How To Become A Commercial Roofer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a commercial roofer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A commercial roofer installs, repairs, and replaces roofs on commercial establishments. Their main duties include inspecting roofs, replacing faulty tiles, conducting any necessary repairs, and sealing roofs to make them watertight. Commercial roofers are also responsible for communicating with establishment owners to inform them of existing and potential roof issues.

In general, the main purpose of a commercial roofer's job is to ensure that an establishment's roof is sturdy and safe enough for anyone who enters the building. Without a commercial roofer, an establishment may experience a myriad of problems with its roof, including leaks, holes, decreased integrity, and the presence of mold, among others.

Many roofers learn their skills through an apprenticeship or on-the-job training programs, which teach them the basics of roofing and how to use various types of tools and equipment. Employers may accept applicants with a high school diploma and non-formal roofing experience, but completing an apprenticeship can significantly increase one's chances of getting hired.

On top of training and experience, a roofer needs to have the physical stamina, strength, and endurance to be able to perform their job duties efficiently and safely. Commercial roofers may also need to work in various types of weather, especially in emergency jobs.

ScoreCommercial RooferUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,120

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.2

Growth rate 1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.50%

Asian 0.82%

Black or African American 8.81%

Hispanic or Latino 28.96%

Unknown 3.43%

White 56.48%

Gender

female 4.15%

male 95.85%

Age - 35

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35

Stress level

7.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.8

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a commercial roofer

Explore commercial roofer education requirements

Most common commercial roofer degrees

High School Diploma

49.3 %

Bachelor's

16.4 %

Diploma

14.5 %

Start to develop specific commercial roofer skills

Skills	Percentages
Roofing	26.38%
Asphalt	11.72%
PVC	10.30%
TPO	8.57%
Roof Systems	7.09%

Complete relevant commercial roofer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New commercial roofers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a commercial roofer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real commercial roofer resumes.

Research commercial roofer duties and responsibilities

Work as an apprentice roofer on a low-slope commercial crew applying several different types of EPDM, PVC and TPO membranes.
Experience include EPDM, mop-down and TPO systems.
Perform installation and repair of PVC and vinyl type flat roofs of commercial buildings ..
Cover roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, or relate materials.

Prepare your commercial roofer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your commercial roofer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a commercial roofer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable commercial roofer resume templates

Build a professional commercial roofer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your commercial roofer resume.