The Reality.
One of the easiest construction trades to enter and one of the hardest on your body. Heat exhaustion and falls are constant risks. Storm chasing is a real submarket — roofers follow hailstorms across the country for premium pay. Commercial flat roofing pays better than residential shingles.
The Money.
| Stage | Hourly | Approx. annual (40 hr × 50 wk) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 apprentice | $16–$24/hr | $32,000 – $48,000 |
| Journeyman (top of scale) | $25–$42/hr | $50,000 – $84,000 |
| BLS national median (all stages) | — | $50,030 |
| BLS top 10% (90th percentile) | — | $79,100 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2024 release). Apprentice/journeyman hourly ranges synthesized from union scale data and reported non-union rates. Major-metro union scale runs higher; smaller markets run lower.
The Path.
- · OSHA 10
- · Fall protection
- · Hot work certifications
What the recruiter won't tell you.
- 01Highest fall-fatality rate in the trades. PPE is not optional.
- 02Storm-chase work pays well but the contractors are often fly-by-night. Get paid weekly.
- 03Residential shingle work in summer heat is genuinely punishing. Try a summer first.
The Tool Bill.
What you'll spend on tools in your first year. Don't let anyone tell you it's less.
More in construction trades.
All trades →Erects the skeleton of buildings, bridges, stadiums. Walks the iron. Highest-paid construction trade in many metros.
Builds the frame, hangs the doors, runs the trim, sets the cabinets. The broadest trade — five carpenters can do five different jobs.
Runs the big iron — cranes, excavators, bulldozers, graders. Solid pay, strong union, less brutal on the body than other construction trades.