The present invention provides a steel wire rod excellent in scale peelability for mechanical descaling, and a manufacturing method thereof. The steel wire rod in accordance with the present invention has: a base metal portion formed of a steel containing C in an amount of not more than 1.1% and Si in an amount of 0.05 to 0.80% on a mass % basis as components; and a scale layer deposited on the surface of the base metal portion, wherein the Si average concentration in the interface portion of the scale with the base metal portion is not less than 2.0 times the Si content of the base metal portion.