Scrap Car Prices Per Ton
(April 2026)

The states at the top of the table, California, Michigan, Illinois, New York, pay more per ton because they have high concentrations of auto shredders, steel mills, and export terminals that create strong local demand for ferrous scrap. Michigan's pricing is driven by its proximity to the domestic auto manufacturing supply chain, while California benefits from Pacific export access and the sheer volume of end-of-life vehicles processed annually. States in the Northeast cluster at the higher end because population density and fleet size create a steady supply-and-demand cycle for scrap metal.

Alaska and Hawaii sit at the bottom because the logistics cost of processing and transporting scrap from these states is significantly higher. Fewer shredding facilities and greater distance to mainland steel mills or export ports erode the per-ton value. For sellers in lower-priced states, the gap can often be closed by selling to a buyer like Clunqr who values parts and catalytic converters on top of scrap weight. That broader valuation matters most in markets where the base scrap rate is lower.

A full-size SUV like a Chevy Tahoe is worth roughly twice as much in pure scrap value as a Honda Civic, not because of any difference in condition or parts, but simply because it weighs twice as much. At $175 per ton, a 5,800-pound Tahoe has a scrap floor around $508, while a 2,800-pound Civic sits around $245. This weight-based math is the reason pickup trucks and large SUVs consistently command the highest scrap prices regardless of age, mileage, or mechanical condition.

However, these numbers represent scrap-only value, what a vehicle is worth if it's processed purely as ferrous metal. Most complete vehicles are worth significantly more than their scrap floor because they contain parts and components with independent resale value. A junk Ford F-150 that would bring $440 at the scrap scale might generate a $700 offer from a buyer like Clunqr who also captures the value of the engine, transmission, catalytic converter, bed, tailgate, and other salvageable components. For the full picture of what your vehicle is worth beyond scrap, see our complete junk car pricing guide.

The gap between scrap-only pricing and a full-vehicle offer is smallest on stripped vehicles with no usable parts (the bottom row), because there's nothing left beyond metal weight. The gap is largest on complete vehicles with working engines, intact catalytic converters, and clean titles (like the Tahoe), because those vehicles contain hundreds of dollars in component value that a scrap yard ignores but a junk car buyer like Clunqr captures. The more complete your vehicle is, the more you leave on the table by accepting a scrap-only price.

These comparisons use the current national average scrap rate of $175/ton. Scrap-only values are calculated as curb weight divided by 2,000, multiplied by $175. Clunqr offer ranges are based on typical offers for these vehicle types in the current market and include scrap weight plus parts demand, catalytic converter precious metal value, and local buyer competition.

The catalytic converter stands out as the single most valuable component relative to its size. While the component table shows $50 to $250+, some factory-original converters from specific makes and models, particularly Toyota, Honda, and certain Ford and GM vehicles, can be worth $300 to $500 or more because of the platinum, palladium, and rhodium they contain. These precious metals are recovered through specialized refining, and their market value fluctuates independently of the steel market. A vehicle with its original catalytic converter intact is always worth meaningfully more than one without it.

The per-pound rates also explain why copper and aluminum components add meaningful value beyond base steel weight. A typical vehicle contains 50 to 70 pounds of copper in wiring harnesses, starters, alternators, and radiators. At $3 to $4 per pound, that's $150 to $280 in copper value alone, though extracting it requires dismantling that most sellers don't have the time or tools to do. This is another reason selling a complete vehicle to a buyer who captures all material value in a single offer typically produces a better net outcome than piecemeal scrapping.

The component breakdown illustrates why selling a complete vehicle to a junk car buyer typically produces a better outcome than scrapping it piecemeal. A buyer like Clunqr evaluates the full assembly: steel weight, converter, engine, transmission, body panels, wheels, and everything else, and prices the vehicle as a total asset. Pulling parts individually and selling them to separate scrap dealers or on eBay can theoretically yield more total revenue, but the time, tools, and logistical effort makes it impractical for most sellers.

Of these five factors, vehicle weight and location have the largest impact on scrap-specific pricing because they're the two inputs in the core equation: tons multiplied by local price per ton equals scrap value. Completeness and metal composition create smaller but meaningful adjustments on top of that base. The pricing method factor is worth paying attention to because it determines whether you're being paid fairly for what your vehicle actually weighs. A flat-rate offer of $200 on a 5,000-pound truck is a bad deal when the weight-based value is closer to $440.

None of these five factors account for parts value, catalytic converter content, or resale potential. Those are separate value layers that scrap pricing doesn't capture. This is the fundamental reason a junk car buyer typically pays more than a scrap yard for the same vehicle. For the full breakdown of how all valuation factors work together, including scrap weight, parts, converter, title status, and local market demand, see our complete junk car pricing guide.