Carpenter assistant vs finish carpenter

The differences between carpenter assistants 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 carpenter assistant and a finish carpenter. Additionally, a finish carpenter has an average salary of $46,987, which is higher than the $37,217 average annual salary of a carpenter assistant.

The top three skills for a carpenter assistant include roofing, safety rules and drywall installation. The most important skills for a finish carpenter are hand tools, custom cabinets, and safety rules.

Carpenter assistant vs finish carpenter overview

	Carpenter Assistant	Finish Carpenter
Yearly salary	$37,217	$46,987
Hourly rate	$17.89	$22.59
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	5,016	11,653
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	12	12

Carpenter assistant vs finish carpenter salary

Carpenter assistants and finish carpenters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Carpenter Assistant	Finish Carpenter
Average salary	$37,217	$46,987
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $49,000	Between $34,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	-	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Turner Construction
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between carpenter assistant and finish carpenter education

There are a few differences between a carpenter assistant and a finish carpenter in terms of educational background:

	Carpenter Assistant	Finish Carpenter
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Carpenter assistant vs finish carpenter demographics

Here are the differences between carpenter assistants' and finish carpenters' demographics:

	Carpenter Assistant	Finish Carpenter
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 92.1% Female, 7.9%	Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% Asian, 1.6% White, 61.9% 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%

Differences between carpenter assistant and finish carpenter duties and responsibilities

Carpenter assistant example responsibilities.

Execute indoor projects including wall design, caulking, painting, trimming and sanding.
Form setting, carpentry, demo, waterproofing, assist sub contractors with roof layouts, concrete finishing.
Assist with large addition to a home from start to finish (framing, sheetrock, drywall, vinyl).
Assist lead carpenter with residential projects, carpentry, laying sheetrock and carrying supplies and equipment to and from work site.
Perform demo and removal of existing material.
Determine amount of materials identify appropriate construction locations and transport scaffolding materials.

Finish carpenter example responsibilities.

Install cabinets, vinyl, FRP, carpet, windows, Sheetrock, painting, HVAC
Assist with electrical wiring and HVAC installation.
Operate tools like lather, drills, sanders and planers.
Demo rooms and add on with new framing Sheetrock and flooring.
Assist HVAC technicians with changing filters and belts on the air handler units.
Complete demo of existing cabinets, tile, drywall, electrical wirings, appliances etc.

Carpenter assistant vs finish carpenter skills

Common carpenter assistant skills

Roofing, 17%
Safety Rules, 11%
Drywall Installation, 10%
Door Installation, 8%
Sheetrock, 6%
Construction Sites, 5%

Common finish carpenter skills

Hand Tools, 19%
Custom Cabinets, 13%
Safety Rules, 7%
Drywall Installation, 4%
Door Hardware, 4%
Window Installation, 3%