The Roofing Brief Research Desk. Roofer employment in the United States is projected to reach 176,500 jobs by 2034, up from 166,700 in 2024, a net gain of 9,800 jobs and 5.9 percent growth over the decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections program. That national headline hides a sharp geographic split. This report ranks all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, by projected roofer employment growth for the 2024 to 2034 period, using the state-produced projections aggregated by Projections Central, and pairs the growth ranking with the workforce-size and replacement-needs picture that actually drives hiring.
Executive summary
- National roofer employment is projected to grow 5.9 percent from 2024 to 2034, adding 9,800 jobs, from 166,700 to 176,500 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034).
- About 12,700 roofer job openings are projected each year on average over the decade, most of them created by workers who transfer to other jobs or leave the labor force, not by net job growth (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024 to 2034).
- Colorado leads the nation with 25.7 percent projected roofer employment growth, followed by Idaho at 25.3 percent, Wyoming at 25.1 percent, and Arizona at 24.0 percent (Projections Central, long-term projections, 2024 to 2034).
- Florida is the only state that ranks near the top for both rate and volume, with 18.8 percent projected growth and a net gain of 5,430 jobs, the largest absolute increase of any state (Projections Central, 2024 to 2034).
- Florida and California together hold roughly 55,240 roofer jobs in 2024, about 32 percent of the roofer employment counted across the 53 reporting areas (Projections Central, 2024).
- Three areas show projected declines: Maine at negative 8.9 percent, the Virgin Islands at negative 5.6 percent, and Washington at negative 1.9 percent (Projections Central, 2024 to 2034).
- The median annual wage for roofers was $50,970 in May 2024 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2024).
Key findings
- Roofer employment is projected to grow 5.9 percent nationally from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
- The occupation is projected to add 9,800 jobs over the decade, rising from 166,700 in 2024 to 176,500 in 2034. Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
- About 12,700 openings for roofers are projected each year on average through 2034. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, roofers, 2024 to 2034.
- Colorado has the fastest projected roofer employment growth of any state at 25.7 percent, from 3,840 jobs in 2024 to 4,830 in 2034. Source: Projections Central, long-term projections, 2024 to 2034.
- Idaho ranks second at 25.3 percent projected growth, and Wyoming ranks third at 25.1 percent, though Wyoming adds only 80 jobs in absolute terms. Source: Projections Central, 2024 to 2034.
- Arizona is projected to grow 24.0 percent, from 4,580 to 5,680 roofer jobs, a net gain of 1,100. Source: Projections Central, 2024 to 2034.
- Florida is projected to add 5,430 roofer jobs, the largest absolute increase of any state, growing 18.8 percent from 28,840 to 34,280. Source: Projections Central, 2024 to 2034.
- Florida already employs the most roofers of any state at 28,840 in 2024, ahead of California at 26,400. Source: Projections Central, 2024.
- California is the second-largest roofer workforce and is projected to grow 6.8 percent, adding 1,800 jobs to reach 28,200 by 2034. Source: Projections Central, 2024 to 2034.
- Texas, the third-largest workforce at 7,440 roofers in 2024, is projected to grow 9.9 percent to 8,170 by 2034. Source: Projections Central, 2024 to 2034.
- Washington is projected to lose roofer jobs, declining 1.9 percent from 7,100 to 6,960 despite being the fourth-largest state workforce. Source: Projections Central, 2024 to 2034.
- Maine has the steepest projected decline at negative 8.9 percent, from 770 to 700 roofer jobs. Source: Projections Central, 2024 to 2034.
- New York is projected to be essentially flat at 0.6 percent growth, adding just 40 jobs on a base of 6,130. Source: Projections Central, 2024 to 2034.
- Florida and California together account for about 4,740 of the projected average annual roofer openings among the reporting areas. Source: Projections Central, 2024 to 2034.
- The median annual wage for roofers was $50,970 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $37,060 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $80,780. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, roofers, May 2024.
National picture: growth is modest, but churn is large
The national roofer employment projection is a growth story only at the margins. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 166,700 roofer jobs in 2024 rising to 176,500 in 2034. That is a net gain of 9,800 positions, or 5.9 percent, which the BLS classifies as faster than the average for all occupations. The Occupational Outlook Handbook rounds this to 6 percent.
The more important number for anyone hiring is 12,700, the average annual openings BLS projects for the decade. The BLS attributes most of these openings to replacement needs, meaning roofers who move to other occupations or leave the workforce, including through retirement. Demand is also tied to roof replacement and repair, new roof installation, and, in a growing share, rooftop solar photovoltaic installation.
Roofers held about 166,700 jobs in 2024. The typical entry path requires no formal education credential, and most roofers learn on the job. The median annual wage was $50,970 in May 2024.
National summary table
| Metric | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Employment, base year | 166,700 | 2024 |
| Employment, projected | 176,500 | 2034 |
| Net change | +9,800 | 2024 to 2034 |
| Percent change | +5.9% | 2024 to 2034 |
| Average annual openings | 12,700 | 2024 to 2034 |
| Median annual wage | $50,970 | May 2024 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections and Occupational Outlook Handbook, roofers, 2024 to 2034.
Where roofer jobs are growing fastest: state ranking
State projections tell a Sun Belt and Mountain West story. The states with the fastest projected roofer employment growth are concentrated in the interior West and the Southeast, where population growth and building activity are strongest. Percentage growth alone can mislead, because a large percentage on a small base adds few actual jobs. The table below shows both, ranked by percent change.
Table 1: Fastest projected roofer employment growth, 2024 to 2034 (top 15 states)
| Rank | State | 2024 | 2034 | Net change | % change | Avg annual openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 3,840 | 4,830 | +990 | 25.7% | 400 |
| 2 | Idaho | 2,730 | 3,420 | +690 | 25.3% | 280 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 340 | 420 | +80 | 25.1% | 30 |
| 4 | Arizona | 4,580 | 5,680 | +1,100 | 24.0% | 460 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 2,620 | 3,150 | +530 | 20.2% | 250 |
| 6 | Florida | 28,840 | 34,280 | +5,430 | 18.8% | 2,690 |
| 7 | West Virginia | 520 | 610 | +90 | 17.4% | 50 |
| 8 | Utah | 3,570 | 4,120 | +550 | 15.4% | 320 |
| 9 | Delaware | 260 | 300 | +40 | 14.4% | 20 |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,150 | 4,700 | +550 | 13.2% | 360 |
| 11 | Missouri | 3,010 | 3,410 | +400 | 13.1% | 260 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 2,390 | 2,690 | +300 | 12.7% | 200 |
| 13 | Mississippi | 570 | 640 | +70 | 12.0% | 50 |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,930 | 2,160 | +230 | 12.0% | 160 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 420 | 470 | +50 | 11.8% | 40 |
Source: Projections Central, long-term occupational projections, roofers (SOC 47-2181), 2024 to 2034.
Where the workforce actually sits: largest state markets
Growth rate answers where roofing is expanding fastest. Workforce size answers where the jobs actually are. Florida and California dominate the second question. Together they hold about 55,240 roofer jobs in 2024, roughly 32 percent of the roofer employment counted across the 53 reporting areas. Florida is the rare state that leads on both dimensions, combining the largest workforce with top-tier growth.
Table 2: Largest roofer workforces, 2024 (top 12 states)
| Rank | State | 2024 | 2034 | % change | Avg annual openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 28,840 | 34,280 | +18.8% | 2,690 |
| 2 | California | 26,400 | 28,200 | +6.8% | 2,050 |
| 3 | Texas | 7,440 | 8,170 | +9.9% | 600 |
| 4 | Washington | 7,100 | 6,960 | -1.9% | 450 |
| 5 | Illinois | 6,910 | 7,350 | +6.3% | 530 |
| 6 | New York | 6,130 | 6,170 | +0.6% | 420 |
| 7 | Ohio | 5,090 | 5,310 | +4.4% | 380 |
| 8 | Arizona | 4,580 | 5,680 | +24.0% | 460 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 4,210 | 4,420 | +5.1% | 320 |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,150 | 4,700 | +13.2% | 360 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 4,120 | 4,380 | +6.5% | 320 |
| 12 | Michigan | 3,950 | 4,090 | +3.4% | 290 |
Source: Projections Central, long-term occupational projections, roofers (SOC 47-2181), 2024 to 2034.
Where roofer jobs are flat or shrinking
Not every roofing market is expanding. Three reporting areas show projected declines, and several large-workforce states are projected to be essentially flat, which means their hiring will come almost entirely from replacing departing workers rather than from growth.
Table 3: Flat and declining roofer projections, 2024 to 2034
| State | 2024 | 2034 | Net change | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 770 | 700 | -70 | -8.9% |
| Virgin Islands | 40 | 30 | 0 | -5.6% |
| Washington | 7,100 | 6,960 | -140 | -1.9% |
| Alaska | 280 | 280 | 0 | 0.0% |
| New York | 6,130 | 6,170 | +40 | +0.6% |
| Minnesota | 2,490 | 2,530 | +40 | +1.5% |
Source: Projections Central, long-term occupational projections, roofers (SOC 47-2181), 2024 to 2034.
Original synthesis: three derived views from the data
The following are original calculations by The Roofing Brief, derived by combining the BLS national Employment Projections with the state-level Projections Central dataset. They are analytical constructs, not published BLS statistics, and their limitations are stated.
1. The concentration of net growth (Roofing Brief calculation)
Nationally, roofer employment is projected to add 9,800 net jobs from 2024 to 2034. Florida alone accounts for a projected net gain of 5,430 roofer jobs, which is about 55 percent of the entire national net increase. Adding California (+1,800), Arizona (+1,100), and Colorado (+990) brings the top four states to a combined 9,320 net jobs, roughly 95 percent of the national net gain. Formula: state net change divided by national net change of 9,800. Inputs: BLS Employment Projections national total; Projections Central state net-change figures. Limitation: state projections are produced independently by each state and do not sum exactly to the national total, so these shares describe concentration among reporting states rather than an exact partition of the national figure.
2. Replacement dominates growth (Roofing Brief calculation)
The occupation is projected to average 12,700 annual openings while adding only 9,800 net jobs across the full decade, or about 980 net jobs per year. That implies roughly 7.7 percent of annual openings come from net employment growth and about 92.3 percent come from replacement needs, meaning workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Formula: (national net change divided by 10) divided by average annual openings. Inputs: BLS Employment Projections net change of 9,800 and average annual openings of 12,700. Limitation: BLS openings methodology counts occupational transfers and labor-force exits alongside growth, and the split is an approximation based on the reported averages rather than a year-by-year decomposition.
3. Sun Belt versus Snow Belt growth gap (Roofing Brief calculation)
Grouping 13 Sun Belt states (Arizona, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, California, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana) against 14 colder-climate Northeast and upper-Midwest states (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Illinois, Washington) and weighting by 2024 employment, the Sun Belt group shows about 12.8 percent projected growth versus about 3.5 percent for the colder-climate group. Formula: sum of net change divided by sum of 2024 base employment within each group. Inputs: Projections Central state base and net-change figures. Limitation: the state groupings are defined by The Roofing Brief for illustration, and results are sensitive to which states are included in each group.
What is driving the geography
The BLS attributes roofer demand to three forces: replacement and repair of existing roofs, installation of new roofs, and, increasingly, installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic panels. States with fast household and construction growth in the interior West and Southeast concentrate all three. The workforce-size leaders, Florida and California, combine large housing stocks with high storm and weather exposure that drives replacement volume. The contrast with flat or declining projections in Maine, Washington, and New York reflects slower population and construction growth in those markets rather than any change in the roofing work itself.
For deeper context on the pay, pipeline, and market structure behind these numbers, see The Roofing Brief companion reports linked below: the roofing apprenticeship and training report on how the 12,700 annual openings are filled, the roofer pay by state guide, the 2026 roofing labor wage report, the US roofing contractor count report, and the roofing workforce demographics report.
Recommended charts
- Choropleth map of projected roofer growth by state, 2024 to 2034. Data: percent change by state. Source: Projections Central. Insight: the Mountain West and Southeast lead; the Northeast lags. Citation-worthy because it turns a 53-row table into a single readable geography of roofing demand.
- Scatter plot of workforce size versus growth rate. Data: 2024 employment on one axis, percent change on the other. Source: Projections Central. Insight: identifies the rare high-size, high-growth quadrant that Florida occupies alone. Citation-worthy for showing that rate and volume rarely align.
- Bar chart of the top 10 states by net job gain. Data: absolute net change. Source: Projections Central. Insight: Florida dwarfs every other state. Citation-worthy because absolute change, not percentage, is what recruiters and suppliers act on.
- Stacked bar of openings from growth versus replacement. Data: national net change per year versus total annual openings. Source: BLS Employment Projections. Insight: replacement is roughly nine-tenths of the hiring need. Citation-worthy for reframing the labor story from growth to turnover.
Methodology
National employment, projected change, percent change, and average annual openings come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections program and the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for roofers, for the 2024 to 2034 projection cycle. State-level base employment, projected employment, net change, percent change, and average annual openings come from Projections Central, the database operated by the Projections Managing Partnership that aggregates the long-term occupational projections each state produces, for roofers under Standard Occupational Classification code 47-2181, 2024 to 2034 cycle. Median wage figures come from the Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2024.
Source selection prioritized primary government data. Where the Occupational Outlook Handbook rounds the national growth rate to 6 percent, this report uses the more precise 5.9 percent from the underlying Employment Projections table and notes both. State projections are produced independently by each state workforce agency using shared methodology, and they do not sum exactly to the national BLS total; comparisons of state shares are therefore described relative to the sum of reporting areas, not as an exact partition of the national figure. Figures were pulled directly from the Projections Central data service for this report. Any statistic that could not be verified against these sources was excluded. Derived figures are labeled as Roofing Brief calculations with their formulas and inputs. Last updated July 2026.
Source quality ranking
Tier 1 (primary government and official data): U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (roofers); Projections Central (Projections Managing Partnership aggregation of state workforce-agency projections).
Tier 2 (official supporting datasets): BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, used for occupation definition and wage context.
Tier 3 (interpretation): None relied upon for quantitative claims in this report.
Excluded: unsourced roundup pages, AI-generated statistics, and blog estimates that did not trace to BLS or state workforce-agency data.
Journalist-friendly additions
Most quotable statistics
- Roofer employment is projected to grow 5.9 percent nationally from 2024 to 2034, adding 9,800 jobs (BLS Employment Projections).
- About 92 percent of the 12,700 projected annual roofer openings come from replacement needs rather than net growth (Roofing Brief calculation from BLS figures).
- Colorado leads all states with 25.7 percent projected roofer growth (Projections Central, 2024 to 2034).
- Florida alone accounts for roughly 55 percent of the nation’s projected net roofer job gain (Roofing Brief calculation from BLS and Projections Central data).
- Washington and Maine are among the few markets projected to lose roofer jobs by 2034 (Projections Central).
Data limitations
State projections are produced independently and do not sum to the national BLS total. Percentage growth on small state bases (for example Wyoming and Delaware) represents few actual jobs. Projections are estimates, not guarantees, and do not capture storm-driven demand spikes, immigration policy shifts, or solar-installation booms that could move actual employment. Wage data is a May 2024 snapshot and varies widely by region and experience.
Downloadable dataset: recommended fields
State; SOC code (47-2181); base-year employment (2024); projected employment (2034); net change; percent change; average annual openings; base year; projection year; source (BLS Employment Projections or Projections Central).
Press summary (about 150 words)
The United States is projected to have 176,500 roofers by 2034, up 5.9 percent from 166,700 in 2024, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections. The national gain of 9,800 jobs is modest, but the industry expects about 12,700 job openings a year, most of them created by workers leaving the trade rather than by growth. Geography splits the story. Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, and Arizona show the fastest projected growth, each above 24 percent, while Maine, Washington, and the Virgin Islands are projected to lose roofer jobs. Florida stands apart, holding the largest roofer workforce at 28,840 and adding a projected 5,430 jobs, the biggest absolute gain of any state and roughly 55 percent of the national net increase by The Roofing Brief’s calculation. The median roofer wage was $50,970 in May 2024. Figures come from BLS and Projections Central for the 2024 to 2034 cycle.
Suggested headlines
- Roofer Jobs to Grow 5.9 Percent by 2034, but the Map Tells a Different Story
- Colorado Leads the Nation in Projected Roofer Job Growth Through 2034
- Florida Alone Accounts for More Than Half of America’s Projected Roofer Job Gains
- Most New Roofer Openings Are About Replacement, Not Growth
- Where Roofer Jobs Are Growing Fastest, and Where They Are Shrinking
Frequently asked questions
How fast is roofer employment projected to grow?
Roofer employment is projected to grow 5.9 percent from 2024 to 2034, from 166,700 to 176,500 jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections program. The Occupational Outlook Handbook rounds this to 6 percent.
How many roofer job openings are expected each year?
About 12,700 roofer openings are projected each year on average from 2024 to 2034, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Most come from the need to replace workers who transfer to other jobs or leave the labor force.
Which state has the fastest projected roofer job growth?
Colorado has the fastest projected roofer employment growth at 25.7 percent from 2024 to 2034, from 3,840 to 4,830 jobs, according to Projections Central.
Which states rank next for roofer job growth?
After Colorado, the fastest-growing states are Idaho at 25.3 percent, Wyoming at 25.1 percent, Arizona at 24.0 percent, and Tennessee at 20.2 percent, for the 2024 to 2034 period (Projections Central).
Which state employs the most roofers?
Florida employs the most roofers of any state at 28,840 in 2024, ahead of California at 26,400 and Texas at 7,440, according to Projections Central.
Which state adds the most roofer jobs in absolute terms?
Florida is projected to add 5,430 roofer jobs from 2024 to 2034, the largest absolute increase of any state, according to Projections Central.
Are any states projected to lose roofer jobs?
Yes. Maine is projected to decline 8.9 percent, the Virgin Islands 5.6 percent, and Washington 1.9 percent from 2024 to 2034, according to Projections Central.
How much do roofers earn?
The median annual wage for roofers was $50,970 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $37,060 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $80,780, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Why are most openings from replacement rather than growth?
The occupation is projected to average 12,700 annual openings while net employment grows by only about 980 jobs a year. By The Roofing Brief’s calculation, roughly 92 percent of openings come from workers transferring to other occupations or leaving the labor force, and about 8 percent from net growth.
Where does this employment projection data come from?
National figures come from the BLS Employment Projections program and Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2024 to 2034. State figures come from Projections Central, which aggregates the long-term projections each state workforce agency produces, for roofers under SOC code 47-2181.
Reviewed by The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed July 2026.