Tire Builders Salary
In Burlington, NC, tire builders earn $39,720 at the median, or about $19.1 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.2), which stretches that salary to about $42,618 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,348/month, about 48.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Burlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Burlington’s Regional Price Parity (93.2). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About tire builders
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Burlington
Pay for tire builders in Burlington runs about 31% below the U.S. median of $57K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,348/month, which is 50.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.2 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for tire builderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tire builders in metros near Burlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $49K | $50K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $45K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Burlington, NC
Entry-level tire builders (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $8K spread from bottom to top.
Tire Builders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tire Builders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $74K | +29% | 1,360 |
| North Carolina | $64K | +11% | 3,750 |
| Illinois | $60K | +4% | N/A |
| Ohio | $56K | -2% | 780 |
| Texas | $55K | -4% | 610 |
| Mississippi | $53K | -8% | 710 |
| Indiana | $51K | -11% | 1,320 |
| Iowa | $51K | -12% | 510 |
| Connecticut | $49K | -15% | 90 |
| Oregon | $48K | -16% | 250 |
| New York | $47K | -19% | 530 |
| Maryland | $46K | -19% | 60 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -20% | 270 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -20% | N/A |
| Arizona | $46K | -20% | 130 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -21% | 360 |
| California | $45K | -22% | 360 |
| Michigan | $44K | -23% | 80 |
| Georgia | $44K | -23% | 940 |
| Florida | $44K | -23% | 170 |
Showing 1–10 of 20 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tire builders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Burlington numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a tire builder afford a 2BR apartment alone in Burlington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 50.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,348/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tire builders in Burlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tire builders typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,330/month. At HUD’s $1,348/month FMR, rent would take 58% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tire builder a high-paying job in Burlington?
Local pay runs 31% below the national median — $40K here vs. $57K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Burlington compare to the national average for tire builders?
Burlington pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do tire builders make in Burlington, NC?
The median is $39,720 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,830, and experienced tire builders can clear $46,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Burlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,681/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,348/month, which eats 50.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a tire builders salary go in Burlington?
Burlington has a Regional Price Parity of 93.2 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tire builders salary is worth about $42,618 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tire builders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.