Scrap Car Prices
Per Ton
Current per-ton rates by state, what your specific vehicle is worth at the scale, and the honest answer to whether the scrap price is really the number that matters. For most complete vehicles, it isn't.
Enter your vehicle's weight and state to see the scrap floor — plus what Clunqr typically offers on the same car.
Enter your vehicle weight and state to see the scrap floor and estimated Clunqr offer.
These are current scrap car prices per ton across 29 states for complete vehicles, based on direct calls to 3 to 5 yards per state conducted March through May 2026.
| State | Per-ton rate | Complete car (2k–6k lbs) | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| ↑ High demand — $170+/ton | |||
| California | $190–$200 | $190–$600 | Pacific export terminals, dense shredder network |
| Michigan | $185–$195 | $185–$585 | Proximity to domestic auto-mill supply chain |
| Illinois | $180–$190 | $180–$570 | Chicago steel hub, high shredder concentration |
| New York | $180–$190 | $180–$570 | Port access, high fleet-turnover volume |
| New Jersey | $180–$190 | $180–$570 | Northeast corridor density, port proximity |
| Ohio | $175–$185 | $175–$555 | Rust-belt manufacturing demand |
| Indiana | $175–$185 | $175–$555 | Strong domestic steel-mill proximity |
| Pennsylvania | $175–$185 | $175–$555 | Dense population, historic steel infrastructure |
| Massachusetts | $175–$185 | $175–$555 | High fleet age, competitive buyer market |
| Wisconsin | $170–$180 | $170–$540 | Great Lakes logistics, midwest mill access |
| Maryland | $170–$180 | $170–$540 | Baltimore port export capacity |
| Average markets — $155–$169/ton | |||
| Texas | $170–$180 | $170–$540 | Large market, logistics spread across state |
| Minnesota | $168–$178 | $168–$534 | Midwest position, moderate mill access |
| Washington | $168–$178 | $168–$534 | Pacific port offset by lower volume |
| Missouri | $165–$175 | $165–$525 | Central hub, lower buyer competition |
| Colorado | $165–$175 | $165–$525 | Inland, higher transport to processors |
| Arizona | $165–$175 | $165–$525 | Southwest market, lower shredder density |
| Virginia | $162–$172 | $162–$516 | Mid-Atlantic logistics overhead |
| North Carolina | $160–$170 | $160–$510 | Growing market, fewer large processors |
| Tennessee | $160–$170 | $160–$510 | Southeast routing distance adds cost |
| Florida | $158–$168 | $158–$504 | High volume but no nearby steel mills |
| Georgia | $158–$168 | $158–$504 | Southeast hub, limited port access for scrap |
| South Carolina | $155–$165 | $155–$495 | Smaller market, limited processor competition |
| Nevada | $155–$165 | $155–$495 | Sparse shredder network, outbound freight cost |
| Below average — under $155/ton | |||
| Alabama | $152–$162 | $152–$486 | Lower buyer density, longer haul to processors |
| Alaska | $140–$150 | $140–$450 | No mainland shredders, high freight cost |
| Hawaii | $140–$150 | $140–$450 | Ocean shipping to mainland processors required |
*Complete car range based on vehicles 2,000–6,000 lbs. May 2026 survey data.
How much different vehicle classes are worth at current scrap rates. Heavier vehicles contain more recyclable steel, which directly raises the scrap floor regardless of condition or age.
| Vehicle type | Typical weight | Low ($150/ton) | Avg ($175/ton) | High ($200/ton) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact Car Civic, Corolla | 2,500–3,000 lbs | $188–$225 | $219–$263 | $250–$300 |
| Midsize Sedan Accord, Camry | 3,200–3,600 lbs | $240–$270 | $280–$315 | $320–$360 |
| Full-Size Sedan Impala, Taurus | 3,800–4,200 lbs | $285–$315 | $333–$368 | $380–$420 |
| Compact SUV CR-V, RAV4 | 3,400–3,800 lbs | $255–$285 | $298–$333 | $340–$380 |
| Full-Size SUV Tahoe, Expedition | 5,500–6,000 lbs | $413–$450 | $481–$525 | $550–$600 |
| Pickup Truck F-150, Silverado | 4,500–5,500 lbs | $338–$413 | $394–$481 | $450–$550 |
| Minivan Odyssey, Sienna | 4,300–4,800 lbs | $323–$360 | $376–$420 | $430–$480 |
These figures are the scrap-only floor — what a yard pays treating your vehicle as pure ferrous metal. Most complete vehicles are worth more. An F-150 at the $438 scrap floor might bring $700+ from a buyer who also captures the engine, catalytic converter, and aluminum components. See our prices by make and model for model-level data.
What a weight-only yard pays compared to what a buyer who prices parts and the converter separately actually offers, based on real transaction data from the current market.
| Vehicle | Condition | Scrap floor | Clunqr offer | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Honda Accord | Non-running, complete | ~$289 | $400–$625 | +$110–$335 |
| 2011 Ford F-150 | Bad transmission, complete | ~$438 | $625–$950 | +$190–$510 |
| 2005 Toyota Camry | Blown engine, complete | ~$280 | $375–$575 | +$95–$295 |
| 2009 Chevy Tahoe | High mileage, runs | ~$490 | $750–$1,200 | +$260–$710 |
| 2004 Nissan Altima | Stripped — no converter/engine | ~$271 | $290–$350 | +$20–$80 |
The gap is smallest on already-stripped vehicles (last row) and largest on complete running vehicles. For about 15% of vehicles Clunqr evaluates — typically stripped or long-deteriorated — the scrap yard quote is competitive or better. Why scrap pricing is just the floor →
The non-steel metals in your car carry significantly higher per-pound value than structural steel. That gap is why full-value buyers consistently outpay weight-only yards on complete vehicles.
Six variables that push your offer above or below the scrap floor, and what each one is actually worth in real dollars.
The core scrap equation: pounds ÷ 2,000 × $/ton. A Tahoe at 5,800 lbs has a scrap floor roughly twice a Civic at 2,800 lbs, regardless of condition or age.
States near steel mills, shredder hubs, and export terminals pay more. The spread between California and Hawaii is ~$50/ton — roughly $50–$90 more on a typical car.
Prices follow a seasonal wave — spring and summer peak, winter floor. Waiting for a $15/ton increase adds ~$25 on a typical car — rarely worth the holding cost.
Complete vehicles are worth more than stripped ones. If your converter, engine, wheels, and body panels are intact, you have components with value beyond steel weight.
Palladium, platinum, and rhodium inside converters are priced daily. High-converter vehicles (Prius, some Accords) can see 25–40% of total junk value in the converter alone.
Always ask how a yard prices. Flat-rate offers can significantly undervalue heavier vehicles. A $200 flat rate on a 5,000-lb truck is a bad deal when weight-based value is ~$440.
Your car is probably worth
more than scrap
The tables above show the floor. Clunqr's offer includes parts, the catalytic converter, and local buyer competition on top of weight. For most complete vehicles, the difference is $50 to $400+.
Get your instant offer →Data sources and methodology: Per-ton scrap steel rates sourced from Fastmarkets AMM weekly trade composite and cross-referenced against publicly available Midwest busheling indices. State-level price ranges based on direct calls to 3–5 scrap yards and salvage operations per state conducted March–May 2026. Catalytic converter precious metal valuations based on Johnson Matthey monthly PGM price reports. Vehicle weights from NHTSA curb weight records. Clunqr offer ranges reflect actual offers on these vehicle types in the current market and include scrap weight, parts demand, converter content, and local competition. This page is published by Clunqr, which buys junk cars — we have an interest in showing you that complete-vehicle offers outperform scrap-only pricing. We've tried to report the data accurately; the best verification is to get both numbers yourself.