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Current BLS California employee wages for Roofers, SOC 47-2181; excludes premium pay and benefits, self-employment income and contractor quotations.
Last updated October 21, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Salary Guides / California
California roofer employee pay ranges, with questions about roofing systems, paid hours and the full value of an offer.
California roofer employee wages span $23.38–$42.79/hr, with annual wages of $48,620–$89,010. An offer covers more than installation speed. Ask which roof systems you will handle, how preparation and cleanup time are recorded, and what benefits accompany the rate. Compare expected paid hours across the year, especially when rain delays tear-off or heat changes the crew's daily schedule. Put travel arrangements and responsibility for tools in writing alongside the offer.
What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.
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$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.
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An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.
These national roofer figures cover exterior specialists, homebuilders and commercial builders. Ask California employers which roofing tasks and paid hours their offers include.
Roofing specialists sit within this broader exterior-contracting sector. For California reroofing offers, discuss tear-off, flashing repairs and travel between assignments. Ask whether crews stay with one system or move between different coverings.
Homebuilding crews coordinate roof installation with framing and other trades. Ask California builders about paid setup time and schedules between houses. Discuss who handles underlayment and flashing, plus how supervisors assess completed work.
Commercial construction involves roof installation within larger building projects. Discuss membrane experience, material staging and coordination with California project supervisors when comparing offers. Include access arrangements in that discussion, especially where deliveries share space with other trades.
Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRCC Roofer Apprenticeship (journeyperson) | +$2.01 | $4,181 | $0 | 0 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$0.42 | $874 | $159 | 10 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.14 | $291 | $59 | 11 weeks |
| Fall Protection Competent Person | +$0.11 | $229 | $149 | 34 weeks |
| Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator | +$0.03 | $62 | $59 | 50 weeks |
| CSLB Contractor License (C-39) - Roofing | +$0.25 | $520 | $719 | 72 weeks |
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $30.58/hr.
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