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ANZSCO 3333Skill level 3Engineering and trades

Roof tiler

Install terracotta, concrete and metal roof tiles plus flashings and ridge cappings.

Salary

Cited figures from Job Outlook and QILT. ExamExplained does not publish predictive earnings or projections.

FigureAUDSource
Full-time weekly earnings$1500Job Outlook (2025-06-01)

How far does this stretch in each city?

What a roof tiler actually does

Roof tilers install terracotta, concrete and metal roof tiles plus flashings, ridge cappings and skylights. Most days start very early on a residential site to beat the heat. The team unloads pallets of tiles to the roof, lays out battens, then beats out the tiles in a working pattern. Ridge caps and hips are bedded last. Roof tilers also do storm-damage repair work, sometimes after big hail events when phones ring constantly. Working at height is the defining feature of the trade. Fall protection, harnesses, scaffolding and edge protection are all part of every day. Hours run 6.30am or 7am to about 3pm, finishing earlier in summer. Many roof tilers also pick up roof plumber tickets so they can work across both tile and metal roofing. Some become estimators or business owners after 8-10 years.

Typical tasks

  • Erect battens to set spacing.
  • Lay tiles and bed ridge capping.
  • Install flashings around penetrations.

Skills you'll use

  • Reading roof framing plans and battening drawings
  • Cutting tiles cleanly with a wet saw
  • Setting and bedding ridge cappings in mortar or with mechanical fixings
  • Installing flashings around chimneys, skylights and pipes
  • Working safely at heights with harnesses and edge protection
  • Storm damage repair and small-roof repointing
  • Customer communication and basic quoting

How to become one

  1. 1Finish Year 10 or 12. A pre-apprenticeship Certificate II in Construction Pathways is helpful if you have not yet found a host employer
  2. 2Secure a host with a roofing contractor and sign an apprenticeship agreement
  3. 3Complete a 3-year Certificate III in Roof Tiling (CPC31408) at TAFE alongside paid on-job training
  4. 4Add a White Card and a working at heights ticket early. Most roof tilers also benefit from EWP and scaffolding tickets
  5. 5Build storm-repair experience in your first couple of years after qualifying. Insurance work pays well and is steady
  6. 6Optional next steps include a Roof Plumbing endorsement (CPC32420 Plumbing - Roofing stream) so you can install metal roofs, or a Certificate IV in Building and Construction for supervision and a builder's licence

Where you can work

  • Residential builders and project homes
  • Commercial roofing contractors
  • Storm and insurance repair firms
  • Heritage restoration teams
  • Tile manufacturers as technical representatives
  • Council and government facility maintenance
  • Self-employed roof tilers running their own businesses

Career progression

Typical stages and salary bands. Salary figures are sourced from Job Outlook, QILT or industry bodies; brackets are 25th-75th percentile not absolute floors or ceilings.

  1. Apprentice
    0-3 years
    Typical roles: First-year apprentice, Third-year apprentice
    Salary band: $28,000 - $52,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  2. Qualified roof tiler
    3-8 years
    Typical roles: Residential roof tiler, Storm repair specialist, Commercial roof tiler
    Salary band: $65,000 - $90,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  3. Leading hand or sub-contractor
    8-15 years
    Typical roles: Leading hand, Sub-contractor running a small crew, Estimator
    Salary band: $90,000 - $125,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  4. Business owner or supervisor
    12+ years
    Typical roles: Roofing business owner, Site supervisor, Insurance assessor for roofing

Is this for you?

You might love this if

  • You are comfortable working at heights and have a head for it
  • You like physical, outdoor work
  • You can handle Australian summer sun on a roof
  • You enjoy work with a clear visible result at the end of the day
  • You want a trade with strong demand on storm and insurance repair

This might not suit you if

  • You have a fear of heights you cannot manage
  • You have a knee, back or shoulder issue that limits ladder and roof work
  • You want an indoor, climate-controlled job

Three ways in

Uni, TAFE and trade routes for roof tiler. Not every career has all three; we only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.

University

Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.

No direct undergraduate pathway. Consider postgraduate study after a related bachelor degree.

TAFE / VET

Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.

Apprenticeship trade

Earn while you learn through an Australian Apprenticeship.

Sources

ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Job Outlook directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.