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Tire Repairers and Changers: Career Overview
Repair and replace tires.
What Do Tire Repairers and Changers Perform?
Typical responsibilities of tire repairers and changers cover:
- Raise vehicles, using hydraulic jacks.
- Remount wheels onto vehicles.
- Unbolt and remove wheels from vehicles, using lug wrenches or other hand or power tools.
- Place wheels on balancing machines to determine counterweights required to balance wheels.
- Identify tire size and ply and inflate tires accordingly.
- Replace valve stems and remove puncturing objects.
- Hammer required counterweights onto rims of wheels.
- Reassemble tires onto wheels.
What Tire Repairers and Changers Need to Know
Successful tire repairers and changers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Alignment Technician
- Automotive Tire Worker (Auto Tire Worker)
- Brake and Alignment Technician (Brake and Alignment Tech)
- Commercial Tire Service Tech (Commercial Tire Service Technician)
- Commercial Tire Tech (Commercial Tire Technician)
- Lube Technician
- Maintenance Technician
- Mobile Tire Tech (Mobile Tire Technician)
How Many Tire Repairers and Changers Are There?
There are roughly 481,999 tire repairers and changers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +4.2% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Tire Repairers and Changers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $60,154 |
| Hourly median | $28.92 |
| 10th percentile | $42,086 |
| 25th percentile | $51,120 |
| 75th percentile | $69,188 |
| 90th percentile | $78,222 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,300 |
| Oregon | $45,560 |
| Rhode Island | $45,370 |
| District of Columbia | $45,110 |
| Delaware | $43,920 |
| Washington | $43,400 |
| California | $42,420 |
| Ohio | $41,840 |
| New York | $40,870 |
| Wyoming | $40,590 |
| Minnesota | $40,340 |
| Maryland | $40,260 |
| Montana | $40,000 |
| Wisconsin | $39,340 |
| Alaska | $39,060 |
| Colorado | $38,990 |
| Vermont | $38,730 |
| New Jersey | $38,560 |
| Idaho | $38,260 |
| Iowa | $38,140 |
| North Dakota | $38,080 |
| Georgia | $37,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,710 |
| Arizona | $37,240 |
| Illinois | $37,050 |
| Maine | $37,030 |
| Massachusetts | $36,850 |
| Michigan | $36,820 |
| Missouri | $36,650 |
| Kansas | $36,570 |
| Nebraska | $36,420 |
| South Dakota | $36,390 |
| New Hampshire | $36,320 |
| Indiana | $36,060 |
| Utah | $36,060 |
| Texas | $35,930 |
| Connecticut | $35,870 |
| Virginia | $35,810 |
| Tennessee | $35,740 |
| Nevada | $35,660 |
| Kentucky | $35,050 |
| Louisiana | $34,640 |
| Oklahoma | $34,640 |
| North Carolina | $34,570 |
| Florida | $33,660 |
| Mississippi | $33,480 |
| South Carolina | $33,350 |
| Arkansas | $32,650 |
| New Mexico | $31,030 |
| Alabama | $29,790 |
| West Virginia | $29,710 |
| Guam | $27,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,160 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for tire repairers and changers shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $42,548 | 16.5% | 1.09 |
| Middle Atlantic | $38,962 | 6.9% | 0.62 |
| Rocky Mountains | $38,323 | 6.8% | 1.82 |
| Great Lakes | $38,049 | 13.9% | 1.02 |
| Plains States | $37,574 | 7.1% | 1.10 |
| New England | $37,326 | 2.7% | 0.61 |
| Southwest | $35,721 | 19.7% | 1.59 |
| Southeast | $34,362 | 25.8% | 1.07 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | CA | $51,600 | 50 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $47,770 | 130 |
| Grants Pass, OR | OR | $47,110 | 50 |
| Bend, OR | OR | $46,740 | 200 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $46,740 | 50 |
| Salem, OR | OR | $46,650 | 220 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $46,060 | 1,010 |
| Bozeman, MT | MT | $45,910 | 110 |
Top Industries Employing Tire Repairers and Changers
The bulk of tire repairers and changers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 86,110 | $36,880 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 10,250 | $35,760 |
| Wholesale Trade | 4,880 | $42,610 |
| Manufacturing | 1,500 | $45,850 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 1,050 | $41,660 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 730 | $40,560 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 620 | $37,910 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 150 | $83,360 |
Below are examples of industries where tire repairers and changers work:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for tire repairers and changers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Spend Time Standing
- Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How to Become Tire Repairers and Changers
Entry-level tire repairers and changers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Primary-Long)
- Automotive Body and Related Repairers (Primary-Long)
- Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers (Primary-Long)
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (Primary-Short)
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines (Supplemental)
- Rail Car Repairers (Primary-Short)
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-3093.00 (Tire Repairers and Changers).