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Roofers: Career Profile

Cover roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, or related materials. May spray roofs, sidings, and walls with material to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures.

The Daily Work of Roofers Take On?

Typical responsibilities of roofers include:

• Inspect problem roofs to determine the best repair procedures.
• Remove snow, water, or debris from roofs prior to applying roofing materials.
• Set up scaffolding to provide safe access to roofs.
• Estimate materials and labor required to complete roofing jobs.
• Cement or nail flashing strips of metal or shingle over joints to make them watertight.
• Install partially overlapping layers of material over roof insulation surfaces, using chalk lines, gauges on shingling hatchets, or lines on shingles.
• Cut felt, shingles, or strips of flashing to fit angles formed by walls, vents, or intersecting roof surfaces.
• Apply plastic coatings, membranes, fiberglass, or felt over sloped roofs before applying shingles.

What Roofers Need to Know

Effective roofers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Key Skills

The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Related Job Titles

Common job titles for this role include:

• Aluminum Shingle Roofer
• Asbestos Shingle Roofer
• Commercial Roofer
• Commercial Roofing Tech (Commercial Roofing Technician)
• Composition Roofer
• Cool Roofing Installer
• Gravel Roofer
• Gutter Installer

Employment and Demand

The U.S. employs around 483,688 roofers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +7.6% over the projection horizon.

Salary for Roofers

Statistic	Value
Annual median	$69,443
Hourly median	$33.39
10th percentile	$49,707
25th percentile	$59,575
75th percentile	$79,311
90th percentile	$89,179

Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.

How Much Do Roofers Make in Different U.S. States?

State	Annual median salary
Minnesota	$77,730
New Jersey	$73,410
Massachusetts	$72,360
Illinois	$66,940
New York	$63,350
Connecticut	$63,340
Alaska	$63,120
California	$63,040
Washington	$60,330
Delaware	$59,280
Rhode Island	$58,510
District of Columbia	$57,150
Hawaii	$56,950
Ohio	$56,420
Oregon	$56,320
Michigan	$56,290
Colorado	$55,800
Indiana	$55,640
Vermont	$54,340
Missouri	$53,430
Maryland	$52,010
New Hampshire	$50,250
Maine	$49,990
Utah	$49,800
Wisconsin	$49,690
Pennsylvania	$49,230
Nevada	$49,180
Montana	$49,020
Virginia	$48,920
South Dakota	$48,320
Idaho	$48,140
North Carolina	$48,090
North Dakota	$47,840
Kentucky	$47,620
Georgia	$47,460
Kansas	$47,400
Iowa	$47,110
Oklahoma	$47,020
Florida	$46,230
Arizona	$46,210
Nebraska	$45,970
South Carolina	$45,860
Louisiana	$45,680
Texas	$45,440
Alabama	$45,220
Arkansas	$45,120
Tennessee	$44,780
New Mexico	$44,440
Mississippi	$40,480
Virgin Islands	$40,330
West Virginia	$39,420
Wyoming	$38,650
Guam	$35,800
Puerto Rico	$28,040

Pay by U.S. Region

Compensation for roofers differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:

Region	Median annual wage	Share of U.S. jobs	Location quotient
New England	$64,555	3.1%	0.73
Far Western US	$60,810	24.1%	1.46
Great Lakes	$59,009	13.4%	0.96
Middle Atlantic	$58,514	9.3%	0.66
Plains States	$55,699	6.3%	0.99
Rocky Mountains	$51,623	5.8%	1.51
Southeast	$46,344	28.8%	1.89
Southwest	$45,715	8.8%	0.86

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Roofers

Metro area	State	Median annual wage	Employment
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	NJ	$91,920	120
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	NJ	$87,790	100
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	CT	$86,640	140
Duluth, MN-WI	MN	$85,520	240
Worcester, MA	MA	$83,140	350
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	MN	$79,040	1,330
Springfield, MA	MA	$78,900	320
Springfield, IL	IL	$76,640	270

Top Industries Employing Roofers

The largest employers of roofers work in these industries:

Industry	Employment	Median annual wage
Construction	133,610	$50,940
Manufacturing	1,190	$49,710
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	830	$50,750
Educational Services	360	$59,200
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	80	$47,730
Wholesale Trade	60	$76,400

Below are examples of industries where roofers work:

Tools and Technology

• Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
• Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
• Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
• Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)

What the Workplace Is Like

Daily working conditions for roofers reflects the following characteristics:

• Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
• Exposed to High Places
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Telephone Conversations
• Contact With Others

Education and Training

Typical roofers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.

Similar Occupations

Similar Occupations

• Brickmasons and Blockmasons (Supplemental)
• Carpenters (Primary-Long)
• Carpet Installers (Supplemental)
• Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (Primary-Short)
• Tile and Stone Setters (Primary-Long)
• Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Supplemental)
• Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (Primary-Long)
• Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers (Primary-Short)

Degree Programs

Future roofers often complete programs in:

Construction Trades

1 programs across 1 majors

• Building Management & Inspection

References

Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
• BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
• O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.

SOC code: 47-2181.00 (Roofers).