Tire Repairers and Changers Salary

The median tire repairers and changers salary in the United States is $37,710 per year ($18.13/hour). Salaries range from $30,010 at the entry level to $50,230+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 108,410 tire repairers and changers jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 5.7% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Salary
$37,710
per year
Hourly Rate
$18.13
per hour
Employment
108,410
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$30,010
25th percentile
$34,690
Median
$37,710
75th percentile
$45,300
90th percentile
$50,230

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+5.7%
Faster than average

Annual Openings

15,300
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

High school diploma or equivalent

Training Needed

Short-term on-the-job training

Tire Repairers and Changers Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for tire repairers and changerss.

Tire repairers and changers work the bays at national chains (Discount Tire / America's Tire, Firestone Complete Auto Care, Goodyear Auto Service, Pep Boys, NTB, Big O), warehouse-club tire centers (Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's), dealership service departments, and independent shops. A typical bay does 25-40 tire changes a day plus 8-15 flat repairs and rotations. BLS reports a median of $37,710 across 108,410 jobs, with p10 at $27,930 and p90 at $54,590. Discount Tire, Costco, and Firestone at the high end of the market pay $18-28/hr for a Sr Technician with ASE Tire certification and TPMS training; entry lube-and-tire seats at independent shops start $13-16/hr. Piece-rate flat-repair pay ($6-12/repair) can push weekly earnings well above base for a fast, accurate technician.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Mounting & dismounting on the tire changer
Coats 70X-AH, Hunter TCX56, and Ranger R76 are the industry-standard machines. Load rim, break the bead with the swing arm, dismount and remount without damaging the wheel finish. A trained tech does 4-8 tires an hour without scratching a rim; a bad hire scratches 1 rim in 20 and loses the store $200-800 in reimbursement each time.
Road-force balancing (Hunter Road Force Elite, GSP9700)
Static and dynamic balance with a road-force simulation that catches out-of-round tires the standard balancer misses. Interpret the road-force number (<25 lb is passing, 25-45 needs a match-mount, 45+ is a warranty tire) and match-mount high-force tires to the wheel's low spot.
TPMS service (Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems)
Re-learn sensor IDs to the vehicle after tire service using an ATEQ, Bartec, OTC, or Autel TPMS tool. Different vehicles need OBD relearn, stationary relearn, or auto-relearn β€” 2008+ vehicles are federally required to have TPMS. This is where new hires fail β€” the tire is off in 5 minutes and TPMS relearn takes 20.
Flat repair (patch-plug combination)
Locate the puncture, ream and clean the injury channel, install a T-handle plug or a Rema-tip-top combination patch-plug from inside the tire (patch on the inner liner, stem through the tread). Never a plug-only repair on the sidewall or shoulder β€” federal safety guideline is repairs are limited to the tread center 1.5 inches. A shop that plugs sidewalls gets sued.
Wheel-safety inspection
Check for bent rims (visual + spin on the balancer), sidewall bubbles, tread depth (2/32 legal, 4/32 recommended for wet), uneven wear patterns (inside-shoulder wear = alignment; center wear = over-inflation; both shoulders = under-inflation), age (DOT date code β€” tires past 6-10 years get flagged even with tread left).
Torque-to-spec with a calibrated torque wrench
Never impact a lug nut fully tight β€” always finish with a calibrated click-type or digital torque wrench to the manufacturer spec (typically 80-140 ft-lb for cars, 140-180 ft-lb for trucks). Impact-tight lugs cause warped rotors and cracked wheels; a comeback for a warped rotor is $200-500 the store eats.
Customer service & upsell
Recommend alignment when you see camber wear, replacement wipers, air filters, and rotation packages. Discount Tire, Firestone, and Costco pay a small commission or spiff on upsell; a good bay tech adds $80-200/day in upsell revenue at a store.
Basic English & Spanish helpful in urban markets
In Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, San Antonio, and much of Texas / Florida, bilingual technicians build a repeat customer base and get promoted to Bay Lead faster.

How to Become a Tire Repairers and Changers

  1. 1
    High school diploma or GED (helpful but not always required)
    Most chains require it; independents often don't. Basic math for tread depth, PSI, and pricing is expected on day one.
  2. 2
    Apply as a Tire Technician / Lube Tech at a chain or independent shop
    $14-17/hr at Discount Tire, Costco, Firestone, or Pep Boys. First 30-90 days are training on the tire changer, balancer, and TPMS tool. Discount Tire's structured onboarding is the industry benchmark β€” new hires do the tire changer certification within 45 days.
  3. 3
    Complete manufacturer TPMS and equipment training
    Hunter, Coats, Ranger, ATEQ, Bartec, and Autel all offer 4-16 hour classroom + hands-on courses paid for by the employer. TPMS training especially separates fast bays from slow ones.
  4. 4
    Earn ASE Tire Certification (X1) and pursue additional ASE credentials
    $18-24/hr. ASE X1 (Auto Maintenance & Light Repair β€” Tire) is the industry certification. Sr techs stack ASE A4 (Suspension & Steering) and A5 (Brakes) to open into general-service technician seats.
  5. 5
    Promote to Bay Lead / Assistant Manager / Service Manager
    $22-32/hr or salaried at some chains + monthly bonus. Bay Lead runs the shift, orders inventory, handles escalations, and audits torque and TPMS discipline. Assistant Manager at Discount Tire or Firestone earns $48-72k salaried + bonus and is a step to Store Manager ($65-95k).

Career Progression

Tire Technician / Lube Tech (entry)
0-1 yrs$29-35k ($14-17/hr + weekend premium at some chains)
  • β€’Mount and dismount tires on the tire changer
  • β€’Torque lug nuts to spec after every service
  • β€’Perform rotations and basic flat repairs (patch-plug from inside the tire)
  • β€’Sanitize the bay, empty scrap tire bins, restock supplies
Next: Move to Tire Technician II at 6-12 months on tire-changer sign-off and TPMS certification.
Tire Technician II / Certified Tire Tech
1-3 yrs$34-42k ($16-20/hr + weekend + spiff)
  • β€’Road-force balance on Hunter GSP9700 / Road Force Elite
  • β€’TPMS diagnosis and relearn on all OEM systems (Bartec, ATEQ, Autel)
  • β€’Combination patch-plug repairs to industry standard
  • β€’Inspect for tread wear patterns and recommend alignment when appropriate
Next: Sr Tire Tech / Bay Lead at 3-5 years with ASE X1 certification.
Sr Tire Tech / Bay Lead
3-8 yrs$40-54k ($19-26/hr + weekend + monthly bonus)
  • β€’Run the bay for the shift β€” lead 2-4 techs, assign work
  • β€’Handle escalations (angry customers, comebacks, warranty tires)
  • β€’Audit torque and TPMS discipline; sign off on wheel and lug work
  • β€’Train new hires through the 30/60/90 day skills checklist
Next: Assistant Manager at 7-11 years or move to a General Service Tech track with ASE A4/A5.
Assistant Manager / Service Manager
7-12 yrs$48-72k salaried + 5-15% monthly bonus
  • β€’Run the store's service department β€” schedule, staffing, inventory, warranty claims
  • β€’Own the store's tire-and-service revenue target ($400k-1.5M/mo depending on volume)
  • β€’Interface with the Store Manager on P&L; audit shrink and comeback rates
  • β€’Handle escalated customer complaints, warranty disputes, and DOT inspections
Next: Store Manager at 10-15 years or Regional Service Manager on multi-store readiness.
Store Manager / Regional Service Manager
10+ yrs$65-115k salaried + 10-25% annual bonus + benefits
  • β€’Run a single store ($3-15M annual revenue) or a district of 6-12 stores
  • β€’Own P&L, hiring, training, comebacks, customer satisfaction (NPS / Google review scores)
  • β€’Interface with regional operations, tire vendors (Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Continental), and corporate
  • β€’Recruit and develop the next generation of Bay Leads and Assistant Managers
Next: District / Regional Director at 15+ years or independent shop ownership.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 15 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through mounting and balancing a set of 4 tires on a 2020 F-150.technical
Start with a wheel-well inspection β€” brake wear, cracked lugs, bent studs, rusted rims. Lift the truck on the two-post lift, hit the lug nuts with the impact at low torque, break them free by hand for the last quarter turn to feel for stripped studs. Move tires to the Coats or Hunter tire changer. Break both beads on the swing arm, lube the beads with soap, mount new tires with the machine at low pressure β€” F-150 uses 20 mm valve stems, so replace stems on new tires. Inflate to seat the beads (typically 45-55 PSI to seat, then set to the door-jamb spec β€” F-150 is 35 PSI front, 41 PSI rear depending on payload). Move to Hunter Road Force Elite balancer β€” spin, get the static and dynamic weights, road-force number. If road-force is above 25 lb, match-mount by rotating tire on rim to align low spot on rim with high spot on tire. Torque lug nuts in a star pattern with the calibrated torque wrench to Ford's spec of 150 ft-lb (F-150 is one of the higher torques). Relearn TPMS on Bartec Tech600 β€” Ford uses auto-relearn after a 20-mph drive. Complete about 45-60 minutes.
Q2. A customer says their tires vibrate at 65 mph. Walk me through your diagnosis.technical
Test-drive first to confirm β€” 60-65 mph steering wheel wobble is almost always a tire or wheel issue; the same speed vibration through the seat is usually rear wheel or driveline. Visual inspection: cupping / feathering on tread (alignment), sidewall bubble (belt separation, must replace), bent rim (visible on the tire changer's spin), missing wheel weights. Move to the road-force balancer and spin all 4 wheels β€” anything over 25 lb road force is a candidate. If road-force is high, match-mount and re-check. If road-force is above 45 lb even after match-mount, it's a tire warranty return. If everything balances well, check for a bent wheel (put wheel on balancer and spin with no tire), then check for worn hub bearings and CV joints. Never say 'you need new tires' before running the full diagnostic β€” customers hate that and it's often not the answer.
Q3. Describe a time you handled a comeback.behavioral
STAR. Situation: at a Discount Tire, a customer came back the next morning saying their car was pulling right after we mounted 4 new tires. Task: figure out fast whether it was our mistake or an existing alignment issue, and make it right. Action: I road-tested the car, confirmed a strong right pull. Put it on the alignment rack (or the road-force balancer if you don't have alignment) β€” camber was -1.2 left / -0.8 right, which was pulling right and was a pre-existing alignment issue not something we caused. But I hadn't documented the alignment recommendation the day before, which was on me. I offered a complimentary alignment ($89 retail) and got it done that morning, then walked the customer through the alignment printout so she understood it wasn't the tires. Result: kept the customer, and I put a written pre-service alignment-check into the store's process going forward. Interviewers screen for people who own the mistake, offer a real fix without arguing, and change process.
Q4. Why tires instead of general auto service or dealership work?culture
Honest answer: tire and wheel work is high-volume, physically demanding but skill-focused, and you can build up to ASE A4/A5 and general-service without a Manufacturer Tech Certification investment. Dealership pay is higher at the Master Tech level ($80-120k on flat-rate) but the entry ladder is longer and you need factory training that only comes from the dealer. Tire work at Discount Tire, Costco, or Firestone lets me start at $16-18/hr in 30 days and be at $22-26/hr as a Sr Tech + Bay Lead in 3-5 years with straightforward certifications. Interviewers want a candidate who understands the trade tradeoffs.
Q5. Where do you see your career in 5 years?closer
Sr Tire Tech + Bay Lead at a Discount Tire or Firestone location, with ASE X1 (Tire) + A4 (Suspension) + A5 (Brakes), running my own bay and training the next class of new hires. Longer term, Assistant Manager and then Store Manager β€” Discount Tire's promote-from-within track is one of the strongest in the industry. Or I might specialize into commercial / fleet tire work (Bridgestone Firestone, Michelin fleet centers) which pays more per hour for heavier work. I want to build stackable certifications, not just clock in.

Resume Template β€” Tire Technician II / Certified Tire Tech (1-3 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Tire Technician II / Certified Tire Tech (1-3 yrs)
  • β–ΈMounted, balanced, and repaired 35-45 tires per shift at Discount Tire; zero comebacks over the last 6 months (peer rate ~2/mo).
  • β–ΈTPMS-certified on Bartec Tech600 and ATEQ VT56; handled 100% of TPMS relearns in the bay without escalation.
  • β–ΈASE X1 Tire Certification + Hunter Road Force Elite trained. Bilingual English/Spanish.
  • β–Έ$18.50/hr base + weekend premium + monthly $150-350 store bonus = $44,800 total FY24; perfect attendance.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Cannot demonstrate a tire changer on a first-day skills check β€” most chains use a hands-on test even for entry hires.
  • βœ—Doesn't torque with a calibrated wrench β€” impact-tight only. Warped rotors and cracked wheels follow.
  • βœ—Skips TPMS relearn β€” customers drive out with a TPMS warning light and come back the next day.
  • βœ—Plug-only repairs on sidewalls or shoulders β€” this is a federal safety violation and a lawsuit waiting to happen.
  • βœ—Sloppy wheel-well handling β€” scratched rims are the biggest single source of comebacks and store reimbursement.
  • βœ—Refuses to work weekends β€” 60-70% of tire volume is Friday afternoon through Saturday.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Chain premium β€” Discount Tire, Costco, Firestone, and Sam's Club pay $2-5/hr more than independent shops for the same seat.
  • βœ“Certification premium β€” ASE X1 adds $1-2/hr; stacked A4/A5 adds another $2-4/hr and moves you into general-service tech pay.
  • βœ“TPMS + Road-Force balancing certification β€” some chains pay a $1/hr premium; almost all pay for the training.
  • βœ“Weekend premium β€” most chains pay $1-2/hr differential for Saturday/Sunday. Ask specifically what the rate is.
  • βœ“Piece-rate flat-repair pay β€” some independents pay $6-12/flat on top of hourly. Fast techs can add $80-150/day in piece-rate.
  • βœ“Sign-on bonus β€” during shortages, chains (Discount Tire, Costco, Firestone) run $500-2,500 sign-on paid at 30/60/90-day milestones.
  • βœ“Boot / tool / uniform allowance β€” often $200-500/yr; not always in the base offer but negotiable.
  • βœ“Merit raise on ASE cert β€” many chains pay a written raise the day you present the passing score. Get the increase and the timing in writing.

Tire Repairers and Changers Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired tire repairers and changerss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Tire Repairers and Changers Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 15 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 7 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 7 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

Sample reviews β€” real customer reviews will appear here as they come in.

β€œThe interview question bank saved me. I got the exact question about 'walking through a DCF' at my Goldman Sachs superday, verbatim.”

β€” Anonymous, Financial Analyst

β€œCopy-paste negotiation emails are worth the price alone. I used the 'accepting with counter' template and got an extra $8k signing bonus.”

β€” Anonymous, Software Developer

β€œThe 30-60-90 day plan for a new grad RN was better than the orientation my hospital gave. Wish I'd bought this in nursing school.”

β€” Anonymous, Registered Nurse

Tire Repairers and Changers Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$30K
$48Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Oregon
$48K
+26%
Delaware
$47K
+24%
Montana
$46K
+23%
Rhode Island
$46K
+23%
Hawaii
$46K
+21%
Colorado
$45K
+20%
Washington
$45K
+18%
Vermont
$44K
+18%
New Jersey
$44K
+18%
Maryland
$44K
+18%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Oregon$47,650+26.4%
Delaware$46,630+23.7%
Montana$46,360+22.9%
Rhode Island$46,240+22.6%
Hawaii$45,760+21.3%
Colorado$45,380+20.3%
Washington$44,670+18.5%
Vermont$44,480+18.0%
New Jersey$44,440+17.8%
Maryland$44,430+17.8%
1–10 of 50

Tire Repairers and Changers Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$48,880+29.6%
Bend, OR$48,820+29.5%
Napa, CA$48,580+28.8%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$48,320+28.1%
Medford, OR$47,670+26.4%
Eugene-Springfield, OR$47,110+24.9%
Bozeman, MT$47,000+24.6%
Billings, MT$46,850+24.2%
Colorado Springs, CO$46,660+23.7%
Salem, OR$46,470+23.2%
1–10 of 315
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A tire repairers and changers earning $37,710/year would need 1581 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1697 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how tire repairers and changers salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Tire Repairers and Changers salary trend (2011–2024) β†’