Gas Is Back Above $4. Who Actually Gets Your Money at the Pump?
Gasoline is expensive again. The U.S. average for regular gasoline was about: $4.10 a gallon on August 19. A year ago, gasoline averaged roughly $3.13 a gallon . For drivers, the problem is obvious. You pull into a gas station. You look at the sign. And filling the tank suddenly costs much more. But there is another question hiding behind that price: Who actually gets your $4? The gas station? The oil company? The refinery? The government? The answer is more complicated than it looks. And right now, one part of the gasoline business is doing particularly well. Start With One Gallon of Gas The U.S. Energy Information Administration breaks the price of gasoline into four major pieces: Crude oil Refining Distribution and marketing Taxes The latest complete monthly breakdown available from the EIA is for May 2026. The average retail price that month was: $4.479 per gallon Here is where that money went. Part of the price Share About Crude oil 51.9% $2.32 Refinin...