How much do roofers make? Pay by the hour and the year, and the outlook
Roofers earned a median of $55,440 a year, or $26.65 an hour, in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $37,460 and the highest-paid 10% over $81,720. Employment is projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average, with about 12,000 openings a year (BLS).
Anthony Hicks30+ years in construction. Updated November 5, 2026.
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Roofers’ pay
| Pay, May 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Median, a year | $55,440 |
| Median, an hour | $26.65 |
| Lowest-paid 10% | Under $37,460 a year |
| Highest-paid 10% | Over $81,720 a year |
| At roofing contractors | $55,860 median |
| At building construction companies | $49,520 median |
The median is the middle: half of roofers earned more and half less. For comparison, construction trades workers as a whole earned a median of $58,150, and all U.S. workers $50,980 (BLS).
What changes the pay
- Experience and skill. Apprentices usually start at about half of what journey workers earn and get raises as they advance (BLS).
- Who they work for. Roofing contractors paid a little more than building construction companies.
- The season. In northern states roofing work may slow in the winter, and in the busy summer months roofers may work overtime (BLS).
- Running the company. A roofer who owns the business earns what’s left of each job after labor, materials and overhead, so the estimate decides the pay.
Getting into roofing
There’s no formal education requirement. Most roofers learn on the job; some start through an apprenticeship (BLS). The work is physically demanding: climbing, bending, kneeling and heavy lifting.
The outlook
Employment of roofers is projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3% average for all occupations, with about 12,000 openings a year. Replacing, repairing and installing roofs drives the demand (BLS).
For roofers who run the company
Each job’s pay comes from the estimate: the squares, the tear-off, the materials, the labor, and the overhead and profit on top. A typical one-story house with 1,800 sq ft and a plain gable roof comes to about $11,800 to $17,400 in architectural shingles, overhead and profit included. BluMatrix measures the roof from the address and writes the estimate line by line at current prices for the ZIP code, so the bid goes out the same day and the client signs online.
Common questions
How much do roofers make an hour?
A median of $26.65 an hour in May 2025 (BLS).
How much do roofers make a year?
A median of $55,440 in May 2025. The top 10% earned more than $81,720 (BLS).
Do roofers make good money?
Roofers’ median pay of $55,440 was above the $50,980 median for all U.S. workers in May 2025, and a little under the $58,150 for construction trades workers (BLS).
Is roofing a growing job?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average (BLS).