PathMosaic
Career card

Tire Builders

Also called: Retread Technician, Tire Builder, Tire Retreader, Tire Technician

Operate machines to build tires.

Share on LinkedIn Download images

LinkedIn posts a link with a summary picture. Images: two pictures to save or post. PDF: the whole card. More

Median pay BLS, 2025$57,390
Openings a year BLS, 2025–351,900
Typical education to start BLSHigh school diploma or equivalent
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Low
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +0.8%

What the data says: AI couldn't halve the time on any of its 20 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 0.8% by 2035. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 2.3% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 8.4 hires for every 10 job openings in nondurable goods manufacturing, which employs about 98% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 43% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$44k$74knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Arizona$45,770$39,310 to $59,200130
California$44,790$38,600 to $47,880360
Connecticut$48,630$39,510 to $51,25090
Florida$44,150$40,020 to $66,670170
Georgia$44,220$37,240 to $49,080940
Illinois$59,830$59,830 to $59,830not published
Indiana$51,170$50,000 to $51,1701,320
Iowa$50,600$44,450 to $63,060510
Kentucky$46,010$39,740 to $46,850270
Maryland$46,290$39,620 to $55,64060
Michigan$44,420$39,420 to $48,36080
Mississippi$53,050$50,730 to $53,050710
New York$46,550$46,550 to $46,550530
North Carolina$63,950$51,420 to $64,3803,750
Ohio$56,370$56,370 to $62,330780
Oklahoma$45,830$37,820 to $58,030not published
Oregon$48,380$44,600 to $48,380250
Pennsylvania$45,270$42,590 to $47,260360
Tennessee$74,100$65,350 to $74,1001,360
Texas$54,880$49,040 to $56,730610

Nationally: $57,390. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on none of its 20 tasks

0 · AI alone could halve the time 0 · AI + software built on it could 20 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
Not much Fill cuts and holes in tires, using hot rubber. Not published
Not much Trim excess rubber and imperfections during retreading processes. Not published
Not much Build semi-raw rubber treads onto buffed tire casings to prepare tires for vulcanization in recapping or retreading processes. Not published
Not much Buff tires according to specifications for width and undertread depth. Not published
Not much Inspect worn tires for faults, cracks, cuts, and nail holes, and to determine if tires are suitable for retreading. Not published
Not much Measure tires to determine mold size requirements. Not published
See all 20 tasks
Not much Fit inner tubes and final layers of rubber onto tires. Not published
Not much Start rollers that bond tread and plies as drums revolve. Not published
Not much Align treads with guides, start drums to wind treads onto plies, and slice ends. Not published
Not much Cut plies at splice points, and press ends together to form continuous bands. Not published
Not much Place tires into molds for new tread. Not published
Not much Clean and paint completed tires. Not published
Not much Brush or spray solvents onto plies to ensure adhesion, and repeat process as specified, alternating direction of each ply to strengthen tires. Not published
Not much Depress pedals to rotate drums, and wind specified numbers of plies around drums to form tire bodies. Not published
Not much Roll hand rollers over rebuilt casings, exerting pressure to ensure adhesion between camelbacks and casings. Not published
Not much Depress pedals to collapse drums after processing is complete. Not published
Not much Position ply stitcher rollers and drums according to width of stock, using hand tools and gauges. Not published
Not much Wind chafers and breakers onto plies. Not published
Not much Rub cement sticks on drum edges to provide adhesive surfaces for plies. Not published
Not much Pull plies from supply racks, and align plies with edges of drums. Not published

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 20 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 20 tasks fall under 11 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up0 of 20 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most0 of 11 activities Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Assemble products or work aids 2.37#184 0.33#230
Apply protective solutions or coatings 3.09#165 0.74#178
Cut materials 2.75#173 0.50#207
Position materials or components for assembly 1.64#208 0.45#213
Position workpieces or materials on equipment 0.61#264 0.17#249
Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment 6.04#113 1.15#158
Clean workpieces, finished products, or other objects 4.02#145 1.20#155
Inspect completed work or finished products 3.91#150 1.95#130
Show all 11 activities
Apply materials to fill gaps or imperfections 1.40#217 0.49#210
Smooth surfaces of objects or equipment 1.07#231 0.35#228
Load products, materials, or equipment for transportation or further processing 0.15#308 0.01#322
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for tire builders specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.Tire builders: +0.8%Tire BuildersAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.Tire builders: +0.8%Tire Builders

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 1,210 moves out

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 10%
  2. 2 Production Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 7%
  3. 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 4%
  4. 4 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 4%
  5. 5 Industrial Production Managers High +2.6% 3%

Where people moved in from

of 1,235 moves in

  1. 1 Production Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 8%
  2. 2 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 7%
  3. 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
  4. 4 Nursing Assistants Low +2.6% 5%
  5. 5 Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks High -7.6% 4%

Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

O*NET survey of workers in this occupation

  • 26% less than high school
  • 66% high school
  • 7% postsecondary certificate
  • 1% post-doctoral training

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 25 people answered.

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 11% less than high school
  • 45% high school
  • 24% some college
  • 9% associate's
  • 6% bachelor's
  • 5% master's

Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 128 people surveyed.

Why the two can differ

O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS

See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/51-9197.00

How useful is this page?

1 Not useful5 Very useful

Anonymous. Please don't include your name or contact details.