Tire Builders Salary
In Fort Wayne, IN, tire builders earn $51,170 at the median, or about $24.6 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $55,277 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,113/month, about 32.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $51K get you in Fort Wayne?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Wayne’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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
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What this looks like in Fort Wayne
Pay for tire builders in Fort Wayne runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $1,113/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tire builders in metros near Fort Wayne, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $47K | $49K |
| Cincinnati | $47K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Wayne, IN
Entry-level tire builders (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $7K 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 Fort Wayne numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tire builder afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Wayne?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 32.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tire builders in Fort Wayne?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tire builders typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,070/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Fort Wayne?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $51K here vs. $57K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fort Wayne compare to the national average for tire builders?
Fort Wayne pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do tire builders make in Fort Wayne, IN?
The median is $51,170 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,170, and experienced tire builders can clear $58,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Fort Wayne?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,466/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 32.1% 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 Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 $55,277 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.