Helpers--Roofers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Construction and Extraction · SOC 47-3016 · O*NET 47-3016.00

Median salary
$40,590
Rank #678 of ~830 BLS occupations
10-year growth
+5.7%
2024–2034, average
Employment
5.2M
BLS 2024
Projected 2034
5K
BLS projection
Official O*NET description

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

Helpers--Roofers fall under the Construction and Extraction category in the U.S. occupational classification. Helpers--Roofers earn a median salary of $40,590 per year, ranking in the top 84% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +5.7% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do helpers--roofers earn?

The median annual wage for helpers--roofers is $40,590. That puts helpers--roofers at #678 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Full salary distribution (national, BLS 2024)
10th percentile (entry-level)$27,780
25th percentile$34,800
50th percentile (median)$40,590
75th percentile$47,570
90th percentile (top earners)$55,310
Median hourly wage$19.51/hr

Is helpers--roofers a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for helpers--roofers is +5.7%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 5K positions in 2024 to 5K in 2034, a net change of 0K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.

What do helpers--roofers do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working helpers--roofers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

  1. 1.Check to ensure that completed roofs are watertight.
  2. 2.Locate worn or torn areas in roofs.
  3. 3.Cover roofs with layers of roofing felt or asphalt strips before installing tile, slate, or composition materials.
  4. 4.Unload materials and tools from work trucks, and unroll roofing as directed.
  5. 5.Perform emergency leak repairs and general maintenance for a variety of roof types.
  6. 6.Attach sheets of metal to roof boards or building frameworks when installing metal roofs.
  7. 7.Clean work areas and equipment.
  8. 8.Maintain tools and equipment.

Top skills for helpers--roofers

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

Coordination
3.3
Monitoring
3.0
Active Listening
3.0
Speaking
2.9
Quality Control Analysis
2.9
Critical Thinking
2.9
Judgment and Decision Making
2.8

What education does my child need to become helpers--roofer?

Helpers--Roofers typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Actual education levels of working helpers--roofers

Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.

High school diploma
43.4%
Less than high school
32.7%
Post-doctoral training
16.0%
Some college courses
7.9%

Related careers your child might also consider

How parents help teens explore careers like this

Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.

Common questions parents ask about helpers--roofers

What is the median salary for helpers--roofers?

The median annual salary for helpers--roofers is $40,590 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Is helpers--roofers a growing career?

BLS projects +5.7% growth for helpers--roofers from 2024 through 2034, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.

What education does my child need to become helpers--roofer?

The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.

What careers are similar to helpers--roofers?

Related occupations within the Construction and Extraction category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.

Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.