Tire Builders Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for tire builders in the U.S. is $57,390 ($27.59 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $57,390
- Mean annual wage
- $57,160
- Median hourly wage
- $27.59
- Employment
- 20,770
20,770 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,150 | $19.31 |
| 25th percentile | $47,900 | $23.03 |
| Median (50th) | $57,390 | $27.59 |
| 75th percentile | $64,380 | $30.95 |
| 90th percentile | $74,680 | $35.91 |
Highest-paying states for tire builders
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $74,100 | 1,360 |
| North Carolina | $63,950 | 3,750 |
| Illinois | $59,830 | — |
| Ohio | $56,370 | 780 |
| Texas | $54,880 | 610 |
| Mississippi | $53,050 | 710 |
| Indiana | $51,170 | 1,320 |
| Iowa | $50,600 | 510 |
| Connecticut | $48,630 | 90 |
| Oregon | $48,380 | 250 |
Lowest-paying states
- Florida: $44,150 median annual wage
- Georgia: $44,220 median annual wage
- Michigan: $44,420 median annual wage
- California: $44,790 median annual wage
- Pennsylvania: $45,270 median annual wage
About this occupation
Operate machines to build tires.
Typical tasks
- Build semi-raw rubber treads onto buffed tire casings to prepare tires for vulcanization in recapping or retreading processes.
- Inspect worn tires for faults, cracks, cuts, and nail holes, and to determine if tires are suitable for retreading.
- Brush or spray solvents onto plies to ensure adhesion, and repeat process as specified, alternating direction of each ply to strengthen tires.
- Measure tires to determine mold size requirements.
- Rub cement sticks on drum edges to provide adhesive surfaces for plies.
- Wind chafers and breakers onto plies.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 8.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 53.9% |
| Some college, no degree | 27.0% |
| Associate's degree | 6.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4.4% |
| Master's degree | 0.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Machinists$58,750
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.