What is the salary and career path for a roofer?
Roofers are their own BLS occupation, Roofers, SOC 47-2181, an exact match whose OEWS May 2025 median is $55,440 a year ($26.65 an hour), from $37,460 at the 10th percentile to $81,720 at the 90th. It is a trade learned mostly on the job or through a 3-year apprenticeship rather than a degree, with no universal state license for the trade itself, though a contractor license is needed to run a roofing business. BLS projects 5.9% employment growth over 2024–2034, with about 12,700 openings a year, most from high turnover. Fall protection under OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M governs the work, which is among the more hazardous in construction.
- Roofers earn a national median $55,440/yr ($26.65/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2181); the top 10% clear $81,720.
- It is a trade learned mostly on the job or through a 3-year apprenticeship, not a degree, with no universal state license for the trade itself.
- BLS projects 5.9% growth 2024–34 with about 12,700 openings a year across SOC 47-2181; the top 10% clear $81,720.
- The ladder runs helper ($37,460) to journey-level roofer ($55,440 median) to lead/foreman ($65,390) to superintendent or contractor at the $81,720 top decile.
Career Path
How do you become a roofer?
Roofer helper / apprentice
Loading, tearing off and learning to install under experienced roofers; entry pay sits near the 10th percentile of $37,460 for SOC 47-2181.
Journey-level roofer
Installing shingle, membrane and metal systems independently, around the $55,440 median for the roofer code.
Lead roofer / foreman
Running a roofing crew and a project's production and safety pays toward the 75th percentile of $65,390.
Superintendent or roofing contractor
Supervising crews or owning a roofing business reaches the 90th percentile of $81,720 and beyond.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays roofers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2181. National median: $55,440. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does roofer pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles roofers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: roofers rank 4 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +5.9% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly roofers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2181 (roofers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do roofers need?
A 3-year registered apprenticeship or equivalent on-the-job training is the path to journey-level roofing; there is no universal state license for the trade itself. See all state licences →
Safety training centered on fall protection under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M, standard for a trade with high fall-fatality rates.
System-specific certifications (e.g. GAF, Carlisle, Firestone) that qualify roofers and companies to install and warranty particular membrane and shingle systems.
A state or local contractor (often roofing-specialty) license required to run a roofing business and pull permits.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do roofers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 47-2181
Salary Levers
How do roofers earn above the $55,440 BLS median?
System specialty
Commercial membrane, metal and built-up roofing pay above basic residential shingle work, moving from the $37,460 band toward the $55,440 median
Union vs non-union and region
Union scale and high-cost metros pay above non-union residential markets
Lead and foreman roles
Running a crew moves pay toward the $65,390 seventy-fifth percentile
Self-employment
Owning a licensed roofing business is what reaches the $81,720 top decile and beyond through profit
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a roofer worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2181. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Roofer Career, Frequently Asked Questions
Roofer career research journey
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