Commercial roofing recruiters serving Knoxville.
Knoxville roofing wages run a modest premium above national, with real large-footprint industrial roofing opportunity across the ~$10B private buildout on Oak Ridge's reused federal land.
A modest premium, plus a federal-land buildout.
Commercial roofing foremen in the Knoxville metro command a wage premium about 4% above the national average, and commercial estimators run about 6% above.
Knoxville's own market data notes standard commercial roofing tracks a modest premium, while large-footprint industrial roofing opportunity exists specifically across the ~$10B in reused federal land now under private development at Oak Ridge.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial roofing contractors in Knoxville, and we verify real large-footprint industrial roofing project history for the federal-reuse buildout specifically.
The story behind the demand.
Thousands of acres of former federal land, now attracting billions in private investment.
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More than 2,500 acres of federal property transferred to the community for economic reuse, with businesses locating on those sites announcing a combined ~$10B in projected capital investment - new private construction across that footprint carries substantial large-footprint industrial roofing scope.
What commercial roofing roles pay in Knoxville.
In the Knoxville metro, BLS puts the median for roofers at $45,030 a year, 19% below the $55,440 national median. Among the 104 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, Knoxville ranks 98th on pay. Most of the market sits between $32,180 and $51,190. Of the other field roles, sheet metal worker pays the most locally, at a $61,340 median. BLS does not publish Knoxville pay for roofing helper, which it withholds where a metro's sample is too small to be reliable. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Roofing Salary Guide.
| Role | Knoxville median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial RooferRoofers (47-2181) | $45,030 | $32,180–$51,190 | $55,440 | −19% | 440 |
| Roofing HelperHelpers--Roofers (47-3016) | – | – | $44,160 | – | – |
| Sheet Metal WorkerSheet Metal Workers (47-2211) | $61,340 | $39,140–$77,290 | $61,800 | −1% | 270 |
| Roofing ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $66,830 | $44,810–$104,520 | $79,920 | −16% | – |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $72,900 | $42,760–$115,860 | $78,740 | −7% | – |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Knoxville metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile. Headcount is shown for field occupations only; management, estimating and supervisory codes are counted across every industry in the metro.
What candidates expect. What credentials matter. What kills offers.
We don't tell prospective clients who their competitors are hiring - that's a discipline our clients value, and we'll honor it on a call. What we will share publicly: how the Knoxville commercial roofing hiring game actually plays out in 2026. The five things below are what we tell every Knoxville roofing client at intake.
Why the federal land reuse buildout is the real opportunity
Knoxville's own market data notes standard commercial roofing tracks a modest premium, while large-footprint industrial roofing opportunity exists specifically "across the ~$10B in reused federal land now under private development" at Oak Ridge.
Where Knoxville commercial roofing talent comes from
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial roofing contractors in Knoxville. Standard commercial roofing crews draw on a genuinely available regional pipeline. Foremen with real large-footprint industrial roofing scale capability are the harder fill for the Oak Ridge reuse buildout.
Credentials worth filtering for
What actually separates candidates in Knoxville: verified large-footprint industrial roofing project history - the specific opportunity the metro's own market data flags around the reused federal land at Oak Ridge.
What candidates expect from a Knoxville roofing offer in 2026
Foreman comp runs about 4% above national, and commercial estimators run about 6% above - both match the metro's own published wage table directly.
Realistic timelines, by role
Standard roles: 4-6 weeks intake to signed offer. Foremen for large-footprint industrial work run longer given how specifically that scale narrows the pool. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The roofing positions we fill, most often.
Across all Knoxville commercial roofing clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months. Foremen with real large-footprint industrial roofing experience for the federal-reuse buildout are the harder fill - everything else draws on the metro's own available regional pipeline.
- Large-footprint industrial roofing foreman (federal-reuse scale)
- Commercial roofing foreman (general)
- Commercial roofing estimator
- Roofing project manager
- Roofing safety manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Knoxville, see the Knoxville metro overview. To learn more about commercial roofing generally (across all 100+ markets we serve), see our Commercial Roofing industry page.
How we recruit commercial roofing in Knoxville, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Knoxville's commercial roofing segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Knoxville roofing, we also confirm whether the work is on the reused federal land at Oak Ridge, since that shifts the sourcing pool.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Knoxville commercial roofing candidate network, filtered for verified large-footprint industrial experience where required.
- Vetted short list (week one). Three to five candidates. We verify real project-delivery history at the right scale rather than a line on a resume.
- Offer and close. Standard roles close in 4-6 weeks. We help with offer math against Knoxville's own wage table.
Knoxville runs 20% more commercial roofing workers per job than the country as a whole — above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Roofers. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Knoxville's commercial roofing market compares
In 2023 the Knoxville metro had 24 nonresidential roofing contractors (counted by business location), with about 296 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $64,235, 14.3% below the national average of $74,959 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 10% over the year, faster than the 6.7% national increase, so local employers were adding people quicker than most of the country. That works out to 2.6 per 100,000 residents against 1.8 nationally, a crowded field where experienced people get approached often.
Among the 95 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Knoxville ranks 57th for headcount, 89th for median pay and 36th for concentration for roofers. Pay here is among the lowest we see, which makes relocation offers from higher-paying metros a real retention risk.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 650 | $48,120 | 0.68 | 43 |
| Knoxville | 440 | $45,030 | 1.20 | 24 |
| Memphis | 360 | $46,480 | 0.68 | 28 |
| Chattanooga | 140 | $45,530 | 0.60 | 13 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial roofing employers in Knoxville, the pool is deep and still growing, so the constraint is competition rather than supply. Move fast on good candidates, because another local firm is probably talking to them too.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Knoxville metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Knoxville's commercial roofing market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential roofing contractors in Knoxville rose from 18 in 2018 to 24 in 2023, up 33%, ahead of the 10% national rise. Headcount at those firms went down 5%, to about 296 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $40,176 to $64,235 (+60%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential roofing contractors: business locations | 18 | 24 | +33% |
| Nonresidential roofing contractors: employment | 313 | 296 | −5% |
| Nonresidential roofing contractors: average annual pay | $40,176 | $64,235 | +60% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked — commercial roofing hiring in Knoxville.
Is there a specialty premium for commercial roofing tied to Oak Ridge's federal land reuse?
Knoxville's own market data flags large-footprint industrial roofing opportunity specifically across the ~$10B in reused federal land now under private development at Oak Ridge, on top of a standard commercial roofing market that tracks a modest premium, but does not publish a separate percentage for that opportunity.
What major project is driving commercial roofing demand in Knoxville?
More than 2,500 acres of reused federal land at Oak Ridge have attracted a combined ~$10B in announced private capital investment, and new construction across that footprint carries substantial large-footprint industrial roofing scope.
What do roofers earn in Knoxville?
BLS puts the Knoxville median for roofers at $45,030 a year, 19% below the $55,440 national median. That ranks 98th of 104 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $32,180 to $51,190 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. Within Tennessee, Nashville pays more, at $48,120.
Is it hard to hire roofers in Knoxville?
Not by national standards. Roofers make up 20% more of the Knoxville workforce than they do nationally, about 440 people. The 24 nonresidential roofing contractors here average about 12 employees per location. With 33% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial roofing roles pay the most in Knoxville?
Of the roles we recruit for, Estimator pays the most in Knoxville, a $72,900 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Sheet Metal Worker at $61,340, 16% below it. Commercial Roofer is the lowest-paid field role at $45,030. Commercial Roofer trails national pay the most (19% below).
How many nonresidential roofing contractors operate in Knoxville?
BLS counted 24 nonresidential roofing contractors in Knoxville in 2023, employing about 296 people between them. Up from 18 in 2018, a 33% increase against 10% growth nationally. That averages 12 people per location. They pay an average of $64,235, 14% below the $74,959 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Knoxville for roofers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Chattanooga (101 miles, about 140, $45,530 median), Greenville (115 miles, about 170, $46,530 median) and Atlanta (155 miles, about 1,440, $49,100 median). Atlanta has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Atlanta pays 9% more, which is where Knoxville employers tend to lose people.
Hiring commercial roofing talent in Knoxville?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.