Today's Scrap Metal Prices
Commodity prices and estimated scrap yard payouts by grade. Yards typically pay 15–50% below commodity prices — the table below shows both so you know what to expect.
| Metal | Grade | Commodity | Est. Scrap | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | Cast/Sheet | $1.67/lb | $1.39/lb | 17% margin |
| Cans | $1.30/lb | |||
| Brass | Yellow Brass | $4.55/lb | $3.55/lb | 22% margin |
| Copper | #1 Bare Bright | $6.51/lb | $5.40/lb | 17% margin |
| #1 Copper | $5.21/lb | |||
| #2 Copper | $4.56/lb | |||
| Insulated Wire | $3.91/lb | |||
| Iron | Mixed Iron | 7¢/lb | 4¢/lb | 50% margin |
| Lead | Mixed Lead | 91¢/lb | 68¢/lb | 25% margin |
| Nickel | Mixed Nickel | $8.42/lb | $6.32/lb | 25% margin |
| Stainless Steel | Mixed Stainless | 50¢/lb | 37¢/lb | 27% margin |
| Steel | Mixed Steel | 8¢/lb | 4¢/lb | 50% margin |
| Zinc | Mixed Zinc | $1.62/lb | $1.22/lb | 25% margin |
Prices updated daily · Market data from 2026-06-04. Est. scrap prices reflect typical yard margins.
Commodity vs. Scrap
Commodity prices are what metals trade for on exchanges. Scrap yards pay less because they process and resell the material.
Grades Matter
Clean #1 bare bright copper pays far more than insulated wire. Sorting and cleaning your scrap bumps you to a higher grade.
Call Ahead for Large Loads
If you have 100+ lbs of a single material, call the yard first — they may offer better rates than the posted price.
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