How much do roofers make in Illinois in 2026?

The median roofer in Illinois earns $77,900 a year, which works out to about $37.45 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's a meaningful number, but it sits in the middle of a wide range. The bottom quarter of roofers — mostly workers with limited experience or those still building their skill set — earns at or below $57,850 a year ($27.81/hr). The top quarter clears $103,040 a year ($49.54/hr). That $45,000 spread between the 25th and 75th percentile tells you there's real money to capture if you position yourself right.

These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The BLS collects wage data from employers across Illinois, which means the numbers reflect what workers are actually being paid on payroll — not self-reported estimates. What BLS doesn't capture is cash work, side jobs, or per-square bonuses that some residential contractors pay on top of base wages. Your actual take-home can run higher than these figures if you're pulling overtime or working for an employer who layers in production incentives.

Roofing in Illinois is a seasonal trade. The bulk of work runs from late March through November, and that seasonal crunch drives overtime. A roofer clocking 55-hour weeks through the busy season can push annual earnings well above the median even at a modest hourly rate. A worker at $37.45/hr working 300 hours of overtime at time-and-a-half ($56.18/hr) adds roughly $16,850 to their annual total — enough to close most of the gap between the median and the 75th percentile on hours alone.

Geography inside Illinois moves the needle, too. The Chicago metro and its surrounding collar counties — Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, Will — tend to pay more than downstate markets like Peoria, Rockford, or Springfield. Higher cost of living, denser commercial and multifamily construction, and a stronger union presence in the metro all pull wages upward. If you're a skilled roofer willing to work the Chicago market, you're more likely to land in the upper half of the statewide range.

What separates a $27/hr roofer from a $49/hr roofer? Experience is the obvious answer, but the specific skills matter more than years served. Roofers who can work low-slope commercial systems — TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen — alongside steep-slope residential shingles are worth more to contractors who want one crew to handle multiple project types. Workers who can read blueprints, run a small crew, or manage material takeoffs start getting looked at for foreman and supervisor roles where pay climbs faster.

Apprenticeship is the most reliable path into the trade. A formal program typically runs three to four years and combines on-the-job hours with classroom instruction in roof systems, safety, and material science. Apprentices earn a percentage of journeyman wages that steps up each year — starting somewhere in the mid-50% range and reaching full journeyman pay at completion. That progression means your first-year wage might look closer to the 25th percentile, but you're building toward the median or above by the time you graduate.

Some roofers in Illinois work under a collective bargaining agreement. If that applies to you, check with your local for current negotiated rates, as those figures are set through contract and updated on a different cycle than BLS data.

OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 cards, fall protection training, and manufacturer certifications from companies like GAF or Carlisle can all improve your position when bidding on jobs or negotiating wages. Commercial general contractors increasingly require certified applicators for certain roofing systems, which means certified roofers face less competition for those specific project types. Less competition for a specialized skill usually means higher pay.

Illinois doesn't require a statewide roofing license for individual workers, though some municipalities and counties have their own requirements. Chicago, for example, has licensing rules that affect roofing contractors operating within city limits. If you plan to work in the metro, it's worth understanding local requirements — not because they directly cap your wages, but because working for a properly licensed contractor in a compliant jurisdiction is a sign of a more stable, better-paying employer.