Roofers
SOC Code: 47-2181
Roofers carries a 17% AI exposure score (Low automation risk), with a median annual wage of $50,970 and +5.9% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 166,700 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 17% AI exposure, Roofers sits 20 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 3% of them. It ranks among the more AI-resilient roles in the dataset.
Career outlook score
71/100
Roofers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage F $50,970
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth A- +5.9%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) A+ 17% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Roofers in the Low band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Roofers keeps an No credential bar (109 of 832) and sits in Average (378 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Roofers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Roofers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
17% Among the lowest lower than 97% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Roofers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Roofers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Roofers's Low automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 47-2181) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Roofers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Roofers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Registered Apprenticeship Pathway Available
Roofers is a recognized registered apprenticeship occupation under the DOL RAPIDS system. Earn while you train, apprentices typically start at ~$16/hr and reach $28–$46/hr upon completion, depending on the specific trade and region.
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Inspect problem roofs to determine the best repair procedures.
- 2. Remove snow, water, or debris from roofs prior to applying roofing materials.
- 3. Set up scaffolding to provide safe access to roofs.
- 4. Estimate materials and labor required to complete roofing jobs.
- 5. Cement or nail flashing strips of metal or shingle over joints to make them watertight.
- 6. Install partially overlapping layers of material over roof insulation surfaces, using chalk lines, gauges on shingling hatchets, or lines on shingles.
- 7. Cut felt, shingles, or strips of flashing to fit angles formed by walls, vents, or intersecting roof surfaces.
- 8. Apply plastic coatings, membranes, fiberglass, or felt over sloped roofs before applying shingles.
- 9. Install, repair, or replace single-ply roofing systems, using waterproof sheet materials such as modified plastics, elastomeric, or other asphaltic compositions.
- 10. Attach roofing paper to roofs in overlapping strips to form bases for other materials.
Key Skills Required
- Coordination
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Time Management
- Complex Problem Solving
- Reading Comprehension
Knowledge Areas
- Building and Construction
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
- Mathematics
- Design
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Transportation
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Roofers?
Roofers has an AI exposure score of 17%, indicating a low level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Roofers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Roofers is projected to grow by 5.9% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 166,700 workers.
What skills are needed for Roofers?
Key skills for Roofers include Coordination, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and others. Typical entry-level education is No formal educational credential.
How much do Roofers earn?
The median annual wage for Roofers is $50,970, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Roofers?
The typical entry-level education for Roofers is No formal educational credential. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Roofers?
Roofers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Low automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Roofers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (17% here).
- Foundry mold and coremakers · AI exposure 17%
- Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters · AI exposure 17%
- Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators · AI exposure 17%
- Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse · AI exposure 16%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+5.9% here).
- Bartenders · growth +5.9%
- Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers, all other · growth +6.0%
- First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers · growth +6.0%
- Motor vehicle operators, all other · growth +6.0%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 11 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Roofers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Roofers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).