Roofing Cost Calculator for Iowa - Free 2026 Cost Estimates

Get accurate roofing cost estimates using Iowa regional pricing data. Our free calculator adjusts for local labor rates and material costs specific to IA.

Iowa Roofing Labor Costs — Verified from BLS OEWS (2025)

$25.04/hrRoofers — mean hourly wageBLS OEWS 2025
$52,070Roofers — mean annual wageBLS OEWS 2025
10%below national meanderived from two cited BLS figures

Every figure on this page is a published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics value. Last verified 2026-06-23.

In Iowa, roofers — the core trade for roofing work — earn a mean wage of $25.04/hr ($52,070 per year) in the 2025 BLS OEWS release. That is 10% below the national average (national mean $58,140 per year). Iowa employs about 930 roofers statewide. Related trades that price into a typical roofing job include construction laborers ($51,580/yr), first-line supervisors of construction trades ($80,500/yr). Because labor is the largest variable cost on most roofing projects, these published state wage levels are the biggest single reason roofing costs differ between Iowa and other states. Every figure here is a mean value published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and is refreshed automatically when BLS releases new OEWS data.

Across the trades that touch a typical roofing job in Iowa, BLS reports mean wages of roofers at $52,070 per year ($25.04/hr); construction laborers at $51,580 per year ($24.80/hr); first-line supervisors of construction trades at $80,500 per year ($38.70/hr). The spread between first-line supervisors of construction trades ($80,500) and construction laborers ($51,580) reflects differences in skill, certification, and supervisory responsibility on Iowa job sites, and it is why a detailed, line-item estimate beats a single blended rate when you are budgeting roofing work.

Half of Iowa roofers earn less than the median of $48,660 per year — below the $52,070 mean, which a smaller number of higher earners pulls upward. For budgeting, the median is often the more realistic figure for routine roofing crews. BLS counts roughly 930 roofers, 13,780 construction laborers, 9,660 first-line supervisors of construction trades employed across Iowa, a measure of how deep the local roofing-trade labor pool is and how much competition for crews you can expect when scheduling work.

When you budget a roofing job in Iowa, treat these BLS wage levels as the labor-rate floor: a crew's billed rate adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin on top of the $25.04/hr mean wage shown above. Because Iowa's roofers wages sit 10% below the national average, a roofing quote that comes in far below these published rates is worth a second look — labor that cheap usually signals a different scope, materials, or crew experience. Use the calculator on this page to combine these Iowa labor rates with your project's material quantities for a complete estimate.

Iowa construction wages by occupation — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
Occupation (SOC)Mean hourlyMean annualMedian annualEmployed in IA
Roofers 47-2181$25.04/hr$52,070$48,660930
Construction Laborers 47-2061$24.80/hr$51,580$48,49013,780
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades 47-1011$38.70/hr$80,500$78,5109,660

Wages are statewide means published by BLS and reflect labor cost only — not the total installed cost of a project. Use the calculator below for a full materials-and-labor estimate, and always obtain written bids from licensed Iowa contractors.

Calculate Your Roofing Costs in Iowa

Our free roofing calculator provides detailed estimates tailored to Iowa pricing. Enter your project dimensions and specifications to get an instant breakdown of materials, labor, and total costs.

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Sources & Methodology

These figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program — the official federal wage survey — for the 2025 reference release, the latest available. Wages shown are statewide mean values for Iowa; actual pay varies by metro area, employer, union status, and experience. CostFlowAI re-checks the BLS public API on a quarterly recheck cadence and stamps each figure with the date it was last verified (2026-06-23). We publish the exact BLS series ID behind every number so any figure on this page can be independently confirmed at the source.

BLS series IDs behind every figure on this page12

Each ID resolves to the live U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics public-API record for that exact figure.

Frequently Asked Questions: Roofing in Iowa

What do roofing crews cost in Iowa in 2026?

Roofers — the core roofing trade — earn a mean wage of $25.04/hr ($52,070 per year) in Iowa, per 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data, 10% below the national average. Labor is the largest variable cost on most roofing jobs, so this is the single biggest driver of how Iowa roofing pricing compares with other states. Use the free roofing calculator on this page for a full materials-and-labor estimate for your specific project.

Do I need a permit for roofing work in Iowa?

Permit requirements for roofing work in Iowa vary by municipality and project scope. Most cities and counties in Iowa require building permits for structural work and projects exceeding certain cost thresholds. Contact your local Iowa building department for specific requirements — always verify before starting work.

What factors affect roofing costs in Iowa?

Key factors include local labor rates (roofers average $25.04/hr in Iowa per BLS OEWS), material availability and regional pricing, permit and inspection fees, site conditions specific to Iowa, and project complexity. Wages are the largest variable cost on most roofing jobs, which is why Iowa pricing tracks its published trade-wage levels. Getting multiple written quotes from licensed Iowa contractors is recommended for the most accurate pricing.

What This Estimate Includes

  • Materials: shingles or panels, underlayment, flashing, fasteners at regional pricing
  • Labor: Roofers in Iowa earn a mean wage of $25.04/hr (BLS OEWS 2025)
  • Waste factor: 15% standard waste allowance included

Not included: permits, demolition, site preparation beyond standard grading, inspections, or unforeseen site conditions.

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