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Residential Construction
Lennar, D.R. Horton, PulteGroup
Roofers
Roofers install and repair the layers that keep buildings dry, using shingles, membranes, flashing, tar, and sealants. The work is hands-on and often done on steep, hot, or slippery surfaces, so the tradeoff is clear: you can enter the job without a degree and find steady demand, but the work is physically hard and mistakes can mean leaks, injuries, or expensive callbacks.
Also known as Roofing InstallerRoofing TechnicianShinglerResidential RooferCommercial Roofer
Median Salary
$50,970
Mean $57,090
U.S. Workforce
~137K
12.7K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+5.9%
166.7K to 176.5K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
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 ~137K workers, with a median annual pay of $50,970 and roughly 12.7K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 166.7 K in 2024 to 176.5K 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 Roofing Helper and can progress toward Roofing Estimator or Project Manager. High-value skills usually include Fall Protection, Ladders & Scaffolding Safety, Roof Installation Systems (Shingles, Membranes & Tar), and Roof Inspection & Leak Diagnosis, paired with soft skills such as Coordination, Active Listening, and Critical Thinking.
Core Responsibilities
- Remove worn-out roofing and install new layers of shingles, felt, tar, or membrane.
- Fit metal flashing and other trim pieces around chimneys, vents, walls, and roof edges so water stays out.
- Seal exposed nails, seams, and small gaps with roofing cement or caulk to prevent leaks and rust.
- Apply cool-roof coatings or energy-saving roof sheets to help reduce heat buildup inside the building.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Remove worn-out roofing and install new layers of shingles, felt, tar, or membrane.
02 Fit metal flashing and other trim pieces around chimneys, vents, walls, and roof edges so water stays out.
03 Seal exposed nails, seams, and small gaps with roofing cement or caulk to prevent leaks and rust.
04 Apply cool-roof coatings or energy-saving roof sheets to help reduce heat buildup inside the building.
05 Measure roof surfaces and figure out how much material and labor a job will require before work starts.
06 Inspect damaged roofs, decide what kind of repair is needed, and line up new materials so each course stays straight.
Industries That Hire
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Commercial Roofing & Contracting
CentiMark, Tecta America, Flynn Group of Companies
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Building Materials & Roofing Products
GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed
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Property Management & Facilities
CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield
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Disaster Restoration & Insurance Repair
BELFOR, ServiceMaster Restore, Paul Davis Restoration
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You do not need a degree to get started, and BLS says the usual preparation is moderate-term on-the-job training.
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Pay is solid for a trade, with median annual earnings of $50,970 and mean pay of $57,090.
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Demand is steady enough to create opportunity, with employment projected to rise from 166.7K to 176.5K by 2034 and 12.7K annual openings.
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The work is tangible: at the end of the day, you can see a roof fully repaired or installed.
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Skills learned on the job can transfer to related construction work such as siding, waterproofing, and general exterior repair.
Challenges
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It is physically punishing work, with long hours on roofs, heavy lifting, and constant exposure to heat, cold, wind, and rain.
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Safety is a major concern because the job is done at heights, where a slip or fall can be serious.
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The pay ceiling is real unless you move into supervision, estimating, or owning a crew; the core role centers around a $50,970 median, not a high salary ladder.
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Growth is only 5.9% over 10 years, so this is not a fast-expanding field.
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The work is tied to construction cycles and weather, which means hours and income can swing with local demand and delayed jobs.
Career Progression
Roofing Helper
0-1 years
$32K-$41K
Learns safety rules, carries materials, and helps experienced roofers with cleanup, staging, and basic prep work.
Roofer
1-4 years
$47K-$58K
Works independently on common roof installations and repairs, and this is the level that matches the reported median pay of $50,970.
Lead Roofer THIS ROLE
4-8 years
$59K-$72K
Runs small crews, checks workmanship, and handles more difficult roof shapes, repairs, and material choices.
Roofing Foreman
8-12 years
$73K-$90K
Coordinates multiple workers, keeps jobs on schedule, and deals with customer questions, safety checks, and quality control.
Roofing Estimator or Project Manager
12+ years
$91K-$112K
Prices jobs, plans materials and labor, and oversees several projects or crews instead of doing mostly hands-on installation.
Education Paths
No formal educational credential
BLS lists this as the typical entry point, and workers usually learn the job through moderate-term on-the-job training.
High School Diploma
This is the most common formal education route, held by 48.9% of workers in the O*NET distribution.
Post-Secondary Certificate
A less common route, held by 10.83% of workers in the O*NET distribution, often paired with hands-on training.
Key Skills
Technical
Fall Protection, Ladders & Scaffolding Safety 83%
Roof Installation Systems (Shingles, Membranes & Tar) 80%
Roof Inspection & Leak Diagnosis 77%
Flashing, Sealants & Waterproofing 75%
Chalk Line Layout, Measuring & Roofing Hand Tools 72%
Material Takeoffs & Job Estimating 67%
Soft Skills
CoordinationActive ListeningCritical ThinkingMonitoringTime ManagementSpeaking Job Outlook and Trends
+5.9%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
12.7K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 166.7K to 176.5 K over the next decade, representing 5.9% growth. Around 12.7 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.