Union Wages. Real Benefits. Zero Student Debt.
Here's the part most programs make you dig for. We'd rather just show you.
How much do apprentice roofers make in Oregon?
Apprentices start at $28.21 an hour — about 60% of journeyman scale — and receive scheduled raises at each period of the apprenticeship, reaching full journeyman scale of $47.01 an hour (as of July 1, 2026). Every raise is written into the union contract — no negotiating, no guesswork.
| Apprenticeship step | % of journeyman scale | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| Entry (0 hours on the job) | 60% | $28.21 |
| 500 hours | 65% | $30.56 |
| 1,000 hours | 70% | $32.91 |
| 1,500 hours | 75% | $35.26 |
| 2,000 hours | 80% | $37.61 |
| 2,500 hours | 85% | $39.96 |
| 3,000 hours | 90% | $42.31 |
| 3,500 hours | 95% | $44.66 |
| Journeyman (4,000 hours) | 100% | $47.01 |
Nine steps, a raise every 500 on-the-job hours — union wage scale effective July 1, 2026. The whole scale rises again July 1, 2027, when journeyman scale reaches $48.22. Work has a seasonal rhythm: 40–60 hour weeks from mid-April through October, 20–35 hours through the winter — which is when classes run, so the quiet season builds your skills for the busy one.
Do you get paid during the apprenticeship?
Yes — from day one.
The apprenticeship is a paid job with training built in, not school with a job at the end. You earn on every job site and get raises as you advance, so your income grows right alongside your skills.
Benefits that come with the contract
Medical insurance
Doctor, dental, and chiropractic coverage, with family health & welfare.
Two pensions + a supplemental plan
Retirement is built in from the start, not bolted on later.
College credit + a degree
Your coursework earns college credit as you train — and completing all 16 required classes earns you an Associate of Applied Science in Construction Trades: General Apprenticeship from Mount Hood Community College — at no cost, no extra coursework required.
Veterans: GI Bill benefits
The program works with your benefits.
Portability
If life moves you, your status transfers to programs in other states without starting over.
A whole market of employers
Multiple union shops across the region, with the union's help finding work.
What it costs — the whole picture
$0
tuition loans · application fees
≈$2,000
total program fee across all four years
Your education is covered by a program fee of $20 for each week you work — about $500 a year — paid as you go from wages you're already earning. Union membership adds a one-time initiation of $1 per hour for your first 600 hours, then $25 a month in dues. Classroom materials are provided; you buy only your own work tools. That's the entire cost of a four-year skilled-trade education — less than many single college courses.
Apprenticeship vs. college — four years, two outcomes
College is the right path for plenty of careers. For people who want to build, the apprenticeship math is hard to beat: four years of earning union wages versus four years of paying tuition.
| After four years… | Apprentice | Typical four-year degree |
|---|---|---|
| Money earned | Union wages from week one — $28.21/hr rising to $47.01/hr | Usually little or none while studying |
| Education debt | None — a pay-as-you-go program fee totaling ≈$2,000 | Tens of thousands in loans on average |
| Where you stand | Journeyman's card you can take to other states — full scale, benefits, college credit, four years' experience | Degree + job search |
Accredited. State-recognized. Union-backed.
A registered apprenticeship is real career training with a paycheck — built around safety and mentorship, on the record with the state. You earn from week one, graduate with no student loans and college credit to your name, and step into a trade the Northwest will always need. Doing your homework — or helping someone you care about do theirs? We're glad to answer questions any time.
CAREER PATH
Where the career ceiling really is
Journeyman scale is the milestone, not the summit. Foremen, superintendents, safety directors, estimators, instructors, and contractors all started where you're standing now — and journeyman wages themselves keep rising through the union contract. The trade rewards people who keep growing.
YOU — APPRENTICE
SAFETY DIRECTOR
JOURNEYMAN
ESTIMATOR
FOREMAN
INSTRUCTOR
SUPERINTENDENT
YOUR OWN COMPANY
Ready to apply?
Applying starts with a visit and a conversation. Come meet us, see the training center, and get your questions answered.