AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 47-2181.00
Will AI replace Roofers?
Roofers: AI does not yet handle any of the role's 27 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs an efficient-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 27 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Roofers, from most to least exposed. None reaches 60, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apply modular soil- and plant-containing grids over existing roof membranes to create green roofs. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install layers of vegetation-based green roofs, including protective membranes, drainage, aeration, water retention and filter layers, soil substrates, irrigation materials, and plants. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Inspect problem roofs to determine the best repair procedures. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install partially overlapping layers of material over roof insulation surfaces, using chalk lines, gauges on shingling hatchets, or lines on shingles. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install, repair, or replace single-ply roofing systems, using waterproof sheet materials such as modified plastics, elastomeric, or other asphaltic compositions. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install vapor barriers or layers of insulation on flat roofs. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install attic ventilation systems, such as turbine vents, gable or ridge vents, or conventional or solar-powered exhaust fans. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Install skylights on roofs to increase natural light inside structures or to reduce energy costs. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Remove snow, water, or debris from roofs prior to applying roofing materials. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Set up scaffolding to provide safe access to roofs. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Estimate materials and labor required to complete roofing jobs. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Cement or nail flashing strips of metal or shingle over joints to make them watertight. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Cut felt, shingles, or strips of flashing to fit angles formed by walls, vents, or intersecting roof surfaces. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Apply plastic coatings, membranes, fiberglass, or felt over sloped roofs before applying shingles. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Cover roofs or exterior walls of structures with slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, gravel, gypsum, or related materials, using brushes, knives, punches, hammers, or other tools. | Estimated | No tier | |
| 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. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Attach roofing paper to roofs in overlapping strips to form bases for other materials. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Apply reflective roof coatings, such as special paints or single-ply roofing sheets, to existing roofs to reduce solar heat absorption. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Apply alternate layers of hot asphalt or tar and roofing paper to roofs. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Cover exposed nailheads with roofing cement or caulking to prevent water leakage or rust. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Smooth rough spots to prepare surfaces for waterproofing, using hammers, chisels, or rubbing bricks. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Glaze top layers to make a smooth finish or embed gravel in the bitumen for rough surfaces. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Mop or pour hot asphalt or tar onto roof bases. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Spray roofs, sidings, or walls to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures, using spray guns, air compressors, or heaters. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Apply gravel or pebbles over top layers of roofs, using rakes or stiff-bristled brooms. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Punch holes in slate, tile, terra cotta, or wooden shingles, using punches and hammers. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Attach solar panels to existing roofs, according to specifications and without damaging roofing materials or the structural integrity of buildings. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 27 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 27 of 27. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
An efficient-tier model or lower covers 29% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 29% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 71% is hands-on.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 135,490
- Median annual wage
- $55,440
- Middle half of earners
- $46,260 to $65,390
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +5.9%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Helpers--Roofers 77% skill overlap, about 8 months to move Exposure16
- Roof Bolters, Mining 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure16
- Carpenters 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure23
- Tile and Stone Setters 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure20
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles 58% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure18
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Roofers and AI
Will AI replace Roofers?
Not on current evidence. None of the 27 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation reaches a task exposure of 60, the level at which JobRoute counts a task as handled by AI, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 18 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears.
What is the AI exposure of Roofers?
18 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 27 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 27 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Roofers tasks can AI already do?
None reaches 60 yet. The most exposed task is: Apply modular soil- and plant-containing grids over existing roof membranes to create green roofs, at 50 out of 100.
What AI model tier does this role need?
An efficient-tier model or lower covers 29% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 71% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Roofers, and what do they earn?
135,490 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $55,440 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +5.9% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Roofers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/roofers
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