Roofers in the Harrisburg area earn a median of $50,950 a year, 2% above the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #124 of 265 U.S. metros nationwide.
Within driving distance, the same work pays more in York and Chambersburg, but less in Reading.
Harrisburg scorecard for roofers Our calculation
Grades compare Harrisburg with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($50,140).
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Harrisburg Our calculation
Prices in the Harrisburg area run 1% below the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $51,647 would in a typical place, ranking #167 of 263 on real pay.
Two different views, don't combine them. Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
What roofers do
Cover roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, or related materials. May spray roofs, sidings, and walls with material to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Inspect problem roofs to determine the best repair procedures.
- Waterproof or damp-proof walls, floors, roofs, foundations, or basements by painting or spraying surfaces with waterproof coatings or by attaching waterproofing membranes to surfaces.
- Cover exposed nailheads with roofing cement or caulking to prevent water leakage or rust.
- Apply reflective roof coatings, such as special paints or single-ply roofing sheets, to existing roofs to reduce solar heat absorption.
- Remove snow, water, or debris from roofs prior to applying roofing materials.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, roofer jobs are projected to grow 5.3% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 12,000 openings a year. About 20% are self-employed.
Licensing in Pennsylvania Official source
The main state licensing office in Pennsylvania is the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Home improvement contractors register with the state; most trades are licensed locally. It can point you to the right license for roofers.
Official Pennsylvania licensing site ↗
Requirements for roofers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, roofers have 162 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 1.9× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is falls, slips and trips.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
Highest-paying PA metros for roofers
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChambersburgPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $64,480 | $68,130 | 70 |
| PhiladelphiaPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $59,730 | $58,242 | 1,530 |
| AllentownPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $58,140 | $58,159 | 140 |
| YorkPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $53,540 | $55,771 | 200 |
| LancasterPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $52,640 | $53,574 | 370 |
| PittsburghPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $52,350 | $55,297 | 770 |
| HarrisburgPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $50,950 | $51,647 | 120 |
| EriePENNSYLVANIA · PA | $50,440 | $55,459 | 140 |
| ReadingPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $50,060 | $51,576 | 110 |
| ScrantonPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $49,620 | $53,038 | 150 |
See every metro in Pennsylvania.
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Harrisburg area's unemployment rate was 3.9% in 2025 (all workers, not just roofers), below the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 5.1% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Harrisburg area is 22 minutes each way, shorter than the typical metro (24 min). 11% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 71% drive alone, 1% take transit and 15% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
New construction
New-home permits in Harrisburg are down 22% from 2021 to 2025 (1,542 → 1,201).
In 2025 the Harrisburg area approved permits for 1,201 new homes (899 single-family), or 2.0 per 1,000 residents, ranking #294 of 393 metros.
Competition
In 2024 the area had 329 one-person businesses (no employees) in foundation, framing & exterior work, averaging $90,657 a year in revenue before expenses.
They compete with 115 foundation, framing & exterior work companies that have employees (about 1,307 workers in total). 57% of those companies have fewer than 5 employees.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the minimum you'd need to bill to match a $50,950 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for. Change any number.
Minimum billing rate
Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get roofer pricing & estimate templates →Compare Harrisburg with another city →
About this data
- Pay: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2025, local to this metro.
- Real pay: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, local.
- Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027, local (county rents weighted by population).
- Job outlook, education, training: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national.
- Duties: O*NET 31.0, national.
- Safety: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024, national.
- New construction: Census Building Permits, 2021–2025, local.
- Commute: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local, all workers.
- Unemployment: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2021–2025 annual averages, local, all workers (2025 preliminary).
- Competition: Census Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and County Business Patterns 2023, local, reported by industry, so related trades can share one figure.
- Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions. Grades rank this metro against all others for the same trade.