Roofer

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.

On the job, you would:

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.

Important Qualities

Ability to work at heights. Roofers must be comfortable working at great heights.

Attention to detail. Roofing materials must be installed to precisely match design patterns and to ensure that the roof is waterproof.

Balance. Roofers should have excellent balance to avoid falling, because they often work on steep slopes at great heights.

Manual dexterity. Roofers need to be precise in handling and installing roofing materials in order to prevent damage to the roof and building.

Math skills. Roofers use math to measure and calculate roofing areas.

Physical stamina. Roofers must be able to endure spending hours on their feet or bending and stooping, often in hot weather.

Physical strength. Roofers often lift and carry heavy materials, such as bundles of shingles that weigh 60 pounds or more.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		93%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		92%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		78%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		78%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		78%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		76%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		71%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		71%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		69%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		69%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		68%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		68%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		68%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		68%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		64%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		53%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		56%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		75%	Gross Body Equilibrium - The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
		69%	Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
		69%	Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
		69%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		66%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		63%	Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
		63%	Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
		63%	Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
		60%	Gross Body Coordination - The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
		60%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		56%	Stamina - The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
		53%	Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
		53%	Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
		53%	Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
		53%	Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		55%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Inspect work sites to determine condition or necessary repairs.

Assemble temporary equipment or structures.

Apply adhesives to construction materials.

Install roofing materials.

Cut carpet, vinyl or other flexible materials.

Install insulation in equipment or structures.

Apply sealants or other protective coatings.

Install roofing materials.

Remove debris or vegetation from work sites.

Install roofing materials.

Apply sealants or other protective coatings.

Pour materials into or on designated areas.

Install roofing materials.

Smooth surfaces with abrasive materials or tools.

Spread sand, dirt or other loose materials onto surfaces.

Install roofing materials.

Drill holes in construction materials.

Install green structural components, equipment or systems.

Install roofing materials.

Apply paint to surfaces.

Install solar energy systems.

Install green structural components, equipment or systems.

Install doors or windows.

Install solar energy systems.

Estimate materials requirements for projects.

Estimate construction project labor requirements.

Install roofing materials.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		100%	Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
		98%	Exposed to High Places - How often does this job require exposure to high places?
		91%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		89%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		88%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		87%	Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
		83%	Exposed to Contaminants - How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
		82%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		81%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		80%	Very Hot or Cold Temperatures - How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
		80%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		79%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		78%	Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
		77%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		77%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
		74%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		74%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		72%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		72%	Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing?
		71%	Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?
		71%	Exposed to Hazardous Conditions - How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
		70%	Exposed to Hazardous Equipment - How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
		70%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		70%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		69%	Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body - How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
		68%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		68%	Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings - How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
		68%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		67%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
		66%	Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling - How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
		63%	Spend Time Walking and Running - How much does this job require walking and running?
		59%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		59%	Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting - How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
		57%	Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles - How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, or poles?
		56%	Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection - How much does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
		53%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		51%	Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions - How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
		56%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		83%	Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
		81%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		77%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		76%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		75%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		75%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		71%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		67%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		66%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		65%	Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
		65%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		64%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		62%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		62%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		62%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		61%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		61%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		60%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		60%	Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
		60%	Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
		58%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		58%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		56%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		56%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		54%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		53%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		53%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

What Roofers Do

Roofers install shingles, asphalt, metal, or other materials to make the roof weatherproof.

Roofers replace, repair, and install the roofs of buildings, using a variety of materials, including shingles, bitumen, and metal.

Duties

Roofers typically do the following:

Inspect problem roofs to determine the best way to repair them
Measure roofs to calculate the quantities of materials needed
Replace damaged or rotting joists or plywood
Remove existing roof systems
Install vapor barriers or layers of insulation
Install roof ventilation
Install shingles, asphalt, metal, or other materials to make the roof weatherproof
Align roofing materials with edges of the roof
Cut roofing materials to fit around walls or vents
Cover exposed nail or screw heads with roofing cement or caulk to prevent leakage

Properly installing and repairing roofs keeps water from leaking into buildings and damaging the interior, including equipment and furnishings. Roofers install or repair two basic types of roofs: low slope and steep slope.

Low-slope roofs are the most common, as they are typical on commercial, industrial, and apartment buildings. The complexity of installing low-slope roofs varies with the type of building. Roofers may install these roofs in layers, building up piles of felt set in hot bitumen over insulation boards to form a waterproof membrane. They also may install a single-ply membrane of waterproof rubber or thermoplastic compound over roof insulation boards.

Steep-slope roofs are typical on single-family homes. Roofers commonly install asphalt shingles, although they may also lay tile, solar shingles, metal shingles, slate, or shakes (rough wooden shingles) on steep-slope roofs.

Roofers also install green technology rooftop applications. These include vegetative roofs, rainwater harvesting systems, and photovoltaic products, such as solar shingles and solar tiles; however, solar photovoltaic (PV) installers typically install PV panels. Plumbers and heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics also may install solar thermal systems.

Roofers use a variety of tools when installing or repairing roofs. Their tools include roofing shovels, roof cutters, and pry bars to remove old roofing systems and hammers, nail guns, and framing squares to install new ones.

Work Environment

Roofers held about 154,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of roofers were as follows:

Roofing contractors	76%
Self-employed workers	14
Construction of buildings	4

Roofing work is physically demanding because it involves climbing, bending, kneeling, and heavy lifting. Roofers work outdoors in extreme temperatures, but they usually do not work during inclement weather.

Although some roofers work alone, many work as part of a crew.

Injuries and Illnesses

Roofers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, as well as one of the highest rates of occupational fatalities.

Workers may slip or fall from scaffolds, ladders, or roofs. They may also be burned by hot bitumen. Roofs can become extremely hot during the summer, causing heat-related illnesses. Roofers must wear proper safety equipment to reduce the risk of injuries.

Work Schedules

Most roofers work full time. In northern states, roofing work may be limited during the winter months. During the busy summer months, roofers may work overtime to complete jobs.

Getting Started

Education:

49%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

26%

Less than a High School Diploma

How to Become a Roofer

Most roofers learn their trade on the job working with experienced coworkers.

There are no specific education requirements for roofers. Although most learn on the job, some roofers enter the occupation through an apprenticeship.

Education

No formal educational credential is typically required for roofers.

Training

Roofers typically receive on-the-job training to become competent in the occupation. In most on-the-job training programs, experienced roofers teach new workers how to use roofing tools, equipment, machines, and materials. Trainees begin with tasks such as carrying equipment and material and erecting scaffolds and hoists. Within a few months, they learn to measure, cut, and fit roofing materials. Later, they lay asphalt or fiberglass shingles. Because some roofing materials, such as solar tiles, are used infrequently, it may take several years to gain experience for all types of roofing.

A few groups, including the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers and some contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs for roofers. Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with technical instruction, usually requiring a predetermined number of hours for both.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Roofers may obtain specific certification to qualify for additional work opportunities or greater pay.

The National Roofing Contractors Association offers certification for experienced roofers. Experienced roofers may become certified in various roofing systems, such as thermoplastic systems or asphalt shingles. Certification as a roofing foreman is also available for experienced roofers.

Most employers require that roofers complete safety certification that meets Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines, either before or after being hired.

Some employers require roofers to have a driver’s license to enable commuting to different jobsites.

Advancement

After gaining experience in the occupation, roofers may have opportunities to advance to become a supervisor, job superintendent, or estimator or to start their own business. Roofers working in a union may advance within their local union to become a business manager or apprenticeship instructor or to other positions of union leadership.

Job Outlook

Employment of roofers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 12,200 openings for roofers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Replacement and repair of roofs, as well as the installation of new roofs, will create demand for roofers. Some of this demand may come from the installation of solar photovoltaic panels on building rooftops.

Contacts for More Information

For details about apprenticeships or other work opportunities for roofers, contact the offices of the state employment service, the state apprenticeship agency, local contractors or firms that employ roofers, or local union–management apprenticeship committees. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship program online, or by phone at 877-872-5627. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to search for apprenticeship opportunities.

For more information about the work of roofers, visit

National Roofing Contractors Association

United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers

For more information about OSHA training, visit

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of roofers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Carpenters	Carpenters construct, repair, and install building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials.	High school diploma or equivalent	$51,390
Construction Laborers and Helpers	Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.	See How to Become One	$39,520
Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers	Drywall and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile inside buildings. Tapers prepare the wallboard for painting.	No formal educational credential	$51,160
Flooring Installers and Tile and Stone Setters	Flooring installers and tile and stone setters lay and finish carpet, wood, vinyl, tile, and other materials.	No formal educational credential	$47,890
Insulation Workers	Insulation workers install and replace the materials used to insulate buildings or mechanical systems.	See How to Become One	$47,980
Masonry Workers	Masonry workers use bricks, concrete and concrete blocks, and natural and manmade stones to build structures.	See How to Become One	$49,490
Sheet Metal Workers	Sheet metal workers fabricate or install products that are made from thin metal sheets.	High school diploma or equivalent	$55,350
Solar Photovoltaic Installers	Solar photovoltaic (PV) installers assemble, set up, and maintain rooftop or other systems that convert sunlight into energy.	High school diploma or equivalent	$45,230

Roofer

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Important Qualities

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What Roofers Do

Duties

Work Environment

Injuries and Illnesses

Work Schedules

Getting Started

How to Become a Roofer

Education

Training

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Advancement

Job Outlook

Employment

Contacts for More Information

Similar Occupations