Cost Per Acre Calculator
Calculate total production cost per acre including seed, fertilizer, chemical, fuel, labor, and land rent.
Results
Visualization
How It Works
Cost of production per acre varies widely by crop and region. In the US Corn Belt, corn costs $640-750/acre and soybeans $350-450/acre (2024). Land rent is typically the single largest cost at 30-40% of total. Knowing your exact costs is essential for pricing, marketing, and land rental decisions.
The Formula
Total Cost/Acre = Seed + Fertilizer + Chemical + Fuel + Labor + Rent + Insurance/Other
Variables
- Variable Costs — Costs that change with production decisions (seed, fertilizer, chemical, fuel, labor)
- Fixed Costs — Costs incurred regardless of production (rent, insurance, depreciation)
- Rent — Cash rent or imputed land cost — typically 30-40% of total production cost
Example
Corn: Seed $120 + Fertilizer $135 + Chemical $45 + Fuel $55 + Labor $30 + Rent $220 + Other $35 = $640/acre. On 500 acres = $320,000 total.
Tips
- Track costs by field — some fields are profitable, others lose money after rent.
- Fertilizer is the most volatile input — lock in prices in fall for spring application.
- Reduce costs with variable-rate application — stop over-applying on low-yield areas.
- Land rent should never exceed 35-40% of expected gross revenue.
- Compare your costs to your state university extension benchmarks annually.