Find what needs fixing
Look over a roof with trouble spots and decide which damaged parts you need to fix.
Career profile
Roofer
Roofers install and repair the outer layers of roofs that keep water out.
Wherever something like a vent breaks up a roof, leaks can start. You trim and fit the pieces that close that gap.
A day in the life
Figure out what to order
Estimate materials and work hours so you know what to order, sometimes from an aerial roof report.
Lay shingles in straight rows
Mark straight chalk lines across the roof so each overlapping row of shingles lines up.
Seal around a vent
Cut metal strips called flashing to fit around a vent, then fasten them to seal the joint.
Quick facts
Learn on the job
United States · 2025
$55,440/year
United States · May 2025
5.3% growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Learn on the jobTypically no formal educational credential or previous related experience is required.
Pay
$55,440/yearNational median: $26.65/hour.
Outlook
5.3% growthProjected employment growth over 2025–35, with about 12,000 openings annually.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy fitting pieces precisely.
- You can stay attentive through repeated physical tasks.
- You like coordinating hands-on work with a crew.
Things to weigh
- Kneeling and lifting wear you out. Northern winters can reduce work; summer can bring overtime.
- Falls can be fatal. Using fall protection and treating roof edges seriously are part of the job every day.
Where AI may help
Software can turn aerial photographs into roof measurements and diagrams for estimates and material orders.
What people still lead
You still judge repair needs and physically fit roofing materials.
What we can’t predict yet
How much inspection will move to remote images remains uncertain; measuring a roof and deciding how to repair it are different tasks.
Pay in context
Earnings
Use these national figures to compare offers, not to predict your starting wage.
The pay spread
The lowest-paid 10% earned below $37,460; the highest-paid 10% earned above $81,720 annually. These are wage percentiles, not career stages.
Employer type matters
Median annual pay was $55,860 at roofing contractors and $49,520 in construction of buildings.
Openings include replacements
The projected 12,000 yearly openings include workers leaving the occupation, as well as employment growth. They are not all newly created jobs.
Getting started
Join a crew as a trainee
- What the route involves
- Learn tools and materials from experienced roofers.
- What it can lead to
- Progress from carrying materials to measuring, cutting, and installing roofing.
Enter a roofing apprenticeship
Paid
- What the route involves
- Combine jobsite training with technical classes; check the sponsor’s admission requirements.
- What it can lead to
- Build roofing skills through a structured work-and-classroom program.
Federal rules generally prohibit roofing employment under 18, including ground work. Limited exceptions apply to qualifying apprentices and student-learners; stricter state rules may apply.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Make safe access and correct use of fall protection routine before concentrating on speed.
Handle harder details
Improve your flashing work and judgment about repairs.
Lead a crew
A foreman plans the job, explains the work to the crew, and checks safety and quality. Developing teaching and communication skills prepares you for that responsibility.
Where you can work
House roofs
Steep slopes and individual shingles are common. Your working position and fall protection shape how you reach each section.
- Outdoors
- Physical demands
- Safety-sensitive
Commercial and apartment roofs
Low slopes are common. Work often involves insulation boards and waterproof sheets or built-up layers.
- Outdoors
- Physical demands
- Safety-sensitive
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Make a small cardboard roof on a table. Arrange overlapping paper shingles around a paper vent, then mark where fitting gets difficult. Notice whether you enjoy careful layout and adjusting small pieces.
Stay safe: Keep this a tabletop model; do not climb onto a roof.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. 47-2181.00 — Roofers. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roofers — Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet #74: The Employment of Youth in Roofing Occupations and On Roofs. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers. Training. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Eagleview. Commercial Construction Reports. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Fall Protection in Residential Construction. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Roofers & Waterproofers Research and Education Joint Trust Fund. Foreman Training. Accessed 2026-10-02.