ROOFER
Installs and repairs roofs — shingle, metal, single-ply, built-up. Hot work, fast money in storm season, high injury rate. Iowa is a right-to-work state — union density is lower than the national average, but licensed tradespeople still command solid wages on prevailing wage projects.
The License.
Check with Iowa directly — licensing for roofervaries by municipality in this state. There is no single state board that we can point to with confidence for this trade. Contact your local city or county building department, or check the state labor department's website.
The Money.
Pay data for this trade in Iowa. BLS metro-level data was not available for this combination. National medians shown below.
| Stage | Hourly range | Approx. annual |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 apprentice | $16–$24/hr | $32,000 – $48,000 |
| Journeyman scale | $25–$42/hr | $50,000 – $84,000 |
| BLS national median | — | $50,030 |
| BLS top 10% | — | $79,100 |
Iowa is a right-to-work state. Union scale in major Iowa metros typically runs 10–20% above the national median on public projects with prevailing wage requirements; non-union pay can run 15–30% below union scale on private work.
The Path.
In Iowa, apprenticeships are administered through the federal RAPIDS system via the U.S. Department of Labor. To find registered programs, go to apprenticeship.gov and filter by state. Most joint apprenticeship training committees (JATCs) also accept direct applications.
- · United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers
The Exam.
Most construction trade licenses at the contractor level require a business and law exam in addition to the trade exam. Iowa may have this structure. Pass rates are not published uniformly — ask the licensing board directly for current data. Note: prevailing wage rules in Iowa apply primarily to public projects — private-sector jobs in this right-to-work state are exempt.
Be honest about pass rates. Many licensing boards do not publish them. When they do, first-time pass rates for journeyman exams in the trades typically run 50–75%. Preparation time varies — most serious candidates spend 60–120 hours on exam prep. Use code books from the correct edition, not what's currently in print.
What recruiters 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.