304 Stainless Steel Scrap Prices in Arizona
Current 304 Stainless Steel prices at scrap yards in Arizona. Compare local offers against the U.S. national average to get the most money for your scrap.
Average 304 Stainless Steel Price
The min/max range reflects a blended index (local + national data). Your local high may be lower.
- Low (up to $0.30): Floor price, typically for small loads.
- Mid ($0.31): A fair deal for standard quantities.
- High ($0.50+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
Pricing verified from 1 live board rates today.
304 Stainless Steel price reference for Arizona
Scrap yards in Arizona don’t always update their prices in real time. To give you a reliable current value, we use the U.S. national average ($0.34/lb). The secondary metals market tracks exchange moves consistently across the country. Use this national figure as your benchmark when negotiating with local yards. 304 Stainless Steel prices across the U.S. →
Best Paying Scrap Yards for 304 Stainless Steel Arizona
These are scrap yards in Arizona that recently updated 304 Stainless Steel prices in our database. Call them to lock in a quote. If your city isn't listed, use the National Index above as a bargaining reference with your nearest buyer.
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🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶How 304 Stainless Steel Stacks Up Against Other Grades
The #1 rule at scrap yards: if you mix grades, they’ll weigh everything at the lowest rate. See the price gap below — if you have higher-value metal, always sort and weigh each grade separately to avoid leaving money on the table.
304 Stainless Steel Price Trends & Market History
This chart shows where the market is headed. If the line is climbing, prices are rising — you might get a better deal in a few days. If it’s dropping, don’t wait: sell today before yards lower their buy prices further.
304 Stainless Steel: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (LME)
Avg scrap yard price
World market price (LME)
304 Stainless Steel: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History
| Period | World price (per lb) | Scrap yard price (per lb) | Spread vs. exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 (current) | $7.841267 | $3.25 | -$4.59 (58.5%) |
| February 2026 | $7.846832 | $3.45 | -$4.40 (56%) |
| January 2026 | $8.09 | $4.85 | -$3.24 (40%) |
| December 2025 | $6.824471 | $4.09 | -$2.73 (40%) |
| November 2025 | $6.698093 | $4.02 | -$2.68 (40%) |
| October 2025 | $6.907923 | $4.14 | -$2.76 (40%) |
| September 2025 | $6.933847 | $4.16 | -$2.77 (40%) |
| August 2025 | $6.901329 | $3.14 | -$3.76 (54.5%) |
| July 2025 | $6.957161 | $4.17 | -$2.78 (40%) |
| June 2025 | $6.90039 | $4.14 | -$2.76 (40%) |
| May 2025 | $7.089084 | $4.25 | -$2.84 (40%) |
| April 2025 | $7.016723 | $4.21 | -$2.81 (40%) |
| March 2025 | $7.329018 | $4.40 | -$2.93 (40%) |
304 Stainless Steel Scrap Price History — Daily Data
A day-by-day market snapshot in exact numbers. Every day we aggregate buy prices from local scrap yards, recording the average, low, and high. Use this table to track real price movement over recent days.
| Date | Avg price (per lb) | Change | Range (Low/High) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/17/2026 | $0.30 / lb | +$0.05 | $0.30 - $0.30 |
Maximize Your Payout on 304 Stainless Steel
If you are tearing out commercial kitchen prep tables, brewery vats, or industrial food processing equipment, you are likely sitting on a pile of 304 Stainless Steel. This is the workhorse of the non-magnetic stainless family. Right now, our market data shows scrap yards are paying a national average of $0.34 per pound. However, if you show up with unprepared material—think heavy plastic handles, steel brackets, or rubber gaskets still attached—expect to see quotes drop down to the $0.30 range. On the flip side, perfectly clean, sheared 304 can push toward the top end of the market, fetching up to $0.50.
Yard Pro Tip: 304 stainless is fundamentally non-magnetic, but heavy cold-working (like severe bending, deep drawing, or machining) can make the edges hold a slight magnetic pull. Don't let a rookie scale operator downgrade your premium 304 load to cheaper 400-series stainless just because their magnet lightly grabs a bent corner. If they push back, tell them to hit it with a grinder—304 throws short, thin, reddish-orange sparks, while 400 series throws long, bright white steel sparks.
The Prep: Don't Let Cross-Contamination Kill Your Ticket
The scale never lies, but it will definitely punish a lazy peddler. 304 is often referred to interchangeably with 18/8 Stainless Steel in the scrap game, but it is crucial to keep it separate from higher-nickel alloys. If you toss premium 316 Stainless Steel into your standard 304 or generic 300 Series Stainless Steel gaylord box, the buyer will simply pay you the lower rate for the entire lot. You are essentially throwing away roughly $0.43 per pound on that 316 material by not taking five minutes to sort it.
| Condition | What It Means | Impact on Price |
|---|---|---|
| Clean 304 | No attachments, no steel screws, no rubber or plastic. Pure alloy. | Maximum payout (Near the $0.50 mark) |
| Dirty 304 | Has non-stainless attachments, foam insulation, or heavy grime. | Significant downgrade (Closer to $0.30) |
Market Drivers: Tracking the Nickel
The value of your 304 stainless scrap is heavily tied to the global nickel market, usually traded on the LME. Because 304 contains roughly 8% nickel, any major shifts in international supply chains or industrial manufacturing will directly impact what you get paid in Arizona. Typically, scrap buyers offer rates that float around 96.1% below the spot price of prime nickel to account for their own processing, baling, and freight costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes 304 stainless different from 316?
While both are high-quality, non-magnetic alloys, 316 contains molybdenum, which significantly increases its corrosion resistance, especially in marine or chemical environments. Because of this extra alloying element, the national range for 316 sits at $0.70 to $0.90/lb, which is higher than standard 304.
Why is a magnet sticking to my 304 stainless?
While pure 304 is non-magnetic, physical stress from bending, rolling, or pressing changes the crystal structure slightly, making those specific bent areas faintly magnetic. If a magnet sticks hard to a flat, unworked surface, you likely have 400-series stainless or plain steel, not 304.
What is the current average price for 304 Stainless Steel?
Based on national data, clean 304 stainless is averaging $0.34 per pound. Remember that local yards Arizona will adjust their daily board prices based on their own downstream mill relationships and freight expenses.
304 Stainless Steel scrap prices in Arizona on the map
The map shows cities in Arizona with 304 Stainless Steel scrap prices. Click a marker or pick a city in the list below to see 304 Stainless Steel prices in that location.