Become a roofer
Roofing apprenticeships in Metro Detroit
Membrane, shingle and metal roofs on schools, plants and homes. Roofers earn a median $30.48 an hour in the Detroit metro ($63,390 a year). The Department of Labor lists 3 registered sponsors for the trade in the six counties.
- median an hour
- $30.48
- registered sponsors
- 3
- registered term
- About 2 years
- working here
- 1,450
The pay ladder
Roofers in the Detroit metro
- Top of the trade 90th percentile, about $77,380 a year full time $38.69
- Senior hand 75th percentile, about $75,940 a year full time $37.97
- Journeyworker median, about $60,960 a year full time $30.48
- A few years in 25th percentile, about $47,200 a year full time $23.60
- Starting out 10th percentile, about $46,040 a year full time $23.02
BLS, May 2025. Apprentices start on their program's own scale and climb toward these rungs.
Training centers
Where roofers train
1 Clio
-
Flint area roofers
Flint Roofers JAC
2 Howell
-
Roofers Local 70
Roofing Contractors JAC
3 Oak Park
-
Roofers Local 149
Detroit Roofers JATC
County by county
Roofing apprenticeships in each county
- Wayne County Programs nearby: Detroit Roofers in Oak Park, 13 miles; Michigan Works! Southeast in Ann Arbor, 25 miles Detroit Roofers JATC, Oak Park, about 13 miles from the middle of Wayne County
- Oakland County 2 registered programs based in Oakland County Detroit Roofers JATC, Oak Park, about 14 miles from the middle of Oakland County
- Macomb County Programs nearby: Detroit Roofers in Oak Park, 20 miles; Bruttell Roofing, Inc. in Oak Park, 20 miles Detroit Roofers JATC, Oak Park, about 20 miles from the middle of Macomb County
- St. Clair County Programs nearby: Detroit Roofers in Oak Park, 42 miles; Flint Roofers JAC in Clio, 58 miles Detroit Roofers JATC, Oak Park, about 42 miles from the middle of St. Clair County
- Livingston County 1 registered program based in Livingston County Roofing Contractors JAC, Howell, under a mile from the middle of Livingston County
- Lapeer County Programs nearby: Flint Roofers JAC in Clio, 27 miles; Detroit Roofers in Oak Park, 44 miles Flint Roofers JAC, Clio, about 27 miles from the middle of Lapeer County
Registered roofing programs by county
U.S. Department of Labor RAPIDS sponsor records as listed on Apprenticeship.gov, read October 24, 2026.
How to apply
How to become a roofer apprentice
-
Check the requirements
Most programs ask for a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver's license and proof of age; federal rules set the minimum age at 16, and many trades ask for 18.
Detroit Roofers JATC requirements -
Take the entry test
Many programs ask for the ACT WorkKeys or another entrance test; Michigan's apprenticeship office tells applicants to brush up on math first.
Michigan LEO advice -
Apply in the window
Union programs take applications in set windows. Watch the training center's own site and apply early.
Apply at Detroit Roofers JATC -
Get ready while you wait
Your Michigan Works! agency helps with test prep, pre-apprenticeship classes and the work boots.
Find your Michigan Works! agency -
Start work, earn raises
The Department of Labor's registered roofer standards run 4,000 hours on the job, about 2 years, with a raise as each period is done.
Roofing apprenticeships
Outlook
Jobs for roofers in the next ten years
Michigan expects 4,090 roofers by 2034 (up 3.4% from 2024), with about 290 openings a year as people retire and move on. Nationally, BLS projects up 5.3% from 2025 to 2035; it lists moderate-term on-the-job training as the usual training.
Sponsors
Registered roofing sponsors in Metro Detroit
- Detroit Roofers Oak Park Union
- Roofing Contractor'S JAC Howell Union
- Bruttell Roofing, Inc. Oak Park
Other trades
Compare another trade
Electrical Plumbing and pipefitting HVAC and refrigeration Carpentry Millwrights Masonry and concrete Tile and terrazzo Painting and finishing Glazing Welding Ironwork Operating engineers Sheet metal Heat and frost insulation Elevator construction Construction laborers Power line work
Keep going
Careers, jobs and training
Questions
What people ask
How much do roofers make in Metro Detroit?
The median is $30.48 an hour ($63,390 a year) in the Detroit metro, from $23.02 at the 10th percentile to $38.69 at the 90th (BLS, May 2025).
How long is a roofer apprenticeship?
The Department of Labor's registered roofer standards run 4,000 hours of on-the-job learning, about 2 years, plus classes.
Where do roofers train near Detroit?
Detroit Roofers JATC (Roofers Local 149) in Oak Park, Roofing Contractors JAC (Roofers Local 70) in Howell, and Flint Roofers JAC (Flint area roofers) in Clio.
How many roofing apprenticeship programs are there?
RAPIDS lists 3 registered sponsors based in the six counties: Oakland County 2 and Livingston County 1.
What do I need to apply?
Most programs ask for a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver's license and proof of age; federal rules set the minimum age at 16, and many trades ask for 18.
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- Programs and sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor RAPIDS sponsor records as listed on Apprenticeship.gov, read October 24, 2026. Michigan's registered apprenticeships are kept by the federal Michigan Apprenticeship Office, so RAPIDS is the official list.
- Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area (Michigan where the metro figure is not published).
- Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 and Michigan's long-term projections 2024 to 2034.
- Length: the U.S. Department of Labor's approved apprenticeship occupations, in on-the-job hours.
- U.S. Department of Labor, RAPIDS sponsor records (Apprenticeship.gov Partner Finder)
- Apprenticeship.gov, the Michigan Apprenticeship Office
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
- U.S. Department of Labor, approved apprenticeship occupations and their terms
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (table 1.2)
- Michigan long-term occupational projections (Projections Central)
- Michigan LEO, Registered Apprenticeship for career seekers
- Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council, trades directory
- Roofers Local 70