Skilled Trades & Technical

Roofer

Install and repair roofs with shingles, tile, or metal to keep rain, snow, and wind out of buildings

Open interactive guide

What does a Roofer do?

Roofers work high up, on houses, warehouses, and stores in all kinds of weather. They tear off old layers, lay waterproof underlayment, and nail down new roofing. It takes a good sense of balance, comfort with heights, and a willingness to work hard in the sun.

A day in the life

6:00 AMLoad shingles and tools and drive to the job before the heat builds
7:00 AMSet up ladders and safety harnesses and tie off to the roof
7:30 AMTear off the old shingles and check the wood underneath
10:00 AMRoll out waterproof underlayment and seal the edges
11:30 AMNail down new shingle rows, lining up each course
2:00 PMSeal flashing around the chimney and clean up nails

What's great

  • Can start working quickly with on-the-job training
  • Strong demand after storms
  • Outdoor work with a visible result
  • Opportunity to start your own crew

The hard parts

  • Risk of falls from heights
  • Brutal heat on a summer roof
  • Heavy bundles carried up ladders
  • Work can pause in bad weather

What is a Roofer's salary and outlook?

$30k – $75k
Salary Range
Apprenticeship
Typical Education
Growing

Typical pay in this guide runs from about $30,000 to $75,000 a year, with a midpoint around $50,000. These are planning figures for students, not a job offer or an official wage.

CareerLens rates the outlook as Growing.

For the official national outlook, see BLS Occupational Data.

How do you become a Roofer?

A common path is Paid apprenticeship of about 3 years or on-the-job training; high school diploma preferred. The ladder often runs from Roofing Helper to Journeyman Roofer, then Crew Foreman or Estimator, and Roofing Contractor (own business). Other routes: Start as a helper on a roofing crew; Union roofers apprenticeship; Manufacturer training for special roof systems; Learn estimating and sales to run a company.

  • Start as a helper on a roofing crew
  • Union roofers apprenticeship
  • Manufacturer training for special roof systems
  • Learn estimating and sales to run a company

Career path

Entry level
Roofing Helper
Mid career
Journeyman Roofer
Senior
Crew Foreman or Estimator
Executive
Roofing Contractor (own business)

Will AI replace a Roofer?

How much will AI change this job?

A little

AI will change only a small part of this job. Most of the work stays hands-on and human.

Roofing stays hands-on work, with AI helping only a little.

Roofing is mostly physical work done outdoors on real roofs. AI tools might help with measuring materials or planning jobs, but the actual roofing work still needs skilled hands. This career will stay largely the same for a long time.

AI can help with

  • Estimating how much material a job needs
  • Scheduling crews and tracking job progress
  • Checking weather forecasts to plan work days

What stays human

  • Climbing and working safely on rooftops
  • Cutting and fitting materials to fit odd angles
  • Spotting and fixing hidden leaks or damage

Skills to build now

  • Take shop class or building trades courses
  • Practice using tools safely at home or school
  • Build strength and balance through sports or activity

Based on public research from Anthropic and OpenAI, drafted with AI, checked automatically, and read by a person. How we know

This describes how the work may change. It is not a prediction that the job will disappear.