Roofers
Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 47-2181.00United States
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $52,263
- Projected change
- +7.1%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 167.55K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
75% of the workforce
Growing to 179.49K by 2035
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ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What roofers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Inspect problem roofs to determine the best repair procedures.
- Remove snow, water, or debris from roofs prior to applying roofing materials.
- Set up scaffolding to provide safe access to roofs.
- Estimate materials and labor required to complete roofing jobs.
- Cement or nail flashing strips of metal or shingle over joints to make them watertight.
- Install partially overlapping layers of material over roof insulation surfaces, using chalk lines, gauges on shingling hatchets, or lines on shingles.
- Cut felt, shingles, or strips of flashing to fit angles formed by walls, vents, or intersecting roof surfaces.
- Apply plastic coatings, membranes, fiberglass, or felt over sloped roofs before applying shingles.
- Install, repair, or replace single-ply roofing systems, using waterproof sheet materials such as modified plastics, elastomeric, or other asphaltic compositions.
- Cover roofs or exterior walls of structures with slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, gravel, gypsum, or related materials, using brushes, knives, punches, hammers, or other tools.
- 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.
- Attach roofing paper to roofs in overlapping strips to form bases for other materials.
- Install vapor barriers or layers of insulation on flat roofs.
- Cover exposed nailheads with roofing cement or caulking to prevent water leakage or rust.
- Apply alternate layers of hot asphalt or tar and roofing paper to roofs.
- Apply reflective roof coatings, such as special paints or single-ply roofing sheets, to existing roofs to reduce solar heat absorption.
- Smooth rough spots to prepare surfaces for waterproofing, using hammers, chisels, or rubbing bricks.
- Glaze top layers to make a smooth finish or embed gravel in the bitumen for rough surfaces.
- Mop or pour hot asphalt or tar onto roof bases.
- Install attic ventilation systems, such as turbine vents, gable or ridge vents, or conventional or solar-powered exhaust fans.
- Apply gravel or pebbles over top layers of roofs, using rakes or stiff-bristled brooms.
- Install skylights on roofs to increase natural light inside structures or to reduce energy costs.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $32,621
- 25th percentile
- $41,697
- 50th percentile
- $52,263
- 75th percentile
- $65,718
- 90th percentile
- $89,875
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $52,263 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+7.1%faster than average
2025167,550 jobs
2035 projected179,494 jobs
11,944 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 75%
- Certificate
- 10.8%
- Some college
- 7.5%
- Doctoral degree or more
- 4.2%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 2.4%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Commercial Roofing Technicians2,809 postings
- 02Roofers1,457 postings
- 03Commercial Roofers906 postings
- 04Subcontractors728 postings
- 05Roofing Technicians635 postings
- 06Roofers/Laborers619 postings
- 07Gutter Installers602 postings
- 08Installers418 postings
- 09Lead Roofers366 postings
- 10Roofing Contractors355 postings
- 11Roofing Consultants330 postings
- 12Roofing Specialists287 postings
- 13Siding Installers237 postings
- 14Roofing Supervisors224 postings
- 15Repair Technicians172 postings
- 16Plumbers/Electricians170 postings
- 17Roofing Foremen136 postings
- 18Roofer Journeymen131 postings
- 19Scaffold Builders113 postings
- 20Siding Crews108 postings
Top employers
- 01Tremco537 postings
- 02Guardian Protection Products524 postings
- 03Rust-Oleum Corporation491 postings
- 04Erie Co Home350 postings
- 05Centimark Corporation315 postings
- 06Bone Dry Roofing263 postings
- 07DaBella241 postings
- 08Aerotek197 postings
- 09Tecta America191 postings
- 10Power Home Remodeling189 postings
- 11Tremco CPG Belgium154 postings
- 12Groundworks Operations140 postings
- 13Simon Roofing140 postings
- 14The Euclid Chemical Company110 postings
- 15Performance Contracting, Inc. (Pci)101 postings
- 16Austin Industrial92 postings
- 17Teamcraft Roofing92 postings
- 18Legend Brands91 postings
- 19Natureseal87 postings
- 20Baker Roofing84 postings
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