Tire Builders Career, Salary and Skills
Tire Builders have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $57,390 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 20,770. Wage data is published for 29 locations.
Occupation description
Operate machines to build tires.
O*NET code
51-9197.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$57,390
Hourly median
$27.59
Employment
20,770
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$40,150
10th
$47,900
25th
$57,390
Median
$64,380
75th
$74,680
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.75 | 2.00 |
| Time Management | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Speaking | 2.62 | 2.25 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.38 | 2.00 |
Typical tasks
- Build semi-raw rubber treads onto buffed tire casings to prepare tires for vulcanization in recapping or retreading processes.
- Trim excess rubber and imperfections during retreading processes.
- Fill cuts and holes in tires, using hot rubber.
- Place tires into molds for new tread.
- Fit inner tubes and final layers of rubber onto tires.
- Buff tires according to specifications for width and undertread depth.
- 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.
Technology
- IBM Lotus Notes
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Word
- Programmable logic controller PLC software
- SAP software
- Web browser software
Tire Builders salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Tire Builders Salary in NCMedian $63,950 · Employment 3,750
- Tire Builders Salary in TNMedian $74,100 · Employment 1,360
- Tire Builders Salary in INMedian $51,170 · Employment 1,320
- Tire Builders Salary in GAMedian $44,220 · Employment 940
- Tire Builders Salary in OHMedian $56,370 · Employment 780
- Tire Builders Salary in Atlanta, GAMedian $44,570 · Employment 740
- Tire Builders Salary in Fort Wayne, INMedian $51,170 · Employment 720
- Tire Builders Salary in MSMedian $53,050 · Employment 710
- Tire Builders Salary in TXMedian $54,880 · Employment 610
- Tire Builders Salary in NYMedian $46,550 · Employment 530
- Tire Builders Salary in IAMedian $50,600 · Employment 510
- Tire Builders Salary in CAMedian $44,790 · Employment 360
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- Shoe Machine Operators and TendersNational median $35,650
- Rail Car RepairersNational median $67,530
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $47,720
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $47,920
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.