Roofers Career, Salary and Skills
Roofers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $55,440 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 135,490. Wage data is published for 317 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
47-2181.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$55,440
Hourly median
$26.65
Employment
135,490
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Time Management | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Operation and Control | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Active Listening | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Speaking | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Active Learning | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.75 | 2.62 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Cement or nail flashing strips of metal or shingle over joints to make them watertight.
Technology
- AppliCad Roof Wizard
- ASR Software LWC-Plus
- ASR Software Taper-Plus
- ASR Software TopView LE
- ASR Software TopView ME
- CADAFIS
- DigiTools Roof CAD
- Energy cost evaluation software
- Exele TopView
- Humidity and vapor drive calculation software
- Insight Direct ServiceCEO
- Maintenance record software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
Roofers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Roofers Salary in FLMedian $47,590 · Employment 23,550
- Roofers Salary in CAMedian $63,600 · Employment 21,190
- Roofers Salary in WAMedian $60,640 · Employment 5,890
- Roofers Salary in TXMedian $46,030 · Employment 5,740
- Roofers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $63,560 · Employment 5,480
- Roofers Salary in ILMedian $77,900 · Employment 5,300
- Roofers Salary in Miami, FLMedian $48,030 · Employment 5,290
- Roofers Salary in OHMedian $49,390 · Employment 4,610
- Roofers Salary in NYMedian $66,020 · Employment 4,570
- Roofers Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $82,090 · Employment 3,900
- Roofers Salary in PAMedian $55,710 · Employment 3,830
- Roofers Salary in ORMedian $58,970 · Employment 3,430
Related careers
- GlaziersNational median $57,080
- Structural Iron and Steel WorkersNational median $62,780
- Carpet InstallersNational median $50,340
- Sheet Metal WorkersNational median $61,800
- TapersNational median $68,270
- Brickmasons and BlockmasonsNational median $62,120
- Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco MasonsNational median $40,470
- Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNational median $49,400
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.