Grading and leveling cost
Published national ranges for grading a yard or a lot, cut and fill by the cubic yard, and what changes the price.
On this page: 4 sections
The figures here are published national ranges from cost guides. They aren't quotes, we didn't measure them, and local prices vary. Use them to plan a budget, then get quotes from contractors near you.
Grading a yard
Grading by the acre
LawnLove's range for grading an acre is $15,800 to $44,535, with a national average of $30,000.2 The cost estimator scales that range to the square feet you enter, starting from the small lot range for small jobs.
Cut, fill and hauling
| Item | Published range |
|---|---|
| Cut and fill | $1 to $12 per cubic yard;3 HomeGuide says $1 to $15 for residential work4 |
| Fill dirt | $5 to $25 per cubic yard1 |
| Hauling dirt away | $8 to $25 per cubic yard5 |
| Hillside or slope excavation | $1,000 to $5,000 for most jobs5 |
| Topographic survey | $400 to $1,5001 |
| Basic soil testing | $15 to $4001 |
Sources measure per-yard work differently, so compare quotes by their totals.
What moves the price
- Slope and soil. Both move the price, and clay and rock cost more to work than loam.
- Access. Restricted access that needs smaller equipment or hand digging increases costs by 30% to 100%.6
- Where you are. Published labor data puts the Southeast's average cut rates lowest in the country, with the Midwest and West roughly 20% higher.7
For contractors in the Midwest, start from a state page like Indiana or Wisconsin, or pick your county below.
Ranges compiled from HomeGuide, Angi, HomeAdvisor, LawnLove, SiteX and CostFlowAI, checked September 2026.
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