The invention provides a method for recovering cadmium from copper cadmium residues. The method comprises the following steps: A, carrying out leaching by using sulfuric acid: the copper cadmium residues are leached by using sulfuric acid, and a filtering treatment is performed to obtain a leachate; B, carrying out purifying to remove copper: fresh cadmium sponge is added to the leachate from the step A to replace the copper in the leachate, and a filtering treatment is performed to obtain a copper-removed solution; C, carrying out oxidizing to remove iron: hydrogen peroxide is added to the copper-removed solution from the step B, and a filtering treatment is performed to obtain an iron-removed liquid; D, carrying out zinc powder replacement: sulfuric acid is added to the iron-removed liquid from the step C, zinc powder is added under a stirring state, treatments of filtering and washing are performed to obtain the sponge cadmium, and then a refining treatment is performed to obtain the cadmium ingot. The method of the present invention has the following advantages that: the process is simplified, the cadmium recovery rate is high, the zinc powder consumption is reduced, and no pollution is generated to the environment.