Scrap Metal Recycling
The short answer: What scrap metal recycling pays isn't known; the closest official figure is employee pay, with refuse and recyclable material collectors earning a median $49,690 a year, according to the BLS (May 2025). The main scrap metal catch is price: metal prices can fluctuate, "sometimes drastically". (BLS OEWS; Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash) Scrap metal recycling suits someone with a truck or trailer to carry loads. (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash)
| Median pay of employed refuse and recyclable material collectors | $23.89/hr ($49,690/yr) BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employee pay, not side-hustle income |
|---|---|
| Projected job growth, refuse and recyclable material collectors | +2.1% BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| One creator's reported time to first dollar | same day Reported by The Side Hustle Show, Apr 2026 |
From 8 quotes by 2 creators and BLS data. A creator figure is one person's account.
Go deeper: all the scrap metal recycling evidence
How much do scrap metal recyclers make?
Scrap metal recyclers sell by weight for cash, and the podcast Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash says copper, brass and aluminum pay more. According to the BLS, employed refuse and recyclable material collectors earned a median $23.89 an hour in May 2025. (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash; BLS OEWS)
Sorting moves the number, since "mixed scrap often sells for less". (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash)
Not enough evidence yet: No one we track has reported what they earn from this yet.
| Related occupation | Median pay | Middle 80% |
|---|---|---|
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $23.89/hr ($49,690/yr), BLS OEWS, May 2025 | $33,590–$75,900/yr |
Median annual pay of employed refuse and recyclable material collectors: $49,690 nationally; highest and lowest states below (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Highest-paying states | Median | Lowest-paying states | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $75,050/yr | South Carolina | $34,880/yr |
| Washington | $74,620/yr | South Dakota | $32,950/yr |
| New York | $64,950/yr | Puerto Rico | $21,840/yr |
What do people doing scrap metal recycling say?
“Like you can make a lot of stuff disappear and get paid for it right away.”
“For instance, sorting your metals by type can get you better prices since mixed scrap often sells for less.”
“Metal prices can induce fluctuate, sometimes drastically.”
“Invest in equipment that helps you handle scrap more efficiently, like a truck or a magnet for sorting metals.”
What do you need to buy to start scrap metal recycling?
Scrap metal recycling gear named on Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash includes a truck, a magnet for sorting metals and sturdy gloves. Junk Removal Journey loads file cabinets, rotors and a grill onto a trailer instead. (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash; Junk Removal Journey)
Not enough evidence yet: No source we track states a dollar startup cost yet.
- Collect scrap from your own home first. (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash)
- Sort ferrous from non-ferrous metal with a magnet.
- Compare scrapyards before selling.
- Grow to neighbours, mechanics and construction sites.
- Insurance: liability insurance (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash)
How fast does scrap metal recycling pay?
Scrap metal recycling can pay fast: in an e-waste episode of The Side Hustle Show featuring Angie Nelson, a speaker says you can "get paid for it right away". Junk Removal Journey, though, waits for a fuller load before going to the scrapyard. (The Side Hustle Show; Junk Removal Journey)
Who is scrap metal recycling good for?
Scrap metal recycling is local work: "Local scrapyards and recycling centers are common destinations for individual metal recyclers." Anyone who needs predictable income should skip it, given those metal price swings. (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash)
The same podcast says a modest gig can grow into a full-fledged business.
Is scrap metal recycling worth it?
Pros
- Angie's team gets old electronics free from businesses, including items sorted into a scrap pile. (The Side Hustle Show)
- Angie says beginners can start with free items from FreeCycle or Craigslist.
Cons
- Scrap's sharp edges call for sturdy gloves, the podcast warns. (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash)
- The podcast also advises business registration, which adds paperwork.
What are the risks of scrap metal recycling?
Scrap metal recycling carries liability, and Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash suggests insurance "to protect yourself from any potential liabilities". Selling metals unsorted is the pitfall that podcast names, because it lowers the price you get. (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash)
What are the alternatives to scrap metal recycling?
- Laundromat Ownership as a side hustle: Also local.
- Furniture Flipping as a side hustle: Also local; often covered together (1 shared video).
- Vending Machine Business as a side hustle: Also local.
- Junk Removal Services side hustle: Often covered together (2 shared videos).
- Used Book Reselling side hustle: Also in selling and reselling.
- Reselling clothes side hustle: Also in selling and reselling.
Part of: Selling and reselling
What else do people ask about scrap metal recycling?
Can you negotiate scrap metal prices?
Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash covers watching prices and negotiating with yards. (Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash)
Is e-waste worth scrapping or reselling?
Angie's team sorts it into resell-as-is, parts or repair, and scrap piles. (The Side Hustle Show)
Sources and method
Quotes are verbatim and linked to the moment they were said. A figure from one report is not confirmed by a second source. BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation. Every quote, the pay in each state and the full source list are on the all the scrap metal recycling evidence.
- Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash, podcast, 22 Nov 2023.
- Junk Removal Journey, YouTube, 3 Nov 2026.
- The Side Hustle Show, podcast, 23 Apr 2026.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, 31.0.
Other data behind this page (5)
| Fact | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demand trend | stable | Accepted | BLS Employment Projections |
| Full-time or part-time | part time or full time | Accepted | Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash |
| Nearest occupation | Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | Accepted | O*NET 31.0 |
| Work mode | local | Accepted | Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash |
| Equipment | sturdy gloves | One report | Side Hustles To Earn Extra Cash |