Scrap Metal Prices Today

Typical US scrap yard prices per pound for nonferrous metals, calculated from today's live market: copper $6.692/lb and aluminum $1.445/lb.

Scrap metal calculator

Estimated scrap yard payout at today's market price. Yards set their own rates daily.

Grade

Weight

Estimated payout$57 – $62

Per pound$5.69 – $6.16

Copper

Bare bright copperClean, unalloyed, uncoated copper wire with no insulation, solder or tarnish, at least 16 gauge.
$5.69 – $6.16 /lb
#1 copperClean copper pipe, bus bar and thick wire with no solder, paint or fittings; light tarnish is fine.
$5.35 – $5.89 /lb
#2 copperCopper pipe or wire with solder, paint, coating or light corrosion; minimum about 94% copper.
$4.82 – $5.49 /lb
Copper pipe with fittingsPlumbing pipe with brass fittings or heavy solder; strip fittings to move it up to #2.
$4.35 – $5.22 /lb
Insulated wire, high grade (THHN)Single-conductor building wire with thin insulation; roughly 75–85% copper by weight.
$3.21 – $4.15 /lb
Insulated wire, Romex/NMHousehold cable with outer jacket and ground wire; roughly 55–65% copper recovery.
$2.34 – $3.35 /lb
Low-grade wireExtension cords, Christmas lights, data and phone cable; low copper recovery.
$1.00 – $2.01 /lb

Brass

Yellow brassPlumbing fittings, valves, keys, shell casings (about 60–70% copper, rest zinc).
$3.35 – $4.15 /lb
Red brassHigher-copper brass: water meters, gate valves, some bronze fittings (about 85% copper).
$4.02 – $4.82 /lb
Brass radiatorsCopper/brass auto and truck radiators, clean of iron and plastic tanks.
$3.01 – $3.88 /lb

Aluminum

Clean aluminum extrusion (6063)Window frames, gutters and profiles free of steel, plastic and thermal breaks.
$0.72 – $1.01 /lb
Aluminum sheet / sidingClean siding, gutters and sheet with paint allowed, no attachments.
$0.58 – $0.87 /lb
Aluminum cans (UBC)Used beverage cans, empty and dry; often paid per pound at recycling centers.
$0.43 – $0.65 /lb
Cast aluminumEngine parts, lawnmower decks and other cast pieces, cleaned of steel.
$0.51 – $0.79 /lb

Typical yard payouts as a share of market prices. Yards set their own daily rates, so call ahead.

Frequently asked questions

What scrap metal is worth the most?

Among common scrap, copper pays the most: bare bright brings about $5.69–$6.16 per pound today. Brass and insulated copper wire come next, then aluminum. Steel and iron are paid by the ton and are worth far less.

How do I know if metal is copper, brass or aluminum?

Check with a magnet first: if it sticks it's steel or iron. Copper is reddish, brass is yellow and heavy, aluminum is light and silver-gray. Stainless steel is usually only weakly magnetic.

Why do scrap prices change every day?

Yards tie their prices to the copper and aluminum futures markets, which move with global supply and demand, so posted prices can change daily or even during the day.

Detailed prices

Copper

Bare bright copperClean, unalloyed, uncoated copper wire with no insulation, solder or tarnish, at least 16 gauge.

$5.69 – $6.16 /lb

#1 copperClean copper pipe, bus bar and thick wire with no solder, paint or fittings; light tarnish is fine.

$5.35 – $5.89 /lb

#2 copperCopper pipe or wire with solder, paint, coating or light corrosion; minimum about 94% copper.

$4.82 – $5.49 /lb

Copper pipe with fittingsPlumbing pipe with brass fittings or heavy solder; strip fittings to move it up to #2.

$4.35 – $5.22 /lb

Insulated wire, high grade (THHN)Single-conductor building wire with thin insulation; roughly 75–85% copper by weight.

$3.21 – $4.15 /lb

Insulated wire, Romex/NMHousehold cable with outer jacket and ground wire; roughly 55–65% copper recovery.

$2.34 – $3.35 /lb

Low-grade wireExtension cords, Christmas lights, data and phone cable; low copper recovery.

$1.00 – $2.01 /lb

Brass

Yellow brassPlumbing fittings, valves, keys, shell casings (about 60–70% copper, rest zinc).

$3.35 – $4.15 /lb

Red brassHigher-copper brass: water meters, gate valves, some bronze fittings (about 85% copper).

$4.02 – $4.82 /lb

Brass radiatorsCopper/brass auto and truck radiators, clean of iron and plastic tanks.

$3.01 – $3.88 /lb

Aluminum

Clean aluminum extrusion (6063)Window frames, gutters and profiles free of steel, plastic and thermal breaks.

$0.72 – $1.01 /lb

Aluminum sheet / sidingClean siding, gutters and sheet with paint allowed, no attachments.

$0.58 – $0.87 /lb

Aluminum cans (UBC)Used beverage cans, empty and dry; often paid per pound at recycling centers.

$0.43 – $0.65 /lb

Cast aluminumEngine parts, lawnmower decks and other cast pieces, cleaned of steel.

$0.51 – $0.79 /lb