How much do roofers make in Louisiana in 2026?

The median roofer in Louisiana earns $48,760 a year, which works out to $23.44 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That number sits in the middle of the range — a quarter of roofers in the state earn less than $38,970 ($18.74/hr), and a quarter earn more than $56,190 ($27.01/hr). All figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025.

That $17,220 spread between the 25th and 75th percentile tells you a lot. Roofing pay in Louisiana isn't flat — where you land depends heavily on how many years you've been on a crew, what type of roofing you specialize in, and which part of the state you're working in.

New roofers starting out in Louisiana typically land near or below the 25th percentile — think $18 to $19 an hour for general labor on residential jobs. After a few years handling shingles, torch-down, and basic flashing, workers tend to push through the $20-per-hour mark toward the median. Roofers who move into commercial flat roofing — TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen — or who pick up skills in metal roofing tend to reach the upper quartile faster. At $27.01 an hour, the 75th percentile is a realistic target for an experienced roofer with five to eight years of consistent field work.

Louisiana's climate makes roofing both essential and physically punishing. The Gulf Coast heat means summer work is brutal, and hurricane season drives bursts of concentrated demand. After major storms — particularly along the I-10 corridor from Baton Rouge to New Orleans and down through Houma and the coastal parishes — roofing work can spike sharply. Contractors running emergency repair and replacement crews often pay overtime premiums during these surges. A roofer logging 50-hour weeks at time-and-a-half on top of a $23/hr base rate can push their effective annual earnings well above the median figure, sometimes clearing $55,000 to $60,000 in a heavy storm-recovery year.

Geography within the state matters. The New Orleans metro area and Baton Rouge tend to pay higher than rural markets in northern Louisiana or the Acadiana region. Commercial and industrial roofing contractors tied to the petrochemical corridor along the Mississippi River — facilities in St. Charles, St. James, and Iberville parishes — sometimes pay above the 75th percentile for certified applicators and crew leads working in hazardous or confined environments.

There is no union scale published for roofers in Louisiana at this time. The state has limited unionized roofing activity compared to larger northern markets. Most Louisiana roofers work for non-union residential and commercial contractors. That means pay is largely negotiated directly, and your leverage comes down to demonstrated skill, reliability, and whether you hold any certifications.

Manufacturer certifications — GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, or Duro-Last certification for flat roofing — give contractors a marketing edge and often translate into better wages for the installers who earn them. If you're near the median and want to move toward the 75th percentile, adding a specialty certification is one of the most direct paths available.

The BLS figures here represent straight-time wages for employees. They do not capture self-employed roofers running their own small crews, who may earn more (or less) depending on how their business is going. They also don't reflect the full value of benefits, per-diem pay, or tool allowances that some larger contractors include. Use these numbers as a solid baseline for what employed roofers are earning, not as a ceiling on what the trade can pay.

If you're comparing job offers or negotiating a raise, know where you stand. At $18.74/hr you're in the bottom quarter. At $23.44/hr you're in the middle. At $27.01/hr and above, you're among the top earners in the state. The numbers are straightforward — use them.