How Much Do Roofers Charge Per Hour in 2026? Rates by Metro
Roofers almost never quote an hourly rate, so the honest way to answer the question is to look at what roofers are paid, city by city, and then show how many crew-hours a job takes. This guide does both, using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' wage survey for the 20 largest U.S. metros and every state.
Quick answer
The U.S. median roofer wage is $26.65 per hour ($55,440 a year) in BLS OEWS May 2025. Among the 20 largest metros it spans $21.87 in Houston (−18%) to $39.47 in Chicago (+48%), with New York ($36.73), Minneapolis ($36.25) and San Francisco ($35.74) also more than a third above the national figure. Every large Texas and Florida metro is 13% to 18% below it.
A roofing quote is priced per square (100 sq ft) and bundles wages with tear-off, disposal, insurance and profit, so use these wages to understand the regional labor share, then compare against the per-square planning ranges in our new roof cost guide.
Key Takeaways
- →National median roofer wage: $26.65/hr, the lowest of the major exterior trades (carpenters $29.12, sheet metal $29.71)
- →Chicago ($39.47), New York ($36.73), Minneapolis ($36.25) and San Francisco ($35.74) lead; Houston ($21.87), Dallas ($22.59), Tampa ($22.68) and Orlando ($22.74) trail
- →Only 24 of 51 states are above the national median; Illinois ($37.45) and New Jersey ($36.83) top the list, Oklahoma ($21.00) is last
- →A 50-crew-hour shingle replacement is $1,333 of wages nationally, $1,974 in Chicago and $1,094 in Houston, before materials, disposal and overhead
Why “per hour” is the wrong unit for roofing, and still useful
Roofing is a piece-rate and per-square business. A crew is priced on how many squares it can tear off and lay in a day, and the contractor's quote folds the crew's pay, dump fees, underlayment, flashing, insurance and margin into one per-square number. Asking a roofer for an hourly rate usually gets you a blank look. But the wage the crew is paid is still the single largest regional variable in that per-square price, because shingles cost roughly the same in Houston and Chicago while roofers do not. That is what the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program measures: median hourly pay for Roofers (SOC 47-2181) in every state and 262 metros, May 2025 release, published at bls.gov/oes.
Roofer wages in the 10 largest metros
The last column prices a full crew day: 4 roofers × 10 hours = 40 crew-hours, roughly what a straightforward 20-square tear-off and reshingle consumes.
Roofers: median hourly wage, 10 largest U.S. metros vs. national (BLS OEWS May 2025)
| Metro area | Median wage | vs. U.S. median | 40 crew-hours × median wage (4-person crew, one long day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $26.65/hr | baseline | $1,066 |
| New York, NY-NJ | $36.73/hr | +38% | $1,469 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $30.56/hr | +15% | $1,222 |
| Chicago, IL-IN | $39.47/hr | +48% | $1,579 |
| Dallas, TX | $22.59/hr | -15% | $904 |
| Houston, TX | $21.87/hr | -18% | $875 |
| Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $28.05/hr | +5% | $1,122 |
| Miami, FL | $23.09/hr | -13% | $924 |
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $28.72/hr | +8% | $1,149 |
| Atlanta, GA | $23.61/hr | -11% | $944 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $22.96/hr | -14% | $918 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Occupation: Roofers (SOC 47-2181).
Chicago roofers earn $39.47 an hour, 48% above the national median and 80% above Houston ($21.87). A 40-crew-hour day costs $1,579 in wages in Chicago and $875 in Houston. New York ($36.73, +38%) is the only other top-10 metro more than 10% above the median; Philadelphia ($28.72, +8%) and Washington ($28.05, +5%) are close to it, and Los Angeles ($30.56, +15%) is far less of an outlier for roofing than it is for electricians. The Sun Belt is uniformly cheap: Dallas, Miami, Atlanta and Phoenix are all 11% to 15% below the U.S. median.
Metros 11 through 20
Roofers: median hourly wage, metros 11–20 by population vs. national (BLS OEWS May 2025)
| Metro area | Median wage | vs. U.S. median | 40 crew-hours × median wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $26.65/hr | baseline | $1,066 |
| Boston, MA-NH | $31.90/hr | +20% | $1,276 |
| San Francisco, CA | $35.74/hr | +34% | $1,430 |
| Riverside, CA | $29.83/hr | +12% | $1,193 |
| Detroit, MI | $30.48/hr | +14% | $1,219 |
| Seattle, WA | $30.81/hr | +16% | $1,232 |
| Minneapolis, MN-WI | $36.25/hr | +36% | $1,450 |
| San Diego, CA | $29.90/hr | +12% | $1,196 |
| Tampa, FL | $22.68/hr | -15% | $907 |
| Orlando, FL | $22.74/hr | -15% | $910 |
| Austin, TX | $22.76/hr | -15% | $910 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Occupation: Roofers (SOC 47-2181).
Minneapolis ($36.25, +36%) and San Francisco ($35.74, +34%) join Chicago and New York in the high group. Boston ($31.90), Seattle ($30.81), Detroit ($30.48), San Diego ($29.90) and Riverside ($29.83) form a middle band 12% to 20% above the median. Tampa ($22.68), Orlando ($22.74) and Austin ($22.76) are within nine cents of each other and 15% below the national figure, and Houston remains the cheapest of all 20.
Crew-hours for common roofing jobs
Hours are HammerIO planning assumptions for an asphalt shingle roof of moderate pitch with good access; they are crew-hours (people × hours), not elapsed time. Steep pitch, multiple tear-off layers, skylights and cut-up rooflines raise them.
Roofers labor-wage cost by scenario (hours × BLS median wage)
| Scenario | Labor hours | U.S. median ($26.75/hr) | Lowest large metro (Houston, TX) | Highest large metro (Chicago, IL-IN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leak repair, flashing or a few shinglesTwo roofers, half a day including setup | 4 | $107 | $87 | $158 |
| Replace 1 square (100 sq ft) sectionStorm damage patch, tie-in to existing | 8 | $213 | $175 | $316 |
| Full replacement, 1,500 sq ft (15 squares)Single-layer tear-off, 4-person crew | 36 | $959 | $787 | $1,421 |
| Full replacement, 2,000 sq ft (20 squares)Single-layer tear-off, 4-person crew | 50 | $1,333 | $1,094 | $1,974 |
| Full replacement, 3,000 sq ft, steep/complexTwo layers off, 8/12 pitch, many penetrations | 100 | $2,665 | $2,187 | $3,947 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Labor hours are HammerIO planning assumptions for the scenario described; the dollar figures are wage cost only (hours × median wage) and exclude materials, permits, contractor overhead and profit.
The 20-square row is the typical American reroof: $1,333 of wages at the national median, $1,974 in Chicago, $1,094 in Houston. Compare that with the material cost of 20 squares of architectural shingles plus underlayment and accessories in our asphalt shingle cost guide and you see why labor is such a large slice of a roof quote, and why the slice grows in high-wage metros. Metal roofing flips the ratio: the panels cost more but installation hours are similar, so the metal roof premium is smaller in Chicago than in Houston in percentage terms.
Highest- and lowest-wage states
Roofers: 8 highest- and 8 lowest-wage states (BLS OEWS May 2025)
| State | Median wage | vs. U.S. median ($26.65/hr) |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $37.45/hr | +41% |
| New Jersey | $36.83/hr | +38% |
| Minnesota | $35.81/hr | +34% |
| Massachusetts | $34.98/hr | +31% |
| Alaska | $32.09/hr | +20% |
| New York | $31.74/hr | +19% |
| California | $30.58/hr | +15% |
| Connecticut | $29.84/hr | +12% |
| Texas | $22.13/hr | -17% |
| South Carolina | $22.00/hr | -17% |
| Tennessee | $21.97/hr | -18% |
| Alabama | $21.96/hr | -18% |
| Wyoming | $21.95/hr | -18% |
| New Mexico | $21.78/hr | -18% |
| Mississippi | $21.61/hr | -19% |
| Oklahoma | $21.00/hr | -21% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), median hourly wages. These are employee wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quoted hourly rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top of the wage. “—” means BLS did not publish a metro estimate for that occupation. Occupation: Roofers (SOC 47-2181). State medians cover the whole state; see the metro table for city-level figures.
Illinois ($37.45), New Jersey ($36.83), Minnesota ($35.81), Massachusetts ($34.98) and Alaska ($32.09) are the five highest state medians. The five lowest are Oklahoma ($21.00), Mississippi ($21.61), New Mexico ($21.78), Wyoming ($21.95) and Alabama ($21.96). Roofing has the widest low-wage tail of the major trades: only 24 states are above the national median, and the single lowest metros in the country, El Paso ($17.45), Lubbock ($17.62) and Corpus Christi ($18.08), are all in Texas.
What the contractor adds to the wage
Roofing carries one of the highest workers' compensation classifications in construction, so insurance is a larger share of the billed price than for most trades. On top of that: dump fees and the dumpster, the crew's vehicles and ladders, fall-protection equipment, manufacturer certification for warranty coverage, the estimator's time, the office, and profit. HammerIO does not publish a fixed wage-to-quote multiplier; instead our roof cost guide gives per-square planning ranges, and the roofing calculator turns your roof's dimensions and pitch into squares and material quantities.
Two practical checks. If a quote in a low-wage metro matches one your relative received in Chicago for a similar roof, ask what is different about the scope. And if a bid is far below the others in a high-wage market, ask whether the crew is employees with workers' comp or day labor; the wage data says a properly insured crew in Chicago cannot be cheap. Roof replacements usually require a permit; verify with your local building department.
2026 wage trend
The May 2025 OEWS medians are a floor for late-2026 quotes. BLS average hourly earnings for all construction employees (CES2000000003) reached $41.66 in August 2026, up from $41.50 in July, and consumer prices were 3.40% higher than a year earlier. Roofing demand is also seasonal and storm-driven: after a hail or wind event, local crews are booked and out-of-town crews arrive with travel costs built into their prices, so the regional wage floor matters less than timing for a few months.
More BLS wage guides
- Electrician hourly rates by metro and plumber cost per hour by state.
- Drywall installer wages and cost per sheet by metro.
- Cost to build a house: labor vs. materials, where roofing is one of seven trades compared.
- Best roofing materials 2026 for the material side of the decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do roofers charge per hour in 2026?
Start from what roofers are paid: the U.S. median roofer wage is $26.65 per hour ($55,440 a year) in BLS OEWS May 2025 data, ranging from $21.87 in Houston to $39.47 in Chicago among the 20 largest metros. Roofing contractors rarely quote by the hour; they price per square (100 sq ft) with the crew's wages, tear-off, disposal, insurance and profit built in. The wage tables tell you how much of that per-square price is regional labor.
Which cities pay roofers the most?
Among the 20 largest metros, Chicago has the highest median roofer wage at $39.47 per hour (48% above the national median), followed by New York ($36.73, +38%), Minneapolis ($36.25, +36%) and San Francisco ($35.74, +34%). Across all 262 metros with published roofer data, Worcester, MA has the single highest median at $50.61.
Where are roofers cheapest?
Houston has the lowest median among the 20 largest metros at $21.87 per hour (18% below the national median), with Dallas ($22.59), Tampa ($22.68), Orlando ($22.74), Austin ($22.76) and Phoenix ($22.96) close behind. The lowest metros in the country are all in Texas: El Paso ($17.45), Lubbock ($17.62) and Corpus Christi ($18.08). By state, Oklahoma ($21.00), Mississippi ($21.61), New Mexico ($21.78), Wyoming ($21.95) and Alabama ($21.96) are the bottom five.
How many labor hours does a roof replacement take?
HammerIO planning assumption: a 2,000 sq ft (20-square) architectural shingle roof with a single-layer tear-off takes a four-person crew roughly one to one-and-a-half days, about 40 to 60 crew-hours. Steep pitch, multiple layers, many penetrations or a cut-up roofline push it higher. At the national median wage, 50 crew-hours is $1,333 of wages; in Chicago it is $1,974 and in Houston $1,094, before shingles, underlayment, disposal, permit and contractor overhead.
Why is roofing labor a larger share of the price in some cities?
Shingles cost roughly the same everywhere because they ship nationally; wages do not. In a metro where roofers earn 48% more than the national median, the labor slice of a per-square price grows while the material slice stays flat, so the whole quote rises less than 48% but noticeably. That is why HammerIO publishes roof cost as a range and adjusts it by regional labor factors rather than one national price.
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