How do you start as a roofer in Maryland?
There are three ways in: a registered apprenticeship (2 programs in Maryland), trade school, or a helper or trainee job with a licensed roofing contractor.
Earn while you learn
A program hires you, pays you on the job and runs your classes.
- Pay
- From day one
- In MD
- 2 registered programs
Classroom first
Learn the basics, then find work to log your hours.
- Pay
- You pay tuition
- In MD
- 8 schools with programs
Start on a crew
Get hired as a helper by a licensed roofing contractor and log hours on the job.
- Pay
- Paid on the job
- Start
- No experience needed
Do you need a license to work as a roofer in Maryland?
Most roofers in Maryland learn on the job; a contractor license comes later, if you run your own business.
Get hired or start training
Join a registered apprenticeship, take a trade school program, or work as a helper for a licensed contractor.
Work as a roofer
Run your own shop
To bid and contract on your own you need a roofing contractor license or registration.
- Issued by
- Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC)
$60,090
a year is the median for roofers in Maryland ($28.89 an hour, May 2025).2
Pay by city and percentile- Baltimore–Columbia$27.11
- Salisbury$22.75
More questions about becoming a roofer in Maryland
Are roofers in demand in Maryland?
Projections Central expects about 200 roofer openings a year in Maryland through 2034, counting new jobs and people leaving the trade.1
Find an apprenticeship near you
2 registered programs in Maryland. Enter your ZIP to see the closest ones and what they ask for.
Find a programMore for roofers in Maryland
Sources
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Maryland, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)