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The differences between builders and finish 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 finish carpenter. Additionally, a finish carpenter has an average salary of $46,987, 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 finish carpenter are hand tools, custom cabinets, and safety rules.
| Builder | Finish Carpenter | |
| Yearly salary | $33,117 | $46,987 |
| Hourly rate | $15.92 | $22.59 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 4,074 | 11,653 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| 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.
Finish carpenters are skilled professionals who perform the final touches on homes after the structure is fully built. These carpenters must carry out various tasks such as installing doors, building bookshelves, and adding designs to window and door trims. They are required to follow work from sketches and drawings to complete the job to the right specifications as well as collecting the correct materials before beginning a job. Finish carpenters must also dismantle and demolish before carrying out repairs or installing new materials.
Builders and finish carpenters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Builder | Finish Carpenter | |
| Average salary | $33,117 | $46,987 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $44,000 | Between $34,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Turner Construction | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Construction |
There are a few differences between a builder and a finish carpenter in terms of educational background:
| Builder | Finish Carpenter | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between builders' and finish carpenters' demographics:
| Builder | Finish Carpenter | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% |
| 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, 7.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |