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Lube technician: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$37,710median pay per year, or $18.13 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $30,010lowest 10% earn less
  2. $34,69025th percentile
  3. $37,710median
  4. $45,30075th percentile
  5. $50,230top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Tire repairers and changers, a group that includes lube technicians, had a median pay of $37,710 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.4%[2]
Openings per year
12,900[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do lube technicians make?

Lube technician is one of the job titles workers in the Tire Repairers and Changers group report[7]. The median pay for the group was $37,710 a year, or $18.13 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers made more and half made less. The mean (average) was $40,170 a year, or $19.31 an hour[8]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4], so the median here sits below that.

Pay varies within the job. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30,010 a year, and the 25th percentile was $34,690[3]. The 75th percentile was $45,300 and the 90th percentile was $50,230[3]. In hourly terms, the 10th percentile was $14.43 and the 90th percentile was $24.15[9]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[3] $30,010
25th percentile[3] $34,690
Median[1] $37,710
75th percentile[3] $45,300
90th percentile[3] $50,230

These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits like health insurance[11].

Pay by state and city

Oregon had the highest median pay at $47,650 a year, followed by Delaware at $46,630 and Montana at $46,360[12]. West Virginia was last in the list at $29,880[12].

Among metro areas with the highest pay, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA came first at $48,880[13]. Bend, OR followed at $48,820[13], and the Washington, DC area was third at $48,320[13].

Texas had the most jobs, with 14,170, then California with 11,620 and Florida with 6,960[14]. Among metro areas, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX had the most jobs at 3,690, with a median of $36,600[15]. Houston had 3,110 jobs and Los Angeles had 2,820[15].

Show median pay in 50 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[12]$47,6502,260
Delaware$46,630230
Montana$46,360740
Rhode Island$46,240190
Hawaii$45,760220
Colorado$45,3802,750
Washington$44,6702,960
Vermont$44,480120
New Jersey$44,4402,290
Maryland$44,430880
Minnesota$43,7501,310
New York$43,6601,750
Alaska$43,330450
Virginia$42,3702,430
Ohio$41,7603,530
California$39,68011,620
Wisconsin$39,5601,350
Nevada$39,220930
Missouri$38,9202,110
Maine$38,910490
South Dakota$38,800360
Illinois$38,4203,540
Arizona$38,3003,160
North Dakota$38,220560
Iowa$38,210990
Kansas$37,880930
New Hampshire$37,850340
Pennsylvania$37,8403,170
Idaho$37,5701,070
Michigan$37,1304,470
Utah$36,9601,910
Massachusetts$36,7701,240
Tennessee$36,6802,770
Nebraska$36,590910
Wyoming$36,370250
Kentucky$36,3001,270
Texas$36,06014,170
Indiana$35,8002,450
Connecticut$35,760740
North Carolina$35,1403,690
South Carolina$35,0401,920
Alabama$35,0102,240
Oklahoma$34,8901,460
Georgia$34,7003,980
Arkansas$34,4501,240
Mississippi$34,3301,040
Florida$34,0106,960
Louisiana$33,9001,120
New Mexico$31,6401,190
West Virginia$29,880640

How to become a lube technician

The facts describe the path for the whole Tire Repairers and Changers group.

O*NET places this job in Job Zone 1-2, which means very little to some preparation is needed[16]. The facts do not say how long the training lasts, and they do not name any license or exam.

What tire repairers and lube technicians do

O*NET describes the work as repairing and replacing tires[17]. Common tasks include:

Workers report other titles too, such as tire changer, tire installer, service technician and tire shop mechanic[7].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 112,200 to 116,000 jobs, a change of +3,800[2]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[19]. So this job is expected to grow at close to the same pace as jobs overall. These counts include self-employed workers[2], and 2.4% of workers in this group were self-employed in 2025[20].

BLS expects about 12,900 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[5]. Openings count jobs left by workers who retire or switch to other fields, and also new jobs[5]. Each year, 5% of workers are projected to leave the labor force and 5.9% to move to a different occupation[21].

Is it a good fit?

The entry steps are light. The typical path asks for a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[6]. The pay is lower than the all-occupations median, at $37,710 against $50,980[1][4]. Pay differs by place, and the median reached $47,650 in Oregon[12]. Job growth is about level with the average for all jobs, and there are steady openings each year[2][19][5]. The facts here do not cover costs, schedules or benefits, so those are worth asking about with local employers.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[22].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a lube technician make an hour?
The median for Tire Repairers and Changers was $18.13 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $19.31[1][8]. Lube technician is one of the titles workers in this group report[7].
What education do you need to be a tire repairer or changer?
The typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related work experience and short-term on-the-job training[6].
Is tire repair in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][19]. About 12,900 openings a year are projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for tire repairers and changers?
Oregon, with a median of $47,650 a year in May 2025[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Tire Repairers and Changers in the US was $37,710 per year and $18.13 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Tire Repairers and Changers is projected to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 112,200 to 116,000 jobs (a change of +3,800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Tire Repairers and Changers: 10th percentile $30,010, 25th percentile $34,690, 75th percentile $45,300, 90th percentile $50,230. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 12,900 openings for Tire Repairers and Changers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Tire Repairers and Changers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. O*NET 49-3093.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Alignment Technician (Alignment Tech), Lube Technician (Lube Tech), Service Technician (Service Tech), Tire Alignment Technician (Tire Alignment Tech), Tire Changer, Tire Installer, Tire Repairer, Tire Shop Mechanic. O*NET OnLine
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Tire Repairers and Changers was $40,170 per year and $19.31 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Tire Repairers and Changers: 10th percentile $14.43, 25th percentile $16.68, 75th percentile $21.78, 90th percentile $24.15. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Tire Repairers and Changers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Tire Repairers and Changers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $48,880; Bend, OR $48,820; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $48,320; Medford, OR $47,670; Eugene-Springfield, OR $47,110; Billings, MT $46,850; Colorado Springs, CO $46,660; Salem, OR $46,470. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Tire Repairers and Changers jobs: Texas 14,170; California 11,620; Florida 6,960; Michigan 4,470; Georgia 3,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Tire Repairers and Changers jobs: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,690 (median $36,600); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 3,110 (median $36,220); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,820 (median $39,690); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,810 (median $38,720); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,440 (median $44,460); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 2,370 (median $37,610). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 49-3093.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Tire Repairers and Changers. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Tire Repairers and Changers. O*NET OnLine
  19. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  20. BLS Employment Projections: 2.4% of Tire Repairers and Changers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Tire Repairers and Changers: 5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.