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Residential Roofing
GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed
Helpers--Roofers
Helpers--Roofers do the heavy lifting that keeps a roofing crew moving: unloading materials, setting up ladders and scaffolds, helping lay underlayment, and assisting with repairs and cleanup. The work is distinct because it happens high off the ground and demands constant attention to safety, weather, and whether the roof is actually watertight when the job is done. It is a practical entry point into roofing, but the tradeoff is clear: the work is physically demanding, exposed to the elements, and usually pays less than the skilled jobs it supports.
Also known as Roofing HelperRoofing LaborerRoofer's HelperRoofing AssistantRoofing Crew Helper
Median Salary
$40,590
Mean $42,070
U.S. Workforce
~5K
0.6K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+5.7%
5.2K to 5.5K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Helpers--Roofers sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~5K workers, with a median annual pay of $40,590 and roughly 0.6K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 5.2 K in 2024 to 5.5K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with No Formal Educational Credential, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Construction Laborer and can progress toward Roofing Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Roofing Safety, Scaffolding & Fall Protection, Shingles, Underlayment & Flashing Installation, and Roof Inspection & Leak Detection, paired with soft skills such as Coordination, Active Listening, and Monitoring.
Core Responsibilities
- Unload shingles, rolls of roofing material, and tools from the truck and get everything staged where the crew needs it.
- Set up ladders, scaffolds, and hoists so workers can move supplies safely up to the roof.
- Lay down felt, strips, or other base layers before the final roofing material goes on.
- Help skilled roofers install or repair shingles, flashing, and other roof parts.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Unload shingles, rolls of roofing material, and tools from the truck and get everything staged where the crew needs it.
02 Set up ladders, scaffolds, and hoists so workers can move supplies safely up to the roof.
03 Lay down felt, strips, or other base layers before the final roofing material goes on.
04 Help skilled roofers install or repair shingles, flashing, and other roof parts.
05 Check finished work for leaks or weak spots where water could get in.
06 Clean gutters, drains, tools, equipment, and the work area at the end of the day.
Industries That Hire
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Commercial Construction
Turner Construction, DPR Construction, Skanska
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Roofing Supply & Distribution
ABC Supply, Beacon Building Products, SRS Distribution
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Building Materials Manufacturing
Carlisle, Johns Manville, TAMKO
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Disaster Restoration & Property Repair
BELFOR, SERVPRO, PuroClean
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started without a degree; BLS says no formal educational credential is typical and training is usually short-term on the job.
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The work is active and hands-on, so you are not stuck behind a desk all day.
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It is a direct way to learn the roofing trade from experienced workers while you are earning.
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There are about 0.6K annual openings, which means crews regularly need new people as workers leave or move up.
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The occupation is projected to grow 5.7% from 2024 to 2034, adding about 0.3K jobs, so demand is steady even if it is not booming.
Challenges
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Pay is modest for the risk and effort involved: the median wage is $40,590 and the mean is $42,070.
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The job is physically hard and often means climbing, carrying, kneeling, and working in heat, cold, rain, or wind.
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Fall risk is real because the work happens on ladders, scaffolds, and roof edges.
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The role has a limited ceiling on its own; higher pay usually means moving up to roofer, crew lead, or supervisor.
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Growth is only 5.7% over ten years, so most opportunities come from turnover and weather-driven demand rather than rapid expansion.
Career Progression
Construction Laborer
0-2 years
$32K-$38K
New workers learn jobsite rules, move materials, and pick up basic construction habits before handling roofing-specific tasks.
Helpers--Roofers
1-3 years
$39K-$45K
You support the roofing crew directly by staging materials, setting up access equipment, helping with installation, and keeping the site clean and safe.
Roofer THIS ROLE
3-6 years
$46K-$58K
At this stage, you do more of the actual roof installation and repair work, with less supervision and more responsibility for quality.
Roofing Crew Lead
6-10 years
$59K-$72K
A lead keeps the crew organized, checks work quality, and makes sure materials, timing, and safety practices line up on each job.
Roofing Supervisor
10+ years
$73K-$90K
Supervisors handle scheduling, customer communication, job quality, and crew management across multiple projects.
Education Paths
No Formal Educational Credential
This is the main entry route, and 32.7% of workers in the O*NET distribution report less than a high school diploma; BLS also says no formal educational credential is typical.
Short-Term On-the-Job Training
BLS lists short-term on-the-job training, which fits a job where crews teach safety rules, tool handling, and basic roofing work on site.
Some College Courses
Only 7.91% of workers in the O*NET distribution report some college courses, so college can help but is not required.
OSHA-10 and Fall-Protection Certification
A safety card or fall-protection certificate can make a new hire more competitive, especially because the work involves ladders, scaffolds, and roof edges.
Key Skills
Technical
Roofing Safety, Scaffolding & Fall Protection 66%
Shingles, Underlayment & Flashing Installation 64%
Roof Inspection & Leak Detection 61%
Ladders, Hoists & Material Handling 60%
Hand Tools, Nail Guns & Roofing Cutters 58%
Equipment Maintenance 55%
Soft Skills
CoordinationActive ListeningMonitoringCritical ThinkingSpeakingJudgment and Decision Making Job Outlook and Trends
+5.7%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.6K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 5.2K to 5.5 K over the next decade, representing 5.7% growth. Around 0.6 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.