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Area superintendent vs general contractor

The differences between area superintendents and general contractors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both an area superintendent and a general contractor. Additionally, an area superintendent has an average salary of $88,978, which is higher than the $66,602 average annual salary of a general contractor.

The top three skills for an area superintendent include construction management, OSHA and shop drawings. The most important skills for a general contractor are plumbing, safety regulations, and contract negotiations.

Area superintendent vs general contractor overview

Area SuperintendentGeneral Contractor
Yearly salary$88,978$66,602
Hourly rate$42.78$32.02
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs31,92366,218
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age4646
Years of experience88

Area superintendent vs general contractor salary

Area superintendents and general contractors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Area SuperintendentGeneral Contractor
Average salary$88,978$66,602
Salary rangeBetween $59,000 And $133,000Between $41,000 And $107,000
Highest paying CityConcord, CA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companyBeck-
Best paying industry--

Differences between area superintendent and general contractor education

There are a few differences between an area superintendent and a general contractor in terms of educational background:

Area SuperintendentGeneral Contractor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Area superintendent vs general contractor demographics

Here are the differences between area superintendents' and general contractors' demographics:

Area SuperintendentGeneral Contractor
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 94.5% Female, 5.5%Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between area superintendent and general contractor duties and responsibilities

Area superintendent example responsibilities.

  • Manage operations in accordance with all regulatory (HSE) requirements and company procedures/guiding principles.
  • Enforce company and OSHA safety regulations.
  • Implement safety programs and relate training in compliance with OSHA requirements.
  • Direct construction of new control building complete with HVAC and plumbing systems.
  • Experience in replacement and repair of existing HVAC, electrical, plumbing systems.
  • Provide training and career oversight to construction personnel.
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General contractor example responsibilities.

  • Manage the repair/replacement of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and structural of primarily historical residences.
  • Manage third party contractors including safety oversight, environmental design specification compliance, and similar construction specifications and requirements.
  • Perform electrical, mechanical (HVAC), plumbing, framing, roofing and finishing construction for residential and commercial buildings.
  • Remodel restaurants, which include painting, dry wall, tiling, plumbing, electrical and laying carpet.
  • Assist and perform all duties with installation of cabinets, flooring, sheetrock, framing, concrete, and basic plumbing.
  • Experience in roofing, painting, digging of footers, and tile setting.
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Area superintendent vs general contractor skills

Common area superintendent skills
  • Construction Management, 22%
  • OSHA, 18%
  • Shop Drawings, 7%
  • Safety Training, 5%
  • Construction Schedule, 5%
  • Safety Standards, 5%
Common general contractor skills
  • Plumbing, 17%
  • Safety Regulations, 12%
  • Contract Negotiations, 11%
  • Drywall Installation, 7%
  • Construction Projects, 4%
  • Payroll, 4%

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