Skilled Wages

Roofer salary in Iowa

Median $23.39 an hour for 930 roofers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$23.39/hrMedian hourly wageIowa, May data
$48,660/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.82 – $31.2610th to 90th percentilehourly range
930Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Roofer pay in Iowa: the full range

Wage percentiles, IowaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrIowa: 10th $17.82 · 25th $22.31 · median $23.39 · 75th $29.50 · 90th $31.26Iowa$23.39$17.82$31.26United States: 10th $18.01 · 25th $22.24 · median $26.65 · 75th $31.44 · 90th $39.29United States$26.65
Hourly wage percentiles for roofers: Iowa vs United States, May 2025.

Iowa ranks 33rd of 51 states for median roofer pay, and 25th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.64). 930 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$17.82 – $22.31$37,070 – $46,410roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.31 – $29.50$46,410 – $61,370the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$29.50 – $31.26$61,370 – $65,010the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Roofer pay by metro in Iowa

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrDes Moines: $23.80Des Moines$23.80Davenport: $23.20Davenport$23.20Cedar Rapids: $23.00Cedar Rapids$23.00Sioux City: $22.62Sioux City$22.62Omaha: $22.34Omaha$22.34
Median hourly wage for roofers by metro area in Iowa, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Des Moines$18.21$23.80$25.95$32.922802% above
Davenport$17.55$23.20$26.04$37.221101% below
Cedar Rapids$17.52$23.00$25.84$29.511202% below
Sioux City$18.46$22.62$26.15$31.11903% below
Omaha$18.21$22.34$24.31$28.698704% below

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

Roofer wages in Iowa over time

Iowa, 1999-2025IowaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$26.65United States$23.39Iowa
Median hourly wage for roofers, Iowa vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIowa $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.47$22.16$12.941,250
2000$13.30$24.87$13.951,190
2001$12.80$23.27$14.161,420
2002$12.92$23.12$14.511,320
2003$12.58$22.01$14.431,230
2004$12.83$21.87$14.831,270
2005$12.85$21.18$15.011,190
2006$13.87$22.15$15.511,150
2007$14.74$22.89$15.981,030
2008$14.95$22.35$16.171,210
2009$14.96$22.45$16.331,150
2010$14.17$20.92$16.451,150
2011$14.69$21.03$16.961,290
2012$13.85$19.42$16.971,430
2013$14.68$20.29$17.081,370
2014$14.45$19.65$17.191,330
2015$16.04$21.79$17.651,300
2016$16.28$21.84$18.151,150
2017$17.22$22.62$18.741,180
2018$18.02$23.10$19.221,180
2019$19.67$24.77$20.241,170
2020$21.85$27.18$20.951,170
2021$22.86$27.16$22.651,100
2022$22.74$25.02$23.041,110
2023$22.98$24.28$24.051,080
2024$22.65$23.25$24.511,070
2025$23.39$23.39$26.65930

In today's dollars, the median roofer wage in Iowa changed by +7.4% over the last ten years of data and by -5.6% since 2019.

Are there more roofer jobs in Iowa?

0.6Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 36th of 51 states

BLS counted 930 roofers in Iowa in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 11%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.

Outlook for roofers in Iowa

+7.8%Projected growth in Iowa2024–2034, state agency
120Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
1,510Jobs in 20241,630 projected for 2034
+5.3%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Iowa's labor market agency projects the number of roofers in the state to change by +7.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,510 to 1,630, with about 120 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +5.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 930 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for roofers in Iowa

On federally funded construction in Iowa, contractors must pay roofers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 5 of the 99 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $48.03 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.10). 94 of the 99 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Adair County at $16.90). The market median for the state is $23.39.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, IAAdair: $16.90 (survey)Adams: $16.90 (survey)Allamakee: $20.10 (survey)Appanoose: $17.91 (survey)Audubon: $16.90 (survey)Benton: $26.99 (survey)Black Hawk: $26.99 (survey)Boone: $16.90 (survey)Bremer: $26.99 (survey)Buchanan: $20.10 (survey)Buena Vista: $20.10 (survey)Butler: $20.10 (survey)Calhoun: $20.10 (survey)Carroll: $16.90 (survey)Cass: $16.90 (survey)Cedar: $17.91 (survey)Cerro Gordo: $20.10 (survey)Cherokee: $20.10 (survey)Chickasaw: $20.10 (survey)Clarke: $16.90 (survey)Clay: $20.10 (survey)Clayton: $20.10 (survey)Clinton: $17.91 (survey)Crawford: $16.90 (survey)Dallas: $48.03 (union)Davis: $17.91 (survey)Decatur: $16.90 (survey)Delaware: $20.10 (survey)Des Moines: $17.91 (survey)Dickinson: $20.10 (survey)Dubuque: $26.99 (survey)Emmet: $20.10 (survey)Fayette: $20.10 (survey)Floyd: $20.10 (survey)Franklin: $20.10 (survey)Fremont: $16.90 (survey)Greene: $16.90 (survey)Grundy: $26.99 (survey)Guthrie: $48.03 (union)Hamilton: $20.10 (survey)Hancock: $20.10 (survey)Hardin: $20.10 (survey)Harrison: $25.10 (survey)Henry: $17.91 (survey)Howard: $20.10 (survey)Humboldt: $20.10 (survey)Ida: $20.10 (survey)Iowa: $17.91 (survey)Jackson: $17.91 (survey)Jasper: $17.91 (survey)Jefferson: $17.91 (survey)Johnson: $26.99 (survey)Jones: $26.99 (survey)Keokuk: $17.91 (survey)Kossuth: $20.10 (survey)Lee: $17.91 (survey)Linn: $26.99 (survey)Louisa: $17.91 (survey)Lucas: $16.90 (survey)Lyon: $20.10 (survey)Madison: $48.03 (union)Mahaska: $17.91 (survey)Marion: $17.91 (survey)Marshall: $17.91 (survey)Mills: $25.10 (survey)Mitchell: $20.10 (survey)Monona: $16.90 (survey)Monroe: $17.91 (survey)Montgomery: $16.90 (survey)Muscatine: $17.91 (survey)O'Brien: $20.10 (survey)Osceola: $20.10 (survey)Page: $16.90 (survey)Palo Alto: $20.10 (survey)Plymouth: $20.10 (survey)Pocahontas: $20.10 (survey)Polk: $48.03 (union)Pottawattamie: $25.10 (survey)Poweshiek: $17.91 (survey)Ringgold: $16.90 (survey)Sac: $20.10 (survey)Scott: $26.99 (survey)Shelby: $16.90 (survey)Sioux: $20.10 (survey)Story: $23.83 (survey)Tama: $17.91 (survey)Taylor: $16.90 (survey)Union: $16.90 (survey)Van Buren: $17.91 (survey)Wapello: $17.91 (survey)Warren: $48.03 (union)Washington: $26.99 (survey)Wayne: $16.90 (survey)Webster: $20.10 (survey)Winnebago: $20.10 (survey)Winneshiek: $20.10 (survey)Woodbury: $25.10 (survey)Worth: $20.10 (survey)Wright: $20.10 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$17.51$17.91$20.10$21.59survey 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)Prevailing (survey)$20$30$40$50$60/hrDallas (Des Moines): market median $23.80, prevailing (union) $48.03, gap +$24.23Dallas (Des Moines)+$24.23Benton (Cedar Rapids): market median $23.00, prevailing (survey) $26.99, gap +$3.99Benton (Cedar Rapids)+$3.99Scott (Davenport): market median $23.20, prevailing (survey) $26.99, gap +$3.79Scott (Davenport)+$3.79Black Hawk (Iowa): market median $23.39, prevailing (survey) $26.99, gap +$3.60Black Hawk (Iowa)+$3.60Harrison (Omaha): market median $22.34, prevailing (survey) $25.10, gap +$2.76Harrison (Omaha)+$2.76Woodbury (Sioux City): market median $22.62, prevailing (survey) $25.10, gap +$2.48Woodbury (Sioux City)+$2.48
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for roofers, metro counties in Iowa.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
DallasUnion ROOF0142-001 2025-06-01$32.50$15.53$48.03IA20260064
GuthrieUnion ROOF0142-001 2025-06-01$32.50$15.53$48.03IA20260079
MadisonUnion ROOF0142-001 2025-06-01$32.50$15.53$48.03IA20260079
PolkUnion ROOF0142-001 2025-06-01$32.50$15.53$48.03IA20260071
WarrenUnion ROOF0142-001 2025-06-01$32.50$15.53$48.03IA20260075
BentonSurvey SUIA2016-053 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260078
Black HawkSurvey SUIA2016-037 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260062
BremerSurvey SUIA2016-038 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260063
DubuqueSurvey SUIA2016-040 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260065
GrundySurvey SUIA2016-041 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260066
JohnsonSurvey SUIA2016-043 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260068
JonesSurvey SUIA2016-053 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260078
LinnSurvey SUIA2016-044 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260069
ScottSurvey SUIA2016-048 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260073
WashingtonSurvey SUIA2016-051 2016-07-19$21.92$5.07$26.99IA20260076

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

Is construction work growing in Iowa?

92.4kConstruction jobsIowa, 2026-09
+4.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202592kSep 2026
Construction employment in Iowa (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Roofer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Iowa

More on Iowa

Questions this page answers

How much do roofers make in Iowa?

The median roofer in Iowa earned $23.39 an hour ($48,660 a year) in May 2025, 12% below the national median of $26.65. The middle half earn $22.31–$29.50; the top 10% earn more than $31.26.

Where does Iowa rank for roofer pay?

Iowa ranks 33rd of 51 states for roofer pay, with a median of $23.39 an hour, and 25th after adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (BEA price parity 87.8, US = 100).

What is the union roofer rate in Iowa?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for roofers in 5 counties, with a typical package of $48.03 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many roofers work in Iowa?

BLS counted 930 roofers in Iowa in May 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.68; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is roofer work growing in Iowa?

Iowa's labor market agency projects +7.8% growth for roofers between 2024 and 2034, from 1,510 to 1,630 jobs.

How many roofer openings a year are there in Iowa?

Iowa projects about 120 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, Iowa 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: Iowa labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.