How much do roofers make in Pennsylvania in 2026?

The median roofer salary in Pennsylvania is $55,710 per year, which works out to roughly $26.78 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's a useful baseline, but the spread matters more than the midpoint — workers at the 25th percentile earn $47,320 ($22.75/hr), while those at the 75th percentile pull in $62,370 ($29.99/hr). That $15,050 gap between the bottom and top quartile reflects real differences in experience, employer type, and the kind of roofing work you specialize in.

Entry-level roofers — typically those in their first one to three years — tend to cluster near or below the 25th percentile at around $47,320 annually. At this stage, most work is residential, involving shingle tear-off and installation under close supervision. The jump from the 25th to the median is largely a function of time on the roof and the ability to work independently on a full range of systems, including flat, low-slope, and metal applications.

Experienced roofers who have mastered commercial flat roofing — TPO, EPDM, and modified bitumen — consistently earn closer to the 75th percentile of $62,370 ($29.99/hr) and above. Commercial work tends to pay better than residential because the scope is larger, the liability is higher, and employers need people who can read plans, manage material deliveries, and lead a small crew. If you're still doing only shingle work after five years, moving into commercial systems is one of the fastest ways to push your hourly rate up.

Overtime is a significant income factor in roofing. Pennsylvania summers are busy, and a roofer who puts in 10 to 15 hours of overtime per week from May through October can add thousands of dollars to their annual take-home pay beyond what the BLS figure captures. BLS OEWS data reflects base wages reported by employers — it does not include overtime premiums, bonuses, or per-diem allowances for travel work. That means the real top-of-range for a productive commercial roofer working heavy overtime is higher than the $62,370 figure shown here.

Geography within Pennsylvania shapes pay as well. The Philadelphia metro area and the Pittsburgh region tend to support higher wages than rural central Pennsylvania, partly because of higher commercial construction volume and partly because of the cost of living and the competition for skilled workers. A roofer working in Bucks County or Allegheny County is generally better positioned to negotiate a higher rate than one working in a rural county where the local market has fewer large contractors.

Apprenticeship programs — typically three years for roofing — provide structured pay increases tied to skill milestones. Starting pay in an apprenticeship often comes in below the 25th percentile, but graduates generally enter the journeyman market at or above the median. Some workers may be covered by a collective bargaining agreement — check with your local for current rates.

Specialty certifications can also move your pay. Manufacturers like Firestone, GAF, and Johns Manville offer certified installer programs for their commercial membrane systems. Contractors who hold these certifications can charge more for jobs and are more likely to pay their crews accordingly. Getting certified on one or two major flat-roof systems is a straightforward way to differentiate yourself and justify a higher hourly rate when changing employers.

The data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. It covers workers classified under the Roofers occupational code in Pennsylvania and represents employer-reported wage data across multiple firm sizes and sectors.

All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025.