Roofer Salary in California

$31/hr

California roofer employee pay ranges, with questions about roofing systems, paid hours and the full value of an offer.

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What Roofers Earn in California

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.

Hourly rates by level in California

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$23.38–$28.57/hr
▲ 0.89% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$28.57–$36.27/hr
▲ 0.89% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$36.27–$42.79/hr
▲ 0.89% from last year

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Where do you stand?

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Roofer
California · Day Shift
Base rate$32.42
+ IRCC Roofer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$2.01
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$0.42
+ Fall Protection Competent Person$0.11
Effective hourly$34.96
Straight · 40 hrs$1,398
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$420
Weekly gross$1,818
Annualised · 50 weeks
$90,896
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

These national roofer figures cover exterior specialists, homebuilders and commercial builders. Ask California employers which roofing tasks and paid hours their offers include.

01 / 03$26.96/hr

Building Exterior Contractors

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.

+ Roofing specialization
+ System variety
– Changing sites
– Weather exposure
02 / 03$23/hr

Residential Building Construction

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.

+ Repeated layouts
+ Housing experience
– Trade delays
– Exposed slopes
03 / 03$23.91/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

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.

+ Larger crews
+ Project coordination
– Staging constraints
– Schedule changes

Which states pay roofers the most

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.

  1. 01Californiathis page$30.58/hr
  2. 02Virginia$23.28/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
IRCC Roofer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$2.01$4,181$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.42$874$15910 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.14$291$5911 weeks
Fall Protection Competent Person+$0.11$229$14934 weeks
Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator+$0.03$62$5950 weeks
CSLB Contractor License (C-39) - Roofing+$0.25$520$71972 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $30.58/hr.

40 hr week
$1,223
No OT
50 hr week
$1,682
+$22,935/yr
60 hr week
$2,141
+$45,870/yr
70 hr week
$2,599
+$68,805/yr

Questions workers ask

Does reroofing a public school pay prevailing wage?▾
Yes, when the public works project is over $1,000. DIR's Labor Commissioner covers repairs and alterations as well as new work. The threshold rises to $15,000 for repair work when the awarding body has a labor compliance program.
Does payment by roofing square remove overtime rights?▾
No. IWC Wage Order 16, enforced by DIR's Labor Commissioner, generally requires overtime after eight daily or 40 weekly hours. Piecework requires accounting for the hours worked and the applicable regular rate. Keep records for loading, tear-off, installation and cleanup.
Can I use these wages to price reroofing jobs?▾
No. Build a separate project estimate. Pricing reroofing jobs is contracting, which needs a CSLB C-39 license. A roofing business must cover materials, insurance, access equipment, supervision and other expenses beyond employee wages. These figures exclude premium pay and benefits.

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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 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.