Helpers--roofers: Salary, Job Outlook, Education and Career Path

Help roofers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

Short answer: Helpers--roofers earn a national median annual wage of $44,160 (BLS, May 2025). Employment is projected to change -0.1% from 2025 to 2035 (all occupations: +3.5%), with about 600 openings per year. The typical entry credential is no formal educational credential.

Median annual wage
$44,160
May 2025 Verified data
Projected change
-0.1%
2025 to 2035 Official projection
Openings per year
600
Average, 2025 to 2035 Official projection
Employment
6,030
OEWS, May 2025 Verified data

Helpers--roofers salary

$0$20K$40K$60KUnited States$44,160
National annual wages for helpers--roofers, May 2025: 10th percentile $30,140, 25th $37,030, median $44,160, 75th $48,970, 90th $62,400. The bar spans the 25th to 75th percentile, the thin line spans the 10th to 90th percentile, and the red mark is the median.
MeasureAnnualHourly
10th percentile$30,140$14.49
Median (50th percentile)$44,160$21.23
Mean (average)$45,150$21.71
90th percentile$62,400$30.00

These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Helpers--roofers pay by state and metro area

$31.1K$72.9K
Median annual wage for helpers--roofers by state, May 2025. Highest: Utah at $72,860. States in gray have no published estimate.
Table: median wage and employment for all 26 states and territories
StateMedian10th pct90th pctEmploymentLocation quotient
Alabama$37,670$36,810$43,680600.79
Arkansas$35,950$24,280$45,7601102.27
California$55,470$39,280$76,3601,2001.7
Colorado$55,860$48,250$64,020
Florida$38,350$27,040$49,4401,2403.21
Georgia$47,610$40,130$56,410
Iowa$42,650$40,810$43,680
Louisiana$43,680$26,730$47,680700.95
Maryland$34,830$31,660$47,030
Michigan$41,750$37,480$58,490
Mississippi$31,090$29,740$34,040
Missouri$35,800$31,350$36,060
Nevada$37,430$34,230$39,670300.52
New Jersey$42,670$36,270$52,000
New Mexico$37,640$28,090$53,8601303.76
North Carolina$44,120$38,050$48,4502701.41
Ohio$46,600$43,100$55,8004902.29
Oklahoma$38,950$35,550$42,060700.99
Oregon$44,330$42,390$46,470700.97
Pennsylvania$41,320$39,350$44,560700.29
South Carolina$37,860$23,210$53,820400.5
Tennessee$38,380$23,600$47,6001601.23
Texas$38,430$30,730$47,5605901.09
Utah$72,860$51,200$76,1401201.85
Virginia$46,030$25,810$47,1101100.71
Washington$44,520$40,690$49,0001100.76

A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.

Metro areas with the most jobs

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL330
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX240
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX150
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL140
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ130
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA100
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC90
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV90
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL70
Raleigh-Cary, NC70

Highest paying metro areas

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$58,090
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$46,780
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$41,690
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$39,850
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL$39,620
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$38,090
Among metro areas with at least 100 workers in this occupation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, State. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Metropolitan areas. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Job outlook for helpers--roofers

2025 (actual)6,1002035 (projected)6,100
BLS projects employment of helpers--roofers to go from 6,100 in 2025 to 6,100 in 2035, a change of -0.1% (+0 jobs). All occupations are projected to grow +3.5%.
  • Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
  • Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.7%.
  • Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.

These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Education and training for helpers--roofers

Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
Related work experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
O*NET Job Zone
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Highest education of people working in this occupation

Less than high school34%
High school diploma37%
Some college, no degree15.3%
Associate's degree6.3%
Bachelor's degree5.3%
Master's degree1.3%
Doctoral or professional0.7%
Share of workers age 25 and over by highest education completed, 2023-24. The most common level is a high school diploma (37%).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Education and training tables 5.1 to 5.4. Attainment 2023-24 (ACS); wages 2025; projections 2025-35. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Degrees and programs that lead to this career

Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk

Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Skills, knowledge, and daily work

Most important skills

Active Listening3.0
Monitoring2.8
Speaking2.6
Critical Thinking2.6
Active Learning2.5
Reading Comprehension2.1
Writing2.0
Mathematics2.0
O*NET importance rating on a 1 to 5 scale.

Most important knowledge areas

Building and Construction4.1
English Language4.0
Public Safety and Security3.9
Education and Training3.7
Transportation3.7
Administration and Management3.6
Mechanical3.6
Mathematics3.6
O*NET importance rating on a 1 to 5 scale.

Typical tasks

  • Check to ensure that completed roofs are watertight.
  • Set ladders, scaffolds, and hoists in place for taking supplies to roofs.
  • Clean work areas and equipment.
  • Maintain tools and equipment.
  • Provide assistance to skilled roofers installing and repairing roofs, flashings, and surfaces.
  • Locate worn or torn areas in roofs.
  • Sweep and clean roofs to prepare them for the application of new roofing materials.
  • Remove old roofing materials.

Technology skills

  • AppliCad Roof Wizard
  • DigiTools Roof CAD
  • Energy cost evaluation software
  • Exele TopView
  • Humidity and vapor drive calculation software
  • Insight Direct ServiceCEO
  • Maintenance record software
  • Roof Pro Estimate Software Roof Pro
  • RoofLogic
  • Roofing Calculator
  • Wintac Pro
  • Ziatek RoofDraw

Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Equipment Selection, Quality Control Analysis, Time Management.

Common job titles: Roofer Apprentice, Roofer Helper, Roofing Apprentice.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ConnectPrep has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Source: National Center for O*NET Development for USDOL/ETA, O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026 release). Database release 31.0, August 2026; element dates vary by occupation. Published August 25, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there

Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.

Frequently asked questions

How much do helpers--roofers make?

The national median annual wage for helpers--roofers was $44,160 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $30,140 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $62,400. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.

What education do helpers--roofers need?

BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.

Is helpers--roofers a growing career?

BLS projects employment of helpers--roofers to change -0.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.

Which states pay helpers--roofers the most?

By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Utah ($72,860), Colorado ($55,860), California ($55,470). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.

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