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The differences between builders and carpenters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a builder and a carpenter. Additionally, a carpenter has an average salary of $41,748, which is higher than the $33,117 average annual salary of a builder.
The top three skills for a builder include work ethic, safety rules and construction sites. The most important skills for a carpenter are hand tools, ladders, and install windows.
| Builder | Carpenter | |
| Yearly salary | $33,117 | $41,748 |
| Hourly rate | $15.92 | $20.07 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 4,074 | 5,862 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.86 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Builders are responsible for managing, coordinating, and working on the construction. They are also responsible for repairing and maintaining commercial and residential buildings. They oversee a project by either making arrangements with subcontractors to finish specific jobs or doing the work themselves. Builders need to ensure that the construction projects meet their client's requirements as well as the government and industry regulations. They often perform their work in an industrial setting. Their day-to-day activity depends on their specialization and level of experience.
A carpenter is a skilled worker responsible for different areas of construction. Carpenters perform fabrication from raw materials. They use tools to create a successful finished product on their client's request. Carpenters must be able to multi-task, resolve any possible complications, strictly follow safety standards, and ensure that the project adheres to protocols without compromising quality and accuracy of work. Since carpentry is physical labor, carpenters are expected to be physically fit to accomplish various maintenance and production tasks.
Builders and carpenters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Builder | Carpenter | |
| Average salary | $33,117 | $41,748 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $44,000 | Between $31,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Argonne National Laboratory | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Construction |
There are a few differences between a builder and a carpenter in terms of educational background:
| Builder | Carpenter | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between builders' and carpenters' demographics:
| Builder | Carpenter | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.1% Asian, 1.7% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |