Roofers
Career, Salary and Education Information
What They Do: Roofers replace, repair, and install the roofs of buildings.
Work Environment: Roofing work can be physically demanding because it involves heavy lifting, as well as climbing, bending, and kneeling, frequently in very hot weather. Roofers may work overtime in order to finish a particular job, especially during busier summer months.
How to Become One: Although most roofers learn on the job, some may enter the occupation through an apprenticeship program. There are no specific education requirements for roofers.
Salary: The median annual wage for roofers is $47,110.
Job Outlook: Employment of roofers is projected to show little or no change over the next ten years.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of roofers with similar occupations.
What Roofers Do[About this section] [To Top]
Roofers replace, repair, and install the roofs of buildings, using a variety of materials, including shingles, bitumen, and metal.
Duties of Roofers
Roofers typically do the following:
- Inspect problem roofs to determine the best way to repair them
- Measure roofs to calculate the quantities of materials needed
- Replace damaged or rotting joists or plywood
- Install vapor barriers or layers of insulation
- Install ventilation systems
- Install shingles, asphalt, metal, or other materials to make the roof weatherproof
- Align roofing materials with edges of the roof
- Cut roofing materials to fit around walls or vents
- Cover exposed nail or screw heads with roofing cement or caulk to prevent leakage
Properly installed roofs keep water from leaking into buildings and damaging the interior, equipment, or furnishings. There are two basic types of roofs: low-slope roofs and steep-slope roofs.
Low-slope roofs rise less than 3 inches per horizontal foot and are installed in layers. Most commercial, industrial, and apartment buildings have low-slope roofs, making them the most common roofing type. The complexity of low-slope roof installations varies with the type of building. When installing low-slope roofs, roofers typically install a single-ply membrane of a waterproof rubber or thermoplastic compound.
Steep-slope roofs rise more than 3 inches per horizontal foot and are typically covered with asphalt shingles, which often cost less than other materials. Most single-family homes have roofs with asphalt shingles. Although less common, roofers can also lay tile, solar shingles, metal shingles, or shakes (rough wooden shingles) on steep-slope roofs.
Roofing systems may also incorporate plants and landscape materials. A vegetative roof, for example, is typically a waterproof low-slope roof covered by a root barrier and harboring soil, plants, and landscaping materials.
It is becoming increasingly popular to take advantage of solar energy on rooftops. Roofs may incorporate solar reflective systems, which prevent the absorption of energy; solar thermal systems, which absorb energy to heat water; and solar photovoltaic systems, which convert sunlight into electricity. Roofers install some photovoltaic products, such as solar shingles and solar tiles, but solar photovoltaic (PV) installers typically install PV panels. Plumbers and heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics also may install solar thermal systems.
Roofers use a variety of tools when working on roofs, depending on the type of roof being installed. They may use roofing shovels and pry bars to remove old roofing systems. They may use hammers, nail guns, drills, knives, pavers, tape measures, chalk lines, and framing squares to install new roofing systems.
Work Environment for Roofers[About this section] [To Top]
Roofers hold about 158,800 jobs. The largest employers of roofers are as follows:
| Roofing contractors | 73% |
| Self-employed workers | 18% |
| Construction of buildings | 4% |
Roofing work is physically demanding because it involves climbing, bending, kneeling, and heavy lifting. Roofers work outdoors in extreme temperatures, but they usually do not work during inclement weather.
Although some roofers work alone, many work as part of a crew.
Injuries and Illnesses for Roofers
Roofers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, as well as one of the highest rates of occupational fatalities.
Workers may slip or fall from scaffolds, ladders, or roofs. They may also be burned by hot bitumen. Roofs can become extremely hot during the summer, causing heat-related illnesses. Roofers must wear proper safety equipment to reduce the risk of injuries.
Roofer Work Schedules
Most roofers work full time. In northern states, roofing work may be limited during the winter months. During the busy summer months, roofers may work overtime to complete jobs.
How to Become a Roofer[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Roofers near you!
Although most roofers learn on the job, some may enter the occupation through an apprenticeship program. There are no specific education requirements for roofers.
Education for Roofers
There are no specific education requirements for roofers.
Roofer Training
Most on-the-job training programs consist of instruction in which experienced workers teach new workers how to use roofing tools, equipment, machines, and materials. Trainees begin with tasks such as carrying equipment and material and erecting scaffolds and hoists. Within 2 or 3 months, they are taught to measure, cut, and fit roofing materials. Later they are shown how to lay asphalt or fiberglass shingles. Because some roofing materials, such as solar tiles, are used infrequently, it can take several years to gain experience on all types of roofing. As training progresses, new workers are able to learn more complex roofing techniques.
A few groups, including the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers and some contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs for roofers. Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction.
Important Qualities for Roofers
Balance. Roofers should have excellent balance to avoid falling, because the work is often done on steep slopes at significant heights.
Manual dexterity. Roofers need to be precise when installing roofing materials and handling roofing tools, in order to prevent damage to the roof and building.
Physical stamina. Roofers must have the endurance to perform strenuous duties throughout the day. They may spend hours on their feet, bending and stooping—often in hot temperatures.
Physical strength. Roofers often lift and carry heavy materials. Some roofers, for example, must carry bundles of shingles that weigh 60 pounds or more.
Unafraid of heights. Roofers must not fear working far above the ground, because the work is often done at significant heights.
Roofer Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
The median annual wage for roofers is $47,110. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,870, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $73,190.
The median annual wages for roofers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Roofing contractors | $47,150 |
| Construction of buildings | $47,130 |
Most roofers work full time. In northern states, roofing work may be limited during the winter months. During the busy summer months, roofers may work overtime to complete jobs.
The starting pay for apprentices is usually 50 percent of what journey workers receive. Apprentices get pay increases as they advance through the apprenticeship program.
Job Outlook for Roofers[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of roofers is projected to show little or no change over the next ten years.
Despite limited employment growth, about 15,000 openings for roofers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment of Roofers
Replacement and repair of roofs, as well as the installation of new roofs, will create demand for roofers. Some of this demand may come from the installation of solar photovoltaic panels on building rooftops.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Roofers | 158,800 | 161,100 | 1 | 2,300 |
More Roofer Information[About this section] [To Top]
For details about apprenticeships or other work opportunities for roofers, contact the offices of the state employment service, the state apprenticeship agency, local contractors or firms that employ roofers, or local union–management apprenticeship committees. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship program online, or by phone at 877-872-5627.
For more information about the work of roofers, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.