Roofer Apprenticeship in Rhode Island

Wages, programs & career outlook

Roofers install and repair the systems that keep buildings watertight — asphalt shingles on homes, single-ply membranes on commercial flat roofs, metal panels on industrial structures. It's physical work, often in heat, with real fall-protection discipline required.

RI Median Salary
$58,510/yr
+15% vs. national
National Median
$50,970/yr
RI Sponsors
0
Registered programs
Training Term
3.0 yrs
Time-Based
Job Growth
5.9%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
12,700
Nationally, per yr

Roofer Apprenticeship in Rhode Island: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered roofer apprenticeship in Rhode Island combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 3.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Rhode Island pay vs. national

Median roofer wages in Rhode Island are $58,510/year, +15% above the national median of $50,970. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Rhode Island has 0 registered apprenticeship sponsors for roofer listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5.9% job growth for roofers nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 12,700 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Rhode Island-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Rhode Island Wage Spread

Annual wages for Roofers in Rhode Island across all experience levels.

10th pct
$39,540
Median
$58,510
90th pct
$79,170
Middle 50% of workers earn $48,080$72,050

Current Roofer Apprenticeship Openings in Rhode Island

No roofer apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Rhode Island. That doesn't mean programs don't exist — smaller regional contractors often aren't included in the national directory. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Roofer Apprenticeship Sponsors in Rhode Island

Our directory doesn't surface Roofer-specific registered sponsors in Rhode Island. This usually reflects a smaller regional market where sponsors use generic company names rather than trade-specific branding — it doesn't mean programs don't exist. Direct search on apprenticeship.gov is the most reliable way to find current openings.

Search apprenticeship.gov for current Roofer openings

Filter by occupation code 47-2181 and state RI for the most relevant results.

Roofer Apprenticeship in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has a smaller Roofer industry, and our directory doesn't surface trade-specific registered sponsors for this state. That doesn't mean programs don't exist — smaller regional contractors often aren't identifiable by name alone. Search apprenticeship.gov for current openings, or contact your state apprenticeship agency and the relevant national union (IUEC, IBEW, UA, SMART, etc.) for referrals to nearby programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Roofers earn in Rhode Island?
The median annual wage for Roofers in Rhode Island is $58,510 as of May 2024. Wages range from $39,540 at the 10th percentile to $79,170 at the 90th percentile.
What is the length of a Roofer apprenticeship program?
A typical Roofer apprenticeship lasts approximately 3 years (6,000 hours of on-the-job training). The program combines paid work experience with related classroom instruction.
What's the difference between a Roofer apprenticeship and trade school?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained Roofers, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
How do I find a Roofer apprenticeship in Rhode Island?
Our directory doesn't surface Roofer-specific registered sponsors in Rhode Island — typical for smaller markets where sponsors use generic company names. Best path: (1) search apprenticeship.gov by occupation and ZIP for current openings, (2) contact the relevant national union's closest local (find locals via apprenticeship.gov), or (3) reach out to your state apprenticeship agency directly.
How much do Roofer apprentices earn?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Rhode Island, a first-year Roofer apprentice might earn around $29,255/yr (roughly half the $58,510 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 3-year program.

Prefer Trade School Instead?

Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. Roofers also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.

Compare 43 Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection programs nationwide →
Too few Rhode Island-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Roofer in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Rhode Island

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.