Aluminum scrap typically pays between $0.25 and $1.00 per pound, depending on the type and condition of the aluminum you’re selling. Clean aluminum rims sit at the high end around $0.82 per pound, while mixed or contaminated aluminum drops closer to $0.25. If you’re recycling beverage cans in a state with a bottle deposit law, you’ll earn significantly more per can through redemption than through scrap weight alone.
Current Prices by Aluminum Type
Not all aluminum pays the same. Scrap yards price aluminum by grade, and the differences are substantial. Aluminum 6061, a common structural alloy found in bike frames, furniture, and machinery, averages about $0.61 per pound. Aluminum rims from cars and trucks command higher prices, averaging $0.82 per pound nationally, though reported prices range from $0.50 in Corpus Christi, Texas to $1.00 in Lewiston, Idaho and Douglas, Georgia. Painted aluminum siding from houses pays around $0.70 per pound when it’s clean and free of screws, plastic, or other attachments.
Cast aluminum (engine parts, cookware, lawn furniture frames) and sheet aluminum fall into their own pricing tiers as well, generally landing in that $0.25 to $0.50 range for lower-quality mixed loads. The global commodity price for aluminum sits near $1,962 per metric ton, which works out to roughly $0.89 per pound, but scrap yards pay well below that to cover their processing and resale margins.
Beverage Cans: Scrap Weight vs. Bottle Deposits
A single aluminum can weighs about half an ounce, so you’d need roughly 32 cans to make one pound. At scrap prices, that pound might earn you $0.30 to $0.50. But if you live in a state with a container deposit program, those same 32 cans are worth $1.60 to $3.20 through redemption.
California’s program, for example, pays 5 cents for containers under 24 ounces and 10 cents for larger ones. Ten other states have similar deposit laws, with per-container refunds of 5 or 10 cents. If you’re collecting cans in one of these states, always redeem them at a recycling center rather than selling them as scrap by weight. The math isn’t close.
In states without deposit laws, selling cans by weight at a scrap yard is your only option. Crushing cans saves space but doesn’t change the payout, since you’re paid by the pound either way.
Why Prices Vary So Much by Location
Scrap aluminum prices fluctuate based on your proximity to processing facilities, local competition among scrap yards, and the global aluminum market. A yard in a rural area with no nearby competitors might offer $0.50 per pound for rims, while a yard in a competitive metro area pays $0.85 for the same material. Calling two or three yards before making a trip can easily net you 20 to 40 percent more for the same load.
Volume matters too. Scrap yards often pay better per-pound rates for larger quantities because it reduces their handling costs per transaction. If you’re a business or municipality generating aluminum waste regularly, establishing a consistent pickup schedule and accumulating bigger loads before selling can push your rate higher. Don’t hesitate to negotiate, especially with repeat business or loads over a few hundred pounds.
Clean vs. Dirty Aluminum
The single biggest factor you can control is how clean your aluminum is. “Dirty” aluminum contains contaminants like steel screws, rubber gaskets, wood, paint, or oil. Yards pay significantly less for dirty loads because they have to sort and process the non-aluminum material before recycling it. In some cases, contamination drops the price by 30 to 50 percent compared to clean material of the same grade.
Some yards will accept small amounts of contamination (around 5 to 15 percent) and still pay clean prices, but this varies. It’s worth calling ahead to ask about their policy. Spending 20 minutes removing steel bolts from aluminum rims or stripping rubber seals off window frames can meaningfully increase your payout.
How to Sort Aluminum for Better Pay
Scrap yards reward you for doing their sorting work. Showing up with aluminum separated by type (cans in one bin, siding in another, rims separate) signals that you know what you have and makes it harder for a yard to lowball you with a “mixed aluminum” rate.
The most useful tool is a strong magnet, ideally a rare earth neodymium magnet rather than a fridge magnet. Hold it against the metal: if it sticks, the piece contains iron and isn’t aluminum. If it doesn’t stick, you likely have a non-ferrous metal. Aluminum is distinctly lightweight and silver-white in color. When you file the surface, it reveals bright silver underneath, which helps distinguish it from other non-magnetic metals like stainless steel (heavier) or zinc (darker).
Keep a set of sorting bins, a metal file, wire cutters for removing insulation or attachments, and heavy-duty gloves. Separating aluminum from copper, brass, and steel before you arrive at the yard means you get the correct rate for each metal rather than a blended price that undervalues your best material.
What to Expect at the Scrap Yard
Selling scrap aluminum isn’t as simple as dropping off a bag and collecting cash. Most states require scrap yards to verify your identity, and the specific requirements vary widely. Many states require a valid photo ID at minimum. States like Florida, Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, and Nevada go further, requiring fingerprints, photos of the material, vehicle plate numbers, and signed seller statements. These rules exist to deter metal theft, not to hassle legitimate recyclers, but you should bring a government-issued photo ID every time.
Payment timing also varies by state. In California, payment comes by non-transferable check mailed or available for pickup after three days unless you’re a frequent seller. Mississippi and Louisiana prohibit cash payments entirely for certain metals, issuing checks or electronic transfers with a multi-day delay. Texas enforces a standard 72-hour hold. Other states pay on the spot with no waiting period. Check your state’s rules before your first visit so you’re not surprised.
Market Outlook for Aluminum Scrap
Aluminum scrap prices track the broader commodities market, and the near-term outlook is mixed. Analysts at J.P. Morgan forecast weaker demand for base metals driven by tariff impacts on economic growth and a potential mild U.S. recession. That said, aluminum tends to hold its value better than some other metals during downturns because supply adjusts relatively quickly when prices drop, which limits how far prices fall.
For casual recyclers, these macro trends mean modest price swings of 10 to 20 percent in either direction over the coming months. If you’re sitting on a large quantity, it may be worth watching local scrap prices for a few weeks to time your sale. For smaller amounts, the price difference between a good week and a bad week is usually just a few dollars, so convenience matters more than timing.