Roofers Salary
Roofers in Kentucky make a median of $46,940 a year, or about $22.57 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $52,023 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 34.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $47K get you in Kentucky?
About roofers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for roofers in Kentucky runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 35.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for rooferss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level roofers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Roofers salary by metro in Kentucky
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $49K | +5% | 550 |
| Bowling Green | $49K | +4% | 50 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $47K | -1% | 230 |
Compare to other states
Track roofers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a roofer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 35.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for roofers in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new roofers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,293/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is roofer a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $47K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for roofers?
Kentucky pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do roofers make in Kentucky?
The median is $46,940 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,220, and experienced roofers can clear $65,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,156/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 35.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a roofers salary go in Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median roofers salary is worth about $52,023 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do roofers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.