Skilled Wages

Roofer salary in California

Median $30.58 an hour for 21,190 roofers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$30.58/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$63,600/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.38 – $42.7910th to 90th percentilehourly range
21,190Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Roofer pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrCalifornia: 10th $23.38 · 25th $28.57 · median $30.58 · 75th $36.27 · 90th $42.79California$30.58$23.38$42.79United States: 10th $18.01 · 25th $22.24 · median $26.65 · 75th $31.44 · 90th $39.29United States$26.65
Hourly wage percentiles for roofers: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 7th of 51 states for median roofer pay, and 17th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.62). 21,190 roofers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.8× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$23.38 – $28.57$48,620 – $59,420roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$28.57 – $36.27$59,420 – $75,450the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$36.27 – $42.79$75,450 – $89,010the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Roofer pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSan Jose: $36.85San Jose$36.85San Francisco: $35.74San Francisco$35.74Santa Rosa: $30.78Santa Rosa$30.78Los Angeles: $30.56Los Angeles$30.56Sacramento: $30.44Sacramento$30.44San Luis Obispo: $30.30San Luis Obispo$30.30Modesto: $30.26Modesto$30.26Oxnard: $30.21Oxnard$30.21Fresno: $30.00Fresno$30.00San Diego: $29.90San Diego$29.90Vallejo: $29.85Vallejo$29.85Riverside: $29.83Riverside$29.83
Median hourly wage for roofers by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
San Jose$28.51$36.85$33.38$49.541,66021% above
San Francisco$27.75$35.74$30.92$47.302,61017% above
Santa Rosa$23.62$30.78$28.55$50.944301% above
Los Angeles$23.45$30.56$26.90$43.015,480about the same as
Sacramento$23.61$30.44$28.53$42.711,800about the same as
San Luis Obispo$23.08$30.30$27.90$36.551901% below
Modesto$23.91$30.26$29.07$38.742901% below
Oxnard$22.63$30.21$27.34$40.184301% below
Fresno$23.18$30.00$29.35$37.156402% below
San Diego$22.89$29.90$26.72$36.361,8302% below
Vallejo$22.94$29.85$27.51$37.516502% below
Riverside$23.00$29.83$28.04$38.392,4802% below
Stockton$22.55$29.78$28.33$38.522403% below
Redding$22.85$29.66$29.45$37.052103% below
Santa Cruz$23.17$29.64$26.97$36.361403% below
Salinas$22.85$29.58$27.14$36.442403% below
Santa Maria$20.28$29.51$27.12$37.543903% below
Yuba City$21.30$29.44$28.25$35.81604% below
Chico$21.38$29.38$29.03$35.881004% below
Merced$23.12$29.23$29.74$31.57604% below
Bakersfield$21.63$29.15$28.89$35.141905% below
Visalia$23.42$28.44$28.50$36.93907% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Roofer wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$30.58California$26.65United States
Median hourly wage for roofers, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.03$27.11$12.9416,950
2000$16.31$30.49$13.9515,730
2001$17.10$31.09$14.1617,200
2002$17.89$32.02$14.5116,740
2003$18.23$31.90$14.4317,500
2004$18.48$31.50$14.8318,280
2005$19.03$31.37$15.0118,460
2006$19.90$31.78$15.5120,250
2007$21.08$32.73$15.9818,520
2008$21.83$32.64$16.1716,550
2009$22.12$33.19$16.3313,950
2010$22.63$33.41$16.4512,510
2011$23.04$32.98$16.9612,100
2012$23.89$33.50$16.9712,270
2013$23.53$32.52$17.0812,560
2014$23.42$31.85$17.1913,450
2015$23.98$32.57$17.6514,200
2016$24.14$32.38$18.1515,670
2017$23.75$31.19$18.7416,720
2018$23.82$30.54$19.2218,440
2019$25.36$31.94$20.2418,900
2020$26.56$33.04$20.9519,550
2021$29.34$34.86$22.6518,060
2022$29.81$32.79$23.0418,220
2023$30.43$32.15$24.0518,920
2024$30.31$31.11$24.5121,110
2025$30.58$30.58$26.6521,190

In today's dollars, the median roofer wage in California changed by -6.1% over the last ten years of data and by -4.2% since 2019.

Are there more roofer jobs in California?

+12.1%Jobs since 201918,900 then, 21,190 in 2025
+49.2%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
1.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.3× the US share, 10th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of roofers counted in California has changed by +25.0%, against +17.5% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +12.1%.

Roofers in California vs United States, 1999 = 100CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages6080100120140200020052010201520202025125California118United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, California vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearCalifornia jobsCalifornia indexUS index
199916,950100100
200015,7309399
200117,200102102
200216,74099102
200317,500103103
200418,280108104
200518,460109104
200620,250120108
200718,520109107
200816,55098104
200913,9508294
201012,5107486
201112,1007183
201212,2707285
201312,5607486
201413,4507990
201514,2008495
201615,67092101
201716,72099105
201818,440109112
201918,900112112
202019,550115112
202118,060106113
202218,220108114
202318,920112117
202421,110124119
202521,190125118

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for roofers in California

+6.8%Projected growth in California2024–2034, state agency
2,050Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
26,400Jobs in 202428,200 projected for 2034
+5.3%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

California's labor market agency projects the number of roofers in the state to change by +6.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 26,400 to 28,200, with about 2,050 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +5.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 21,190 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for roofers in California

On federally funded construction in California, contractors must pay roofers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 52 of the 58 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $73.36 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.14). 6 of the 58 counties still use a survey rate dated 1985 or earlier (for example Amador County at $25.29). The market median for the state is $30.58.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, CAAlameda: $62.62 (union)Alpine: $78.28 (union)Amador: $25.29 (survey)Butte: $78.28 (union)Calaveras: $62.62 (union)Colusa: $78.28 (union)Contra Costa: $62.62 (union)Del Norte: $20.14 (survey)El Dorado: $78.28 (union)Fresno: $62.62 (union)Glenn: $78.28 (union)Humboldt: $20.14 (survey)Imperial: $55.44 (union)Inyo: $62.62 (union)Kern: $62.62 (union)Kings: $62.62 (union)Lake: $20.14 (survey)Lassen: $78.28 (union)Los Angeles: $73.36 (union)Madera: $62.62 (union)Marin: $78.28 (union)Mariposa: $62.62 (union)Mendocino: $20.14 (survey)Merced: $62.62 (union)Modoc: $78.28 (union)Mono: $62.62 (union)Monterey: $62.62 (union)Napa: $78.28 (union)Nevada: $78.28 (union)Orange: $73.36 (union)Placer: $78.28 (union)Plumas: $78.28 (union)Riverside: $73.36 (union)Sacramento: $78.28 (union)San Benito: $62.62 (union)San Bernardino: $73.36 (union)San Diego: $55.44 (union)San Francisco: $62.62 (union)San Joaquin: $62.62 (union)San Luis Obispo: $73.36 (union)San Mateo: $62.62 (union)Santa Barbara: $73.36 (union)Santa Clara: $62.62 (union)Santa Cruz: $62.62 (union)Shasta: $78.28 (union)Sierra: $78.28 (union)Siskiyou: $78.28 (union)Solano: $78.28 (union)Sonoma: $78.28 (union)Stanislaus: $62.62 (union)Sutter: $78.28 (union)Tehama: $78.28 (union)Trinity: $78.28 (union)Tulare: $13.90 (survey)Tuolumne: $62.62 (union)Ventura: $73.36 (union)Yolo: $78.28 (union)Yuba: $78.28 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$62.62$74.34survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for roofers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)$20$40$60$80$100/hrButte (Chico): market median $29.38, prevailing (union) $78.28, gap +$48.90Butte (Chico)+$48.90Sutter (Yuba City): market median $29.44, prevailing (union) $78.28, gap +$48.84Sutter (Yuba City)+$48.84Shasta (Redding): market median $29.66, prevailing (union) $78.28, gap +$48.62Shasta (Redding)+$48.62Solano (Vallejo): market median $29.85, prevailing (union) $78.28, gap +$48.43Solano (Vallejo)+$48.43El Dorado (Sacramento): market median $30.44, prevailing (union) $78.28, gap +$47.84El Dorado (Sacramento)+$47.84Napa (California): market median $30.58, prevailing (union) $78.28, gap +$47.70Napa (California)+$47.70Sonoma (Santa Rosa): market median $30.78, prevailing (union) $78.28, gap +$47.50Sonoma (Santa Rosa)+$47.50Santa Barbara (Santa Maria): market median $29.51, prevailing (union) $73.36, gap +$43.85Santa Barbara (Santa Maria)+$43.85Riverside (Riverside): market median $29.83, prevailing (union) $73.36, gap +$43.53Riverside (Riverside)+$43.53Ventura (Oxnard): market median $30.21, prevailing (union) $73.36, gap +$43.15Ventura (Oxnard)+$43.15San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo): market median $30.30, prevailing (union) $73.36, gap +$43.06San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo)+$43.06Los Angeles (Los Angeles): market median $30.56, prevailing (union) $73.36, gap +$42.80Los Angeles (Los Angeles)+$42.80Marin (San Francisco): market median $35.74, prevailing (union) $78.28, gap +$42.54Marin (San Francisco)+$42.54Kern (Bakersfield): market median $29.15, prevailing (union) $62.62, gap +$33.47Kern (Bakersfield)+$33.47Merced (Merced): market median $29.23, prevailing (union) $62.62, gap +$33.39Merced (Merced)+$33.39Monterey (Salinas): market median $29.58, prevailing (union) $62.62, gap +$33.04Monterey (Salinas)+$33.04Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz): market median $29.64, prevailing (union) $62.62, gap +$32.98Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)+$32.98San Joaquin (Stockton): market median $29.78, prevailing (union) $62.62, gap +$32.84San Joaquin (Stockton)+$32.84Fresno (Fresno): market median $30.00, prevailing (union) $62.62, gap +$32.62Fresno (Fresno)+$32.62San Benito (San Jose): market median $36.85, prevailing (union) $62.62, gap +$25.77San Benito (San Jose)+$25.77
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for roofers, metro counties in California.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AlpineUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
ButteUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
ColusaUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
El DoradoUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
GlennUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
LassenUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
MarinUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
ModocUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
NapaUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
NevadaUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
PlacerUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
PlumasUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
SacramentoUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
ShastaUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007
SierraUnion ROOF0081-006 2024-08-01$54.94$23.34$78.28CA20260007

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the California prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in California?

895.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025896kSep 2026
Construction employment in California (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Roofer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

More on California

Questions this page answers

How much do roofers make in California?

The median roofer in California earned $30.58 an hour ($63,600 a year) in May 2025, 15% above the national median of $26.65. The middle half earn $28.57–$36.27; the top 10% earn more than $42.79.

Where does California rank for roofer pay?

California ranks 7th of 51 states for roofer pay, with a median of $30.58 an hour, and 17th after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union roofer rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for roofers in 52 counties, with a typical package of $73.36 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many roofers work in California?

BLS counted 21,190 roofers in California in May 2025, 1.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.34; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is roofer work growing in California?

The BLS employer survey count of roofers in California went from 14,200 in 2015 to 21,190 in 2025, +49.2%, and +12.1% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +6.8% growth for roofers between 2024 and 2034, from 26,400 to 28,200 jobs.

How many roofer openings a year are there in California?

California projects about 2,050 openings a year for roofers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 12,000 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 47-2181. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.