The median annual wage of roofers was $34,220 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,030, and the top 10 percent earned more than $60,610.
The starting pay for apprentices is usually between 30 percent and 50 percent of what fully trained workers make. They get pay increases as they gain more skill.
Like many construction workers, most roofers work full time. In northern states, roofing work is limited during the winter months. During the summer, roofers may work overtime to complete jobs quickly, especially before rainfall. About 27 percent of roofers were self-employed in 2010. Self-employed workers may be able to set their own schedules.
About 6 percent of roofers are members of a union. The largest organizer of roofers is the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition