Tire Repairers and Changers earn a median of $37,710 per year ($18.13/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 3.4% through 2035, with about 12,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 49-3093
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Tire Repairer and Changer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $37,710a year, or $18.13/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $30KTop 10% $50K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.4%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 12,900112,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025112.2K
- Projected 2035116K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 112.2K Projected 2035 116K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Alignment Technician (Alignment Tech), Lube Technician (Lube Tech), Service Technician (Service Tech), Tire Alignment Technician (Tire Alignment Tech), Tire Changer, Tire Installer.
Pay
How much do Tire Repairers and Changers make?
Every tire repairer and changer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$37,710
Middle half earn $34,690 to $45,300
- 10th
- $30,010
- 25th
- $34,690
- 75th
- $45,300
- 90th
- $50,230
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $30,010 |
| 25th | $34,690 |
| Median | $37,710 |
| 75th | $45,300 |
| 90th | $50,230 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $37,710
- Median hourly wage
- $18.13/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $40,170
- People employed
- 108,410
Versus all US occupations
At $37,710, Tire Repairers and Changers earn 26% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,270 a year.
Versus installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
Inside the Installation, Maintenance, and Repair group, where the middle occupation pays $61,150, this is 38% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $50,230 or more while the bottom 10% earn $30,010, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 5% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Oregon posts the highest raw median ($47,650), but once local prices are taken into account Montana leads at $48,983 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Tire Repairers and Changers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Oregon | $47,650 | $46,101 | 2,260 |
| 2Delaware | $46,630 | $46,720 | 230 |
| 3Montana | $46,360 | $48,983 | 740 |
| 4Rhode Island | $46,240 | $45,209 | 190 |
| 5Hawaii | $45,760 | $41,619 | 220 |
| 6Colorado | $45,380 | $44,036 | 2,750 |
| 7Washington | $44,670 | $41,743 | 2,960 |
| 8Vermont | $44,480 | $45,407 | 120 |
| 9New Jersey | $44,440 | $40,844 | 2,290 |
| 10Maryland | $44,430 | $42,331 | 880 |
Job outlook
Is Tire Repairer and Changer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Tire Repairers and Changers | +3.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Tire Repairers and Changers to change 3.4% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 3,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 12,900 openings are projected each year, 11.5% of the 112,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Tire Repairer and Changer
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Tire Repairer and Changer do?
Repair and replace tires.
Day-to-day tasks
- Unbolt and remove wheels from vehicles, using lug wrenches or other hand or power tools.
- Identify tire size and ply and inflate tires accordingly.
- Raise vehicles, using hydraulic jacks.
- Reassemble tires onto wheels.
- Remount wheels onto vehicles.
- Seal punctures in tubeless tires by inserting adhesive material and expanding rubber plugs into punctures, using hand tools.
- Locate punctures in tubeless tires by visual inspection or by immersing inflated tires in water baths and observing air bubbles.
- Replace valve stems and remove puncturing objects.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening2.9
- Speaking2.8
- Critical Thinking2.6
- Reading Comprehension2.5
- Monitoring2.5
- Active Learning2.1
- Writing2.0
- Mathematics2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 2.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.5 |
| Monitoring | 2.5 |
| Active Learning | 2.1 |
| Writing | 2.0 |
| Mathematics | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Time Management3.0
- Service Orientation2.9
- Operations Monitoring2.8
- Operation and Control2.8
- Troubleshooting2.8
- Repairing2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.6
- Quality Control Analysis2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 2.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.8 |
| Operation and Control | 2.8 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.8 |
| Repairing | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.6 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Project management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Tire Repairer and Changer?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Tire Repairer and Changer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.4
- Investigative1.8
- Social1.8
- Enterprising1.6
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Tire Repairer and Changer
O*NET related occupations
- Production
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
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$50,620median a year
Most earn $35K to $82K
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More installation, maintenance, and repair careers
Median annual pay, with tire repairers and changers highlighted
- Aircraft Mechanic$79,870
- Millwright$65,700
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic$64,520
- Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist$61,770
- Medical Equipment Repairer$61,660
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer$61,010
- Automotive Body and Related Repairer$54,890
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic$50,620
- Tire Repairer and Changer$37,710
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $79,870 |
| Millwright | $65,700 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $64,520 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist | $61,770 |
| Medical Equipment Repairer | $61,660 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer | $61,010 |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairer | $54,890 |
| Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic | $50,620 |
| Tire Repairer and Changer | $37,710 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Tire Repairer and Changer appears on
Questions
Tire Repairer and Changer: frequently asked questions
How much do Tire Repairers and Changers make?
Tire Repairers and Changers earn a median of $37,710 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 26% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $18.13/hr. The middle half earn between $34,690 and $45,300. The top 10% earn $50,230 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Tire Repairer and Changer?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Tire Repairers and Changers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Tire Repairer and Changer a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.4% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 12,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Tire Repairer and Changer do?
Repair and replace tires. A core O*NET task: unbolt and remove wheels from vehicles, using lug wrenches or other hand or power tools. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Spreadsheet software, Word processing software.
Which states pay Tire Repairers and Changers the most?
The highest state medians for Tire Repairers and Changers are Oregon ($47,650), Delaware ($46,630), Montana ($46,360) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Montana moves to the top at $48,983.
What personality type suits a Tire Repairer and Changer?
O*NET scores Tire Repairers and Changers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.