- Perched on high, roofers throughout the country earned an average salary of $37,390 per year in 2009, as reported in a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roofers in certain industries had the opportunity to earn at much higher rates. The building equipment contractor industry offered an annual mean wage of $52,710, followed closely by the federal executive branch of the government paying $52,570. Elementary and secondary schools also paid at a higher rate of $48,140.
- Roofers tracking salaries across the country in 2009 wouldn't have found one particular pattern for highest paying areas of the country. Salaries in the top-paying states were spread out. Minnesota led the country with an annual mean wage of $51,710, with Hawaii right behind at $51,390. Also paying higher than average was Massachusetts at $48,370, Connecticut at $46,560 and Missouri at $45,940.
- The steps to earning a salary as a roofer vary. Some organizations require just a high school diploma or GED and train their roofers on the job. Another option is to enlist in an apprenticeship, offered around the country through the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers. Apprenticeships are paid, last approximately three years, and include both classroom and hands-on training.
- While the outlook for growth in the roofing field hasn't dipped into the negative numbers, the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 4 percent addition, or 5,700 jobs, to the field through 2018. The BLS suggests one reason for slow growth is construction workers performing more roofing tasks in the course of their day to day work.
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