Roofer career
BLS occupation: Roofers (47-2181). Updated September 27, 2026.
Pay
Roofers in the U.S. earn a median of $55,440 a year, or $26.65 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data.
What roofers do
- Inspect problem roofs to determine the best repair procedures.
- Waterproof or damp-proof walls, floors, roofs, foundations, or basements by painting or spraying surfaces with waterproof coatings or by attaching waterproofing membranes to surfaces.
- Cover exposed nailheads with roofing cement or caulking to prevent water leakage or rust.
- Apply reflective roof coatings, such as special paints or single-ply roofing sheets, to existing roofs to reduce solar heat absorption.
- Remove snow, water, or debris from roofs prior to applying roofing materials.
- Cut felt, shingles, or strips of flashing to fit angles formed by walls, vents, or intersecting roof surfaces.
- Install vapor barriers or layers of insulation on flat roofs.
- Cover roofs or exterior walls of structures with slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, gravel, gypsum, or related materials, using brushes, knives, punches, hammers, or other tools.
The most important tasks, as rated by workers in the occupation. 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.
Job outlook
BLS projects roofer jobs will grow 5.3% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% for all U.S. jobs, with about 12,000 openings a year as people join, retire, and change careers.
- Jobs in 2025
- 166,900
- Projected for 2035
- 175,600
- Openings a year
- 12,000
- Self-employed
- 19.8%
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035. Job counts include self-employed workers.
Training
- Typical education to start
- No formal educational credential
- Experience in a related job
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections. Licensing rules vary by state; confirm with your state's licensing board.
Pay in your state
- Illinois$77,900
- New Jersey$76,600
- Minnesota$74,490
- Massachusetts$72,750
- Alaska$66,750
- New York$66,020
- California$63,600
- Connecticut$62,070
- District of Columbia$61,750
- Rhode Island$61,630
See all 50 states and DC
- Washington$60,640
- Maryland$60,090
- New Hampshire$59,830
- North Dakota$59,740
- Hawaii$59,580
- Michigan$59,530
- Delaware$59,440
- Wisconsin$59,370
- Vermont$59,040
- Montana$59,030
- Oregon$58,970
- Indiana$57,980
- Idaho$57,790
- Pennsylvania$55,710
- Colorado$51,750
- West Virginia$51,170
- Nevada$51,090
- Maine$50,120
- Ohio$49,390
- North Carolina$49,010
- Louisiana$48,760
- Utah$48,680
- Iowa$48,660
- Missouri$48,570
- Virginia$48,420
- South Dakota$47,710
- Florida$47,590
- Arkansas$47,470
- Arizona$47,340
- Kansas$47,190
- Georgia$46,940
- Kentucky$46,940
- Nebraska$46,460
- Texas$46,030
- South Carolina$45,760
- Tennessee$45,690
- Alabama$45,670
- Wyoming$45,650
- New Mexico$45,300
- Mississippi$44,940
- Oklahoma$43,680
Top-paying metro areas
Other trades
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Excludes self-employed roofers.