3.1 and 3.4 inches. The station averages about 10 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 16 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 2.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 45 | 26 | 3.1 | Cold |
| Apr | 59 | 37 | 3.1 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 48 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 79 | 57 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 84 | 62 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 61 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 53 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 41 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 32 | 3.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 38 | 23 | 3.3 | Cold |
What nearby projects cost in Albany
Jobs that often go together with asphalt driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Albany wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+13%) and concrete slab lowest (+5%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,950 – $10,000 | +9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,800 – $11,400 | +12% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,250 – $5,900 | +9% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $680 – $2,400 | +13% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,600 – $5,450 | +5% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,300 – $4,300 | +6% |
How Albany compares
Same job, same size (600 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Albany is the priciest of the group. Pittsfield is the cheapest at $5,350.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany, NYthis page | $3,250 – $8,050 | $5,650 | |
| Pittsfield, MA45 miles | $3,100 – $7,650 | $5,350 | −5% |
| Kingston, NY60 miles | $3,200 – $7,850 | $5,500 | −2% |
| Amherst, MA70 miles | $3,150 – $7,800 | $5,500 | −3% |
| Utica, NY75 miles | $3,150 – $7,650 | $5,400 | −4% |
| Springfield, MA80 miles | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −1% |
| New York (statewide) | $3,450 – $8,450 | $5,950 | +5% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | −7% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Albany ranks #65 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Albany is 5% below the New York figure.
Elsewhere in New York
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 9,492,000 jobs | $3,600 – $8,900 | $6,250 | +11% |
| Buffalo, NY | 534,550 jobs | $3,150 – $7,800 | $5,500 | −3% |
| Rochester, NY | 494,280 jobs | $3,100 – $7,600 | $5,350 | −5% |
| Syracuse, NY | 300,130 jobs | $3,100 – $7,600 | $5,350 | −5% |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | 268,970 jobs | $3,400 – $8,250 | $5,850 | +3% |
| Utica, NY | 118,390 jobs | $3,150 – $7,650 | $5,400 | −4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Albany against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa, OK | 458,730 jobs | $2,800 – $6,700 | $4,750 | −16% |
| Honolulu, HI | 446,380 jobs | $4,200 – $10,900 | $7,550 | +34% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $3,550 – $8,800 | $6,150 | +9% |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | −14% |
Extras that change the Albany total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.10 for Albany, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.20) and goods price index (1.00). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $660 – $1,300 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $4,700 to $6,600 for Albany, NY is attached.
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Asphalt driveway in Albany: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Albany?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,250 to $8,050 in the Albany area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,700 to $6,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Albany?
About $5.35 to $13 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $200 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $12.
+Is asphalt driveway cheaper in Albany or Pittsfield?
Pittsfield is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,350, which is 5% less than Albany ($5,650). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Albany?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $2,550 out of $5,650. Materials are 53% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Albany?
$3,250 to $8,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Albany?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $200 for fees in the Albany area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Albany expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of New York?
Albany is 5% below the New York statewide estimate ($5,950 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in New York; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Albany?
The BLS median is $28.74 an hour in the Albany area, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.17 to $31.83.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Albany?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,250 to $5,150 and premium work $6,100 to $8,050. Basic means: new topcoat over a sound base, flat lot. Premium means: full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth.
+When is the best time to pave a driveway in Albany?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April and May are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "add a sealcoat" add in Albany?
$660 to $1,300 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Albany
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.