Scrap Computer Wire Prices in Phoenix
Current Computer Wire prices at scrap yards in Phoenix, Arizona. Compare local offers against the U.S. national average to get the most money for your scrap.
Average Computer Wire 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 ($0.67): A fair deal for standard quantities.
- High ($0.90+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
Pricing verified from 3 live board rates today.
Computer Wire price reference for Phoenix, Arizona
Scrap yards in Phoenix, Arizona don’t always update their prices in real time. To give you a reliable current value, we use the U.S. national average ($0.43/lb). The secondary metals market tracks exchange moves consistently across the country. Use this national figure as your benchmark when negotiating with local yards. Computer Wire prices across the U.S. →
Best Scrap Yards Buying Computer Wire Phoenix, AZ
These are scrap yards in Phoenix, Arizona that recently updated Computer Wire 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.
E-Z Money Recycling LLC
E-Z Money Recycling LLC
Don’t see your scrap yard in Phoenix, Arizona? List it for free.
Hundreds of sellers in your area search for current scrap prices every day. Post your buy prices and start getting calls.
🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶How Computer Wire Compares to Other Insulated 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.
Computer Wire Price History & Market Trends
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.
Computer Wire: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (COMEX)
Avg scrap yard price
World market price (COMEX)
Computer Wire: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History
| Period | World price (per lb) | Scrap yard price (per lb) | Spread vs. exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 (current) | $5.767857 | $2.64 | -$3.12 (54.2%) |
| February 2026 | $5.880136 | $2.79 | -$3.09 (52.6%) |
| January 2026 | $5.894887 | $3.54 | -$2.36 (40%) |
| December 2025 | $5.497742 | $3.30 | -$2.20 (40%) |
| November 2025 | $5.064033 | $3.04 | -$2.03 (40%) |
| October 2025 | $5.050242 | $3.03 | -$2.02 (40%) |
| September 2025 | $4.662367 | $2.80 | -$1.87 (40%) |
| August 2025 | $4.477984 | $2.20 | -$2.28 (50.8%) |
| July 2025 | $5.482645 | $3.29 | -$2.19 (40%) |
| June 2025 | $4.883233 | $2.93 | -$1.95 (40%) |
| May 2025 | $4.686194 | $2.81 | -$1.87 (40%) |
| April 2025 | $4.654267 | $2.79 | -$1.86 (40%) |
| March 2025 | $5.13 | $3.08 | -$2.05 (40%) |
Computer Wire 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 | $0.90 / lb | +$0.10 | $0.90 - $0.90 |
Cashing In on IT Teardowns: The Reality of Computer Wire
If you are clearing out an office or tearing down old server racks, you are going to end up with mountains of computer wire. We're talking ribbon cables, VGA cords, serial cables, and standard low-grade peripheral wires. Because the copper recovery on these cables is incredibly low compared to the plastic shielding, payouts nationally are hovering between $0.30 and $0.75 per pound. Local yards in Phoenix factor in the heavy plastic waste when pricing this material, so managing your expectations and sorting correctly is the only way to make the haul profitable.
Don't Downgrade Your Premium Cords
The biggest rookie mistake at the scale is tossing everything into one gaylord box. If you throw thick power cords or heavy gauge appliance wires in with your flimsy ribbon and peripheral cables, the yard will grade the entire load as low-yield computer wire. Mixing premium #2 Insulated Wire into a bin of computer wire can cost you up to $1.44 per pound. Sort your heavier, higher-yield cords into a separate bucket to maximize your payout.
Yard Pro Tip: If your computer cables still have large, pin-heavy connectors attached (like old parallel or VGA plugs), snip them off before selling the wire. The thick plastic connectors add dead weight that lowers the overall copper percentage, but more importantly, those gold-plated pins can often be sold separately to an e-scrap buyer for a much higher premium than the basic wire itself.
The Scrapper's Guide to IT Cables
To get the best price for your computer wire, you need to know exactly what buyers are looking for. Processing computer wire is heavily tied to the COMEX market, but because of the massive amount of plastic, expect yards to pay around 83.3% below the spot price of pure copper. Keep your loads clean of non-wire trash, zip ties, and mounting brackets.
| Cable Type | Typical Payout Expectation |
|---|---|
| Clean CAT5/CAT6 & heavy peripheral cables | Pushes the $0.75 ceiling |
| Mixed IT cables (USB, VGA, basic ribbon) | Hovers near the $0.43 mark |
| Trash-heavy loads (power supplies attached, excess plastic) | Drops to $0.30 or rejected |
Depending on what else you pulled from the demolition site, you might have better-paying wire grades. Check what buyers are offering for these related materials:
- #1 Insulated Wire: $2.40 to $3.90/lb
- #2 Insulated Wire: $1.60 to $2.27/lb
- #3 Insulated Wire (Low Grade): $0.60 to $1.20/lb
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth stripping computer wire?
Absolutely not. The copper inside ribbon cables, USB cords, and thin serial cables is almost hair-like. You will spend hours trying to strip it, likely damaging your tools, and end up with a negligible amount of bare bright copper. Sell it as-is for the $0.43 average rate and let the yard's industrial choppers handle the processing.
Do PC power cords count as computer wire?
Typically, standard heavy power cords from PC power supplies should be sorted as #2 Insulated Wire or a dedicated 'Power Cord' grade, which generally pays better. If you mix them into your thin peripheral wires, the scale master will often just pay you the lower computer wire rate for the entire bin.
Why does computer wire pay so little compared to standard copper wire?
It comes down to recovery percentages. Computer wire consists of a massive amount of plastic insulation, rubber connectors, and foil shielding compared to a very tiny core of copper. Processing and separating this material is expensive for the yard, which is why it sits so far below the COMEX spot price.